Push for open access to research

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6404429.stm

This article is regarding the issue of whether scientific research information should be shared with all other researchers and the public. Some researchers have seen the advantages of creating a policy to open their work to everyone and have thus launched a petition that called on the European Commission to establish a new policy that would require all government-funded research to be made available to the public shortly after publication.

After reading the article, I could understand the reasons why there are researchers who are hesitant about accepting this policy. If they follow the policy, they will not be able to earn as much money since everyone having access to the research information will generate less demand for it. Furthermore, by opening research to the public, there will be a lot of research of the same kind on the internet. Hence, there is a chance that some researchers will be left out of the picture while others steal all the limelight. Some might be lucky and have many people read their online journals or research but others might not be so. Without the policy, at least universities will look through everyone’s research and decide whether to purchase their publications based on how well it is written. They will stand an equal chance to gain fame.

But, I personally feel that it is actually a good idea to allow government-funded research to be shared with the public. Firstly, just like the article stated, a freely available virtual scientific library available to the entire globe can be created and thus widening the spread of knowledge everywhere. Students will also be able to learn much more since information is so readily available and can delve deeper into the subjects they are learning. Compared with what we have on the internet now, which only contains mainly research which were conducted many years ago and do not really showcase new ideas and breakthroughs. There have also been instances where people who just want to find out more about new scientific discoveries have always not been given access to the research information. But with the new policy, members of the public can find what they need. Cancer patients seeking information on new treatments or parents searching for the latest on childhood development issues will be able to find what they need easily.

I feel that the researchers’ studies are defeating their main purpose if they do so much research to come up with new discoveries but wish to keep it from the public. The researchers’ main concerns seem to be the money they can get from their publications. Their profits made will indeed be less if they open their research to the public without selling their work to universities, since it will seem less prestigious to the public, but is the main issue about scientific research not about improving our lives? So, I strongly feel that the researchers’ main concerns about their work should be focused more on helping people than the monetary issue.
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