Open access has a lot of advantages concerning career advancement. In this paper, I will point out some of them.
First of all, since Open Access articles are freely available to anyone with an internet connection, visibility is, of course, increased. Research becomes therefore easily accessible, and, more specifically, articles can be read, cited, and shared by researchers from all over the world. This visibility leads to increased citations, which, in turn, can enhance a researcher's academic reputation.
A study conducted by the Public Library of Science (PLOS) found that open access articles receive, on average, 18% more citations than articles behind paywalls. This demonstrates the positive impact of open access on citation rates and the potential for increased recognition within the scholarly community.
Secondly, Open access encourages collaboration and knowledge exchange as it removes barriers to accessing information. Researchers from institutions with limited resources or in developing countries can freely access articles, enabling them to participate in collaborations and contribute to global research efforts. Collaborative research projects can lead to broader recognition and opportunities for co-authorship of impactful publications. In this sense, it increases the visibility of authors.
Examples that are relevant in that sense are Open access initiatives like arXiv, a preprint server for physics, mathematics, computer science, and other disciplines.
Third, Open access is a great opportunity to engage with the general non-academic public. Knowledge becomes more accessible to journalists, policymakers, and other stakeholders interested in applying research findings to all kinds of topics. This broader engagement can lead to increased recognition and impact beyond traditional academic circles as well as to alternative non-academic grants.
Another interesting feature concerns early Career Researchers and Emerging Scholars. Indeed, publishing research openly allows them to quickly establish their research profiles.
A good example of this is the Open Library of Humanities (OLH). OLH is an open access platform that supports early career researchers by providing a reputable venue for publishing their work. Another example is our own platform, philosophie.ch which allows young researchers to publish articles and share their ideas.
Finally, another interesting topic concerns the impact Beyond Academic Metrics. Open access promotes a more diverse set of impact metrics beyond traditional citation-based indicators. Alternative metrics, such as social media mentions, downloads, and media coverage provide a more comprehensive assessment of a researcher's influence.
A great example in this sense is Altmetric. Altmetric is a service that tracks online attention to scholarly outputs. By measuring social media mentions, news articles, and policy documents citing a research publication, Altmetric provides a more holistic view of the dissemination and societal relevance of academic work.