Abstracts
Abstract
Following the release of the Roadmap for Open Science in 2020, Canadian federal departments and agencies that produce or fund scientific research were tasked with developing open science action plans. This study investigates the content and planned implementation of eleven publicly available action plans as of October 2024 using cross-sectional mapping and thematic analysis. The results are examined alongside the Roadmap’s recommendations that directly implicate departments and agencies, including consultations with federal scientists, open access to publication, and enabling FAIR data principles. This study provides insights into how open science activities are understood and operationalized in Canada at the federal level and how the government intends to address obstacles impeding access to federal research. A diversity of approaches to implementing open science practices was observed, along with persistent challenges, including limited mandates for oversight, uneven adoption among smaller departments, and a lack of integration between open science goals and existing research assessment systems. Opportunities lie in strengthening institutional coordination, enhancing horizontal accountability mechanisms, and aligning incentives with open science practices.
Keywords:
- open science,
- open access,
- open data,
- government science,
- research assessment
Résumé
À la suite de la publication de la Feuille de route pour la science ouverte en 2020, les ministères et organismes fédéraux canadiens qui produisent ou financent de la recherche scientifique ont été chargés d’élaborer des plans d’action en matière de science ouverte. Cette étude examine le contenu et la mise en oeuvre prévue de onze plans d’action accessibles au public en date d’octobre 2024, à l’aide d’une cartographie transversale et d’une analyse thématique. Les résultats sont analysés en parallèle avec les recommandations de la Feuille de route qui concernent directement les ministères et organismes, notamment les consultations auprès des scientifiques fédéraux, l’accès libre aux publications et l’application des principes FAIR aux données. Cette étude offre un aperçu de la manière dont les activités de science ouverte sont comprises et mises en oeuvre au niveau fédéral au Canada, ainsi que des mesures envisagées par le gouvernement pour surmonter les obstacles à l’accès à la recherche fédérale. Une diversité d’approches dans la mise en oeuvre des pratiques de science ouverte a été observée, ainsi que des défis persistants, notamment l’absence de mandats clairs en matière de surveillance, une adoption inégale parmi les petits ministères et un manque d’intégration entre les objectifs de science ouverte et les systèmes existants d’évaluation de la recherche. Des possibilités d’amélioration résident dans le renforcement de la coordination institutionnelle, l’amélioration des mécanismes de reddition de comptes horizontaux et l’alignement des incitatifs avec les pratiques de science ouverte.
Mots-clés :
- science ouverte,
- libre accès,
- données ouvertes,
- science gouvernementale,
- évaluation de la recherche
Appendices
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