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Themes include:

• Open 天美影视 in Communication and Publishing
• Open 天美影视 in Practice
• Open 天美影视 in Collaboration
• Open 天美影视 Software
• Open 天美影视 with Sensitive Data
• Building Skills and Communities for Open 天美影视

Keynote speakers

• (天美影视 on 天美影视 Institute), 鈥淭he Open Imperative鈥� (Day 1).
• (San Francisco Declaration on 天美影视 Assessment, DORA), 鈥淒ORA: Enabling the Open 天美影视 Future鈥� (Day 2).

Questions? Contact the team at openresearch@manchester.ac.uk

In this Open 天美影视 Spotlight, Open 天美影视 Specialist Josh Emsley (he/him) speaks with 天美影视 Data Manager Dr. Ramiro Bravo (he/him) about the opportunities of using Protocols.io to enhance research transparency and reproducibility. This conversation is part of a wider project led by the which is engaging researchers and research support staff across the University of Manchester (UoM) to explore how are being applied in different research contexts.   

Promoting good data management: Ramiro鈥檚 role in research workflows 

Dr. Ramiro Bravo is a 天美影视 Data Manager based in the Core Facilities (CF) within the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health (FBMH) at the University of Manchester (UoM). As a 天美影视 Data Manager, Ramiro collaborates with the CF team, Principal Investigators (PIs), and health researchers to promote good data management practices. With a background in both biomedical engineering and computer science, Ramiro brings a strong technical background to his role. He provides technical assistance for research data storage, oversees project management of research data lifecycles, and collaborates with Open 天美影视 Ambassadors in the in FBMH. 

Ramiro is a strong advocate for Open 天美影视 (OR) practices, positioning them as essential to ensuring research data transparency, reproducibility, and collaboration across research teams. Given that a large proportion of research data in FBMH originates from CF, Ramiro鈥檚 role is crucial in driving and promoting OR among these facilities and the broader research community. Ramiro explains his collaborative approach: 

鈥淐ollaborating with Core Facilities to ensure data is provided to researchers in the most effective way is essential. This approach encourages researchers to maintain strong data management practices, including proper documentation, metadata creation, preparation of analysis results, and tracking of software usage. By adhering to the FAIR (findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable) principles, we can foster a culture of good data management and Open 天美影视 from the start of research projects through to publication, data storage and eventual data destruction.鈥� 

For Ramiro, one way to foster greater OR practices across research workflows is using the right tools 鈥� which is why he is an advocate for . 

鈥淓nsuring transparency and reproducibility鈥�: How Protocols.io is opening up research workflows 

Protocols.io is an OR management tool designed to support research projects and enable collaboration in the development and sharing of detailed research . Through UoM鈥檚 institutional membership arranged by The Office for Open 天美影视, staff and students can create private individual and team spaces for method development, collaboration and the tracking of protocol execution records.  

There are multiple pathways to publishing a protocol on Protocols.io. Users can start from scratch with a blank template or import content from existing documents using an AI-assisted tool. As the Office for Open 天美影视 has established an institutional membership for Protocols.io, UoM staff and students can access a premium import service where the platform鈥檚 team will enter a protocol on behalf of a user. Users can also discover and adapt (鈥榝ork鈥�) existing public protocols on the platform, enabling ongoing refinement and reuse. Ramiro shares some of the key benefits of using Protocols.io below. 

The power of detailed documentation 

鈥淧rotocols.io is a valuable tool for maintaining records of how data is generated by Core Facilities.鈥� 

Ramiro believes detailed documentation is foundational to good research data management. Protocols.io allows CF teams to record, refine and share the step-by-step processes by which data is generated 鈥� from sample preparation through to analysis. This moves beyond the limitations of traditional methods reporting in journal articles, which is often restricted by word limits and lacks sufficient detail required for reproducibility.  

With Protocols.io, researchers can develop comprehensive protocols that remain private for internal review until ready for public sharing. This enables teams to collaboratively review and improve research workflows, while ensuring access to accurate, up-to-date procedures. 

Ramiro highlights that sample traceability remains a persistent challenge in CF, particularly when samples are submitted without accompanying preparation documentation. Protocols.io helps resolve this issue by documenting how a sample was prepared, making it easier to connect upstream preparation with downstream analysis.  

鈥淧rotocols.io allows researchers to share their protocol records with Core Facilities, detailing how their samples were prepared. This fosters better collaboration, standardisation, and adherence to best practices.鈥� 

By embedding these documentation practices into research workflows, Ramiro sees Protocols.io as a powerful enabler of the FAIR data sharing principles, even if researchers aren鈥檛 explicitly aiming to align with them. He shares a as a primary example. 

Enhanced discoverability and version control  

Two further benefits to using Protocols.io Ramiro highlights are enhanced discoverability and version control. When a protocol is published, it becomes publicly available and receives a unique DOI (Digital Object Identifier). Ramiro explains how the DOI feature makes protocols independently citable research outputs: 

鈥淲hen a paper needs to describe the methods, the Core Facility could provide the DOI of the protocol they used and published, ensuring proper credit鈥︹�� 

If a published protocol is reused or forked by others on Protocols.io, the original remains fully traceable and credited, supporting transparency and appropriate recognition of authorship. Each version of a protocol is archived, and refinements over time are logged, linked and can be compared, allowing researchers to demonstrate how a method has evolved overtime. Protocols.io also tracks engagement with published protocols through metrics such as views, comments, runs, and version forks, providing insights into protocol engagement.  

Ramiro points out that protocols published on Protocols.io are distinct research outputs, with their own authorship and citation history. This can create opportunities for early career researchers and research methodologists to gain first-author recognition for methodological contributions 鈥� strengthening visibility and facilitating future research collaborations. Linking protocol DOIs to research profiles and publications also helps to build a visible record of technical expertise and demonstrate impact beyond traditional journal articles.  

Concluding thoughts 

Through his advocacy and work in research data management, Ramiro is playing a key role in promoting OR practices across CF in FBMH. His insights emphasise that OR is not only about making data accessible, but also ensuring that research workflows are transparent, reproducible, and well-documented across the entire lifecycle. 

"Open 天美影视 tools like Protocols.io are essential for improving data transparency, documentation, and collaboration across research teams. By integrating these tools into research workflows, we can ensure that research is more reproducible, accessible, and aligned with FAIR principles." 

Are you using Protocols.io or other OR tools in your work at Manchester? We鈥檇 love to hear from you! with the Office for Open 天美影视 to share your experiences and insights on how these tools are supporting your research. 

• Access the  

We鈥檙e trialling the Journal Guide until July 2025, during which time we鈥檒l assess its utility and benefits for Manchester researchers to determine if we can provide this resource long-term. This means we need to hear from you 鈥� please check out the and let us know if you find it helpful by completing this one-minute . 

You can find out more about the Office for Open 天美影视鈥檚 support for Open Access publishing via our and , or if you鈥檇 like any further information.

This month, we鈥檙e highlighting the first edition of our Open 天美影视 Spotlight series, with Open 天美影视 Specialist Josh Emsley in conversation with Dr. Hannah Long on how she uses OSF (Open Science Framework) to both manage and open her research, with reflections on the wider cultural and ethical considerations shaping Open 天美影视 practices in health psychology. 

You can also find out how to nominate your colleagues 鈥� or yourself! 鈥� for the 2025 Open 天美影视 Award, which recognises individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to Open 天美影视 at Manchester. The winner will be announced at the 2025 , so make sure you鈥檝e . 

We also share details of two brand new My 天美影视 Essentials (MRE) workshops on  and ; our next Opening Up 天美影视 event on ; and the next meet-up; as well as updates on Open 天美影视 activity and opportunities around the University and beyond. 

• Check out the now. 
• If you鈥檙e not already signed up, you can . 
• If you鈥檇 like to contribute a thought piece, share some Open 天美影视 news, or invite participation in an Open 天美影视 event or initiative, please . 

Our aim is to promote and facilitate open research initiatives and practices within The University of Manchester. We recognise the importance of transparency, inclusivity, and collaboration in research, and we are committed to creating an environment where these principles thrive. 

2024/25 Opening Up 天美影视 events 

The Open 天美影视 Kick-Off is just the beginning of an engaging series of events for the 2024/25 academic year, culminating in the Open 天美影视 Conference. This year鈥檚 events programme is closely aligned with the , which provides essential guidance on fostering openness throughout the research lifecycle. The Framework serves as a valuable resource for researchers, departments, and disciplines, helping to assess and enhance their engagement with open research practices. Opening up 天美影视 events are open to all University staff, including professional services staff, postgraduate researchers, and early career researchers. 

Open Data: 6 May 

Managing and sharing research data transparently to ensure that data can be reused, validated, and built upon by other researchers. 

• Date: Tuesday, 6 May 2025, 1-2.30pm 
• Location: Nancy Rothwell Building, 2A.011 

Join our multi-disciplinary panel for an interactive discussion on the use of open and accessible data in modern research, the challenges of both using and sharing open data, and the future of open data research methods. The session will include a panel discussion, with time for tea, coffee, and networking with other attendees.

Speakers:

• Julian Tait, CEO of .
• Darren Price, Professor of Particle Physics, Associate Dean for Engagement (Public, Civic and Outreach) FSE ().
• Tatiana Martinez, Lecturer in Management Science, AMBS ().

Chair: Bill Ayres (Strategic Lead for UoM Library)

1鈥�2 pm: Panel presentations and discussion
2鈥�2.30 pm: Optional informal chat over coffee

The University of Manchester Open 天美影视 Conference 2025

Following the success of last year's event, The University of Manchester Open 天美影视 Conference will return for a two-day event: 

• Day 1: Monday, 9 June 
• Day 2: Tuesday, 10 June  
• Location: Alliance Manchester Business School 

Find out more and book your place:

Stay updated 

Check back here regularly for the latest updates and event registration details. You can also subscribe to our to receive the most recent updates on open research at the University and the broader research landscape. 

For any queries, please contact the team: 

• openresearch@manchester.ac.uk. 

鈥淲e鈥檙e still figuring it out.鈥�  

Sharing data in qualitative health psychology research is a complex and evolving challenge. While Open 天美影视 (OR) principles are gaining traction across many disciplines, practical and ethical barriers often prevent qualitative health researchers from fully adopting open data sharing practices. 

In this Open 天美影视 Spotlight, 天美影视 Services Analyst Josh Emsley (he/him) speaks with Dr. Hannah Long (she/her), 天美影视 Associate in Health Inequalities, about the challenges of data sharing in qualitative health psychology and the benefits of using (Open Science Framework), a key OR tool. This conversation is part of a wider project led by the which is engaging researchers across the University of Manchester (UoM) to explore how are being applied in different research contexts.  

From health inequalities to qualitative data notes: Hannah鈥檚 research interests 

Dr. is a 天美影视 Associate in Health Inequalities for the at UoM. She employs a range of evidence synthesis methods to investigate health inequalities and the wider determinants of health. Her work particularly focuses on the effects of public sector policy and health and social care interventions. 

In August 2024, Hannah secured an through which she has developed an article reporting guideline for Data Notes on qualitative health and social care research datasets through . Data Notes are peer-reviewed articles that describe how and why an archived research dataset was created, with the aim of increasing research transparency, promoting data reuse, and making data findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable (FAIR).  

Currently, Data Note templates and guides are designed primarily for quantitative data. Hannah鈥檚 Open 天美影视 Fellowship study will produce a new version suitable for qualitative datasets. Her DeNOTE project aligns with broader OR principles, enhancing the transparency, accessibility and reusability of qualitative data in health psychology research through a co-designed Data Note guideline. 

鈥淭here are so many concerns around it鈥�: The complexities of data sharing in qualitative health psychology  

Hannah situates OR within qualitative health psychology by acknowledging the unique challenges and hesitations in the field regarding open data sharing. She notes that while some OR practices are gaining traction, qualitative health researchers face additional ethical and practical barriers: 

鈥淢uch of the qualitative data we deal with has ethical and sensitivity considerations, particularly around participant identity鈥� the potential for identifying participants from their qualitative data is higher than it is for other data types, like quantitative, so we鈥檙e not yet on the open data train鈥�  

The qualitative health community is still figuring out if or how we can safely share our data and protect our participants. There鈥檚 a lack of guidance. And until that鈥檚 figured out, I think we are going to be a bit slower to join, slower to introduce open data practices.鈥� 

Using evidence synthesis techniques as her primary research method, Hannah works mainly with secondary data that is already available in published study reports. This allows her to adopt OR practices without encountering the ethical concerns faced by peers who collect primary qualitative data. At the same time, she is working to foster a stronger culture of OR within the qualitative health community around data sharing: 

鈥淚n qualitative health research, we don鈥檛 typically share our datasets. There are too many concerns around it鈥� which is something I鈥檓 trying to help shift slightly, as we need Open 天美影视 infrastructure that has been tailored to better suit qualitative data. Quantitative researchers might know more about open practices they can adopt into their research, but in qualitative research these practices are not yet widely ingrained in the same way.鈥� 

Despite these challenges, Hannah sees opportunity for incorporating more OR practices into the research workflow where possible and appropriate: 

鈥淭here are certainly things around publishing protocols, sharing our study materials, being more transparent about our methods and decisions, and getting better at reporting what we鈥檝e done that we can all do.鈥�  

鈥淎 tool to expand what I can publish鈥�: How Hannah uses OSF to expand and share her research 

天美影视 protocols are a way of recording and sharing research methodologies, promoting better transparency and reproducibility across research workflows. Hannah highlights that, in her field of health inequalities and psychology, registering a research protocol is relatively common: 

鈥淭o the best of my knowledge, most people write a protocol and share it in one form or another before their study starts. But many of these protocols are published in traditional ways, as peer-reviewed journal articles, rather than using open platforms like OSF to distribute them 鈥� with the exception of PROSPERO for systematic reviews.鈥� 

Hannah initially used PROSPERO 鈥� an international registry for systematic review protocols 鈥� for registering protocols, but found OSF to offer broader functionality. In particular, OSF supports the registration of protocols for primary qualitative studies and other types of evidence synthesis not supported by PROSPERO. OSF is an OR management tool that helps researchers organise projects, collaborate, and (pre)register research questions and methodologies. It serves as a generalist repository for protocol (pre)registration and version control, publishing preprints and data sharing. The Office for Open 天美影视 has established institutional access to OSF鈥檚 premium functionalities, offering additional support for all students and staff. 

Beyond protocol registration, Hannah uses OSF to share supplementary materials, processed data, and any necessary deviations from her protocols online (see ). The platform allows users to control data storage location (important for GDPR compliance), and to assign DOIs (Digital Object Identifier) to project outputs 鈥� enhancing both traceability and discoverability: 

鈥淚 use it mainly as a tool to expand what I can publish related to a study, and then I鈥檒l reference the DOI in my papers or other outputs so people know where to find it. It鈥檚 basically like extra storage, that鈥檚 how I think of it.鈥� 

The discoverability aspect of OSF-hosted materials is another important benefit for Hannah, allowing her to link her OSF project space in publications. OSF further provides flexible privacy controls, allowing users to effectively manage licencing, access and privacy across a range of components within a project space. The DOI feature allows a user to reserve a DOI before publication, activating when a project is finished and ready for sharing.   

Hannah believes that promoting OR practices and tools such as OSF isn鈥檛 just about raising better awareness 鈥� it鈥檚 about changing behaviour through the wider research culture at Manchester.  

鈥淚 think many people may simply be unaware of the wide range of available tools, or they stick to familiar methods because they work well enough. And they don鈥檛 actively seek out alternatives that could further support their work, because we鈥檙e busy, and we don鈥檛 know what we don鈥檛 know鈥�  

We need to better understand the barriers to uptake and why some choose not to use the tools on offer鈥� it鈥檚 about behaviour change鈥� and how we can support people to build it into their own research practice.鈥� 

With cultivating an 鈥榦pen and responsible research environment鈥� being a strategic goal for UoM, researchers like Hannah play a crucial role in advocating and championing OR practices across Manchester鈥檚 research community. The Office for Open 天美影视 drives progress toward the University鈥檚 strategic OR goals by delivering initiatives and projects through its Open 天美影视 Programme. This includes supporting access to OR systems like OSF, as well as the provision of specialist workshops and training on using OR tools through the skills programme. The RLP-funded project aims to further bring together a growing community of data stewards and researchers who foster OR practices across UoM. 

Concluding thoughts 

Our conversation with Dr. Hannah Long highlights both the barriers and opportunities of adopting OR practices in qualitative health psychology. While concerns about participant confidentiality and data sensitivity remain key challenges, tools like OSF offer pathways for greater research transparency through protocol (pre)registration, version control, supplementary material sharing, and enhanced discoverability. The Office for Open 天美影视 plays an important role in supporting OR practices at UoM by providing institutional access, training and guidance on using OR systems like OSF.  

Are you using OSF or other OR tools in your work at Manchester? We鈥檇 love to hear from you! with the Office for Open 天美影视 and share your experiences and insights on how these tools are supporting your research.  

Want to hear more from Hannah about her Open 天美影视 Fellows project? on Wednesday 28 May 2025 at 12pm in the Main Library where Hannah will be leading the third session in the 天美影视 Data Conversations series. 

This award recognises individuals and teams who have made significant contributions to Open 天美影视 at Manchester. 

If you can demonstrate engagement with Open 天美影视 through community and training initiatives, adherence to open and FAIR data principles, commitment to open access publishing, use of open software, and alignment with the , then now is your chance to be recognised! 

Who can be nominated? 

 鈥� University of Manchester academic, technical, and professional services staff. 

鈥� Postgraduate researchers (PGRs). 

鈥� Individuals and research teams (self-nominations are welcome). 

Award benefits include:  

鈥� Commemorative trophy for the winner. 

鈥� Title of Honorary Fellow of the Office for Open 天美影视. 

鈥� Invitation to join the Open 天美影视 Fellowship alumni network. 

鈥� Opportunity to contribute to the . 

鈥� The chance to act as an ambassador for Open 天美影视 across the University and beyond. 

Nomination Deadline: 30 April 2025 

Submit your nomination here: . 

For more information and to register for the conference, visit the . 

This month, we hear from Open 天美影视 Librarian John Hynes, coordinator of our , considering research indicators in the context of Open 天美影视.  

You can also find out the latest news on our ; our next Opening Up 天美影视 event on ; and the next meet-up; as well as updates on our and Open 天美影视 activity and opportunities around the University and beyond. 

• Check out the now. 
• If you鈥檙e not already signed up, you can . 
• If you鈥檇 like to contribute a thought piece, share some Open 天美影视 news, or invite participation in an Open 天美影视 event or initiative, please . 

The Office for Open 天美影视 (OOR) has launched a to sharing research openly throughout the research lifecycle. Sharing research as openly as possible is key to driving innovation and maximising its potential societal impact. Sharing more research outputs, earlier in the process, offers many potential benefits, including: 

• enhancing the quality and reach of your work; 
• refining your work through broadening your perspective; 
• inviting not just feedback, but opportunities for collaboration. 

The new guide is indented to support researchers in realising these benefits, as part of the University of Manchester鈥檚 commitment to cultivating an open and responsible research environment. 

Developed in partnership with the Library鈥檚 eLearning team and with contributions from our and colleagues, the guide takes you through the stages of the research process, highlighting opportunities to share research at each point, as well as important considerations before taking action. It also includes details of a range of to which the OOR provides enhanced for Manchester researchers access via funded institutional memberships. 

• Check out the interactive sharing guide:   

We鈥檇 love to hear your feedback to help us develop this guide further. Is there a research output that you create within your area of research focus that we haven鈥檛 included, or a tool you use to share outputs that we haven鈥檛 mentioned? Please to share your experiences. 

Firstly, if you haven鈥檛 heard of 天美影视 Data Conversations (RDC), let me explain how it works, the idea behind it, and why you should come to the next conversation on ! 

The concept behind RDC (credit to our friends and colleagues at Lancaster University Library for the original idea) is simple: provide an informal space for staff and students interested in and/or directly engaged in research data, data management, open data,  data, and data stewardship to come together, learn something new, and connect with each other during and afterwards over a free lunch. RDC is a collaboration between the Library鈥檚 researcher development programme  and the  (itself a collaboration between the  and the ). 

In the first conversation, lead by to  a Data Curator at the , it was heartening to see the range of people from across the research community at the University of Manchester come together and connect: data stewards, research data managers, postgraduate researchers, librarians, academics, and research technicians. Conversations were had for the first time between colleagues in the same department and faculty who had no idea the other was interested in and working on the same research data topics they were! This is what RDC is all about, and what we hope to see much more of in the future. 

So, what's next?

Our next conversation will be led by Dr James Bird (天美影视 IT, University of Manchester). James will share his experience of opening up his PhD research, how the use of an electronic research notebook (ERN) enabled that, and the . 

For the rest of the academic year RDC will be moving away from topics associated more with the science and engineering research data community (don鈥檛 worry we will be back soon!) and focusing on topics related to qualitative data research (no spoilers). RDC aims to be as inclusive as possible and accessible to the entire research community, and that very much includes those researchers in the humanities, social sciences, and qualitative research communities. At the end of the day, all research includes the collection and analysis of information or observations (data) in some form, so we would love to see as many people as possible from these communities participate in RDC in the future (as a speaker or attendee!). 

The next RDC will take place on February 12 and is open to all staff and PGRs  

If you have an idea for a conversation topic or would like to be a featured speaker at a future RDC, please email us via openresearch@manchester.ac.uk.  

The Opening up 天美影视 kick-off in October featured President and Chancellor Professor Duncan Ivison in conversation with Institutional Lead for Open and Reproducible 天美影视 Andrew Stewart, and engaging updates on the varied and impactful projects of our 2022-24 Open 天美影视 Fellows. We are now looking forward to the next event in the series, taking place on Tuesday, 4 February, focusing on Open Software. 

• Book your place:  

We鈥檙e also busy preparing for our second Open 天美影视 Conference which will take place over two days on Monday, 9 and Tuesday, 10 June. 

The event will showcase the latest innovations and practices in Open 天美影视, bringing together researchers, postgraduate researchers (PGRs), and research support professionals across disciplines to explore bold ideas and practical solutions for reshaping how we conduct and share research. 

• For more details and to register, please visit the  

You can also which brings together the latest news and activities to get involved in, and insights from experts, practitioners, advocates and challengers across the Open 天美影视 landscape. And please if you鈥檙e interested in writing an opinion piece for a future edition of the Digest, or if you鈥檇 like to discuss any aspect of Open 天美影视.