PLP adopts open access research policy

From February 2019, PLP will adopt an open access research policy for all reports published on its website. PLP is committed to making knowledge free and available to all, and to support this principle we will endeavour to prioritise the use of open access sources in our publications. The use of open access sources will enable readers to look up citations without requiring access to paid subscription journals or other sources that have a paywall in place.

To enable an open access approach to research publications, PLP has adopted the basic principles set out in the Open Access Knowledge: Digital Style Guide, developed by Professor Patrick Dunleavy from the London School of Economics. These are that:

• All citations/ references should lead wherever possible to a digital text, database, or other information source;
• The primary source cited should wherever possible be open access – so that it is immediately available in one click to readers. Closed access and paywall sources should always be cited as well, but in a secondary  role;
• Where an open access digital source is not available, closed access and paywall sources will have to suffice, as now. However, authors should try to provide clickable links to additional information useful to readers.

For further information about the Digital Style Guide, please see: https://medium.com/@write4research/open-access-knowledge-digital-style-guide-45e07539957d.