PLOS PROGRESS UPDATE 2014/2015 FROM THE CHAIRMAN AND CEO PLOS is dedicated to the transformation of research communication through collaboration, transparency, speed and access. Since its founding, PLOS has demonstrated the viability of high quality, Open Access publishing; launched the ground- breaking PLOS ONE, a home for all sound science selected for its rigor, not its “significance”; developed the first Article- Level Metrics (ALMs) to demonstrate the value of research beyond the perceived status of a journal title; and extended the impact of research after its publication with the PLOS data policy, ALMs and liberal Open Access licensing. But challenges remain. Scientific communication is far from its ideal state. There is still inconsistent access, and research is oered at a snapshot in time, instead of as an evolving contribution whose reliability and significance are continually evaluated through its lifetime. The current state demands that PLOS continue to establish new standards and expectations for scholarly communication. These include a faster and more ecient publication experience, more transparent peer review, assessment though the lifetime of a work, better recognition of the range of contributions made by collaborators and placing researchers and their communities back at the center of scientific communication. To these ends, PLOS is developing ApertaTM, a system that will facilitate and advance the submission and peer review process for authors, editors and reviewers. PLOS is also creating richer and more inclusive forums, such as PLOS Paleontology and PLOS Ecology Communities and the PLOS Science Wednesday redditscience Ask Me Anything. Progress is being made on early posting of manuscripts at PLOS. PLOS Computational Biology Topic Pages allow authors and editors to collaborate in a timely and transparent way. They then publish the work in both the journal and, along with the peer reviews and author responses, on Wikipedia for visibility and discussion. What began as a movement to make research accessible and free now provides millions of readers around the world increasing opportunities to make important, positive impacts on global health, scientific discovery and science education. Chairman , Chief Executive Ocer 1 Gary Ward, Elizabeth Marincola Transparent and Continual PLOS HIGHLIGHTS Assessment Advances Science Ongoing Engagement Extends New Research Available 100 PERCENT O PEN ACCESS the Lifetime of Research Sooner Accelerates Science Advances in digital technologies have created PLOS believes that the early availability of + opportunities to alter the way people work, research findings, expert commentary and YEARS communicate and cooperate. Leveraging the broad informed scientific opinion benefits basic 12 AS A LEADER IN OPEN ACCESS PUBLISHING readership and technology of Wikipedia and scientists, clinicians, policymakers and the editorial rigor of PLOS Computational Biology, public through improved decision making. Topic Pages [1] allow PLOS authors and editors a To allow for fast and timely release of PEER- collaborative, timely and transparent approach to information to the community at the height REVIEWED authoring, reviewing and editing. Manuscripts of the Ebola epidemic, two manuscripts JOURNALS created and revised on the journal’s Wiki undergo a submitted to PLOS Neglected Tropical 7 peer review process made transparent to the public Diseases describing the social pathways of by publishing the work—as both a journal article [2] transmission and factors leading to the and a Wikipedia page—together with the peer emergence of Ebola in West Africa were reviews and author responses. Access to the work conditionally accepted before rigorous peer on Wikipedia increases visibility and invites review and posted on the blog ‘Speaking of discussion. Eight Topic Pages have been created Medicine.’ On completion of the peer review with Wikipedia versions of articles updated as process, the articles [3] were published [4] discoveries are made, allowing the research record in the journal. to evolve. 2 Recognized Author Contributions respectful dialogue and constructive commenting. Industry Collaboration on PLOS—A TOP TEN PLOS supports these experiments through its editor PLOS ONE— Enhance Discovery Peer Review Ensures Integrity Measuring Article Impact BIOMEDICAL PUBLISHER and reviewer training available in the Academic To encourage appropriate recognition of researchers Editor Knowledge Base. PLOS joined other publishers and the Committee On 0.10 for contributing resources such as antibodies and Publication Ethics (COPE) to improve the integrity Scientists in the UK identify their model organisms, authors of PLOS Biology and and eectiveness of peer review by developing an 0.08 best work for the UK’s 2014 PLOS Genetics articles gained the ability to industry-wide response to inappropriate and Research Excellence Framework participate in the cross-publisher Resource orchestrated manipulation of the review process. whereby materials described 0.06 (REF), a periodic assessment of Identification Initiative The response includes a statement with published research articles. A total in an article are assigned a persistent and unique recommendations for individual publishers on of 2,403 PLOS articles across a machine-readable resource identifier. The identifier 0.04 retracting articles published on the basis of wide range of disciplines that links to a curated description of the resource, and manipulated reviews, and guidelines to ensure the provide new understanding of other articles or online sources citing that resource, integrity of the scientific record, public trust in the 0.02 CALCULATED CITATION FREQUENCY CITATION CALCULATED disease processes, clinical insights via the SciCrunch web portal. In addition to scientific literature and author confidentiality. or important basic scientific incentivizing appropriate credit, this facilitates better 0.00 research discoveries were submitted resource management, reproducibility and discovery. 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 to the assessment, reflecting high- SCOPUS CITATIONS quality research by UK university “The balance tips towards the requirement Training Improves scientists published in PLOS journals. for transparency. Readers need 23,464 articles published in 2012 Assessment Quality to be able to judge whether writers are • 10% of articles ≥19 citations Assessment at multiple stages along a research commenting outside their areas of expertise.” • Median citations =7 project’s lifecycle provides a comprehensive Hilda Bastian Courtesy of Martin Fenner. Scopus citation counts as of July 13, 2015 for approach toward faster publication of quality work. PLOS ONE articles published in 2012 Editor, PubMed Health and PubMed Commons Training in how to critique research, the ability to Academic Editor, PLOS Medicine more rigorously capture the intellectual eort of commenting and acknowledgments of contributions will stimulate a stronger post-publication culture [5]. Towards this goal, those scientists engaged in discovery—from basic science [6] to translational research [7]—in discussion through blogs [8] can play a role in creating and enriching a scientific environment enhanced by critical thinking, 3 Recognized Author Contributions respectful dialogue and constructive commenting. Industry Collaboration on PLOS supports these experiments through its editor OPENNESS FOSTERS Enhance Discovery Peer Review Ensures Integrity and reviewer training available in the Academic INCREASED PUBLIC To encourage appropriate recognition of researchers Editor Knowledge Base. ENGAGEMENT PLOS joined other publishers and the Committee On for contributing resources such as antibodies and Publication Ethics (COPE) to improve the integrity model organisms, authors of PLOS Biology and and eectiveness of peer review by developing an PLOS Genetics articles gained the ability to The Public Engagement in Science industry-wide response to inappropriate and ARTICLE HIGHLIGHTS* participate in the cross-publisher Resource Collection [9] investigates through orchestrated manipulation of the review process. Identification Initiative whereby materials described case studies the conditions under ARTICLES PUBLISHED The response includes a statement with in an article are assigned a persistent and unique which the public is motivated to recommendations for individual publishers on machine-readable resource identifier. The identifier engage in scientific issues and retracting articles published on the basis of links to a curated description of the resource, and + decision making related to bio- manipulated reviews, and guidelines to ensure the other articles or online sources citing that resource, 33,000 science innovation. Recent articles integrity of the scientific record, public trust in the via the SciCrunch web portal. In addition to address open collaboration [10] scientific literature and author confidentiality. incentivizing appropriate credit, this facilitates better involving broadened participant resource management, reproducibility and discovery. groups to improve local 11.6 MILLION environmental governance; Training Improves MONTHLY ARTICLE VIEWS increased transparency [11] in the grant review process to bolster Assessment Quality confidence for public spending on Assessment at multiple stages along a research 1.9+ MILLION research; incremental changes [12] project’s lifecycle provides a comprehensive MONTHLY ARTICLE DOWNLOADS to improve transparency of peer approach toward faster publication of quality work. review for grant funding