Researchers working in a laboratory

Open Research Systems

Aligned with The University of Manchester's strategic goal of cultivating an open and responsible research environment, the Office for Open Research is committed to identifying, piloting, and supporting access to a range of Open Research systems for University of Manchester researchers.

Open Research systems you can trust

The Office for Open Research works with researchers to identify technical solutions to the challenges of opening up research, establishing partnerships with suppliers to provide access to useful and effective Open Research systems. 

Aligned with the University’s commitment to developing a secure research environment, we identify, assess and establish institutional access to platforms that enable you to openly share your research safely and with confidence. 

Explore some of our Open Research systems:

OSF (Open Science Framework)

OSF (Open Science Framework) is an Open Research management tool which enables effective sharing of the research process by facilitating open, reproducible research pipelines from preregistration through to data collection and analysis. Sign-up for OSF: 

  • visit osf.io;
  • click 'Sign in via your institution';
  • select 'The University of Manchester' from the drop-down list.

Protocols.io

Protocols.io is an Open Research management tool which provides a space for sharing detailed protocols and research methods, as well as collaboration between researchers. Users can create, publish, and read public protocols. University of Manchester staff and students can also create private areas for method development, collaboration and tracking protocol execution records. To sign-up for Protocols.io:

  • visit protocols.io; 
  • log in using your University log-in via Single Sign On. 

Scite

Scite is a research discovery and analysis platform that can help you to discover and analyse relevant research publications. It can also provide you with indicators as to how and why papers receive citations, through the Smart Citations feature. Scite can be accessed via Library Search.To gain access to premium features, including unlimited prompts and access to dashboard features, sign up for an account with your University of Manchester email address.  

Figshare

Figshare is the University’s supported institutional research data repository. You can use Figshare to deposit and publish data which is suitable for sharing openly under a licence which allows reuse. Publishing data via Figshare helps to make your data outputs Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR), as well as fulfilling funder or publisher requirements. Access Figshare using  your University log-in via Single Sign On. 

DMPonline

DMPonline enables researchers to create, store and maintain their data management plans (DMPs). This includes functionalities to share, download, and request feedback on DMPs. DMPonline also allows researcher support teams to review and return feedback on DMPs, to maintain a collection of DMP templates with associated guidance, and to monitor service use.  

Overleaf

Overleaf is an online collaborative writing and publishing tool that enables authors to create professional-looking documents using LaTeX. You can use Overleaf to collaboratively write your journal article with your co-authors, ahead of sharing it as a preprint or later version, using hundreds of journal templates. Overleaf Professional accounts are freely available to all current University of Manchester staff and postgraduate researchers. To sign up to Overleaf:

Check out our interactive guide to sharing outputs throughout the research process  to access dozens of systems that we've developed, subscribed to, support or recommend, and discover the benefits that each tool can offer.

Investing in community-led infrastructure

The Office for Open Research is committed to supporting a range of community-level initiatives which underpin the global Open Research movement, and the embedding of local Open Research practices at The University of Manchester. We allocate a portion of our budgets to support the development of sustainable, diverse and equitable Open Research infrastructure, including The Open Library of Humanities, ORCID, OSF, CrimRiv and Opening the Future 

The Open Research Tracker

You can use the Open Research Tracker to access publications data maintained by the Library, including REF OA compliance informationDevelopment work is underway to expand the Tracker to include Data Management Plan (DMP) information and a portal to request research metric and indicator reports.

  • Researchers can log in to the Tracker to check the compliance status of your own publications. 
  • Departmental leaders and administrators can request Tracker access to view data from your department or subject area to support REF and funder reporting. Contact us to request this level of access

Researchers can also use the Open Research Tracker to submit papers for deposit to Pure, or request Open Access funding, via the Open Access Gateway.