PLOS | Vibepedia
PLOS is a nonprofit publisher of open-access journals in science, technology, and medicine, founded in 2000. It has published 14 academic journals, including…
Contents
Overview
PLOS, or Public Library of Science, was founded in 2000 by Patrick Brown and Michael Eisen, two Stanford University professors. The organization launched its first journal, PLOS Biology, in October 2003, with the goal of making scientific literature more accessible to the public. Since then, PLOS has published 14 academic journals, including 7 indexed within the Science Citation Index Expanded. PLOS journals are included in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) and have been recognized for their high impact factors.
📰 How It Works
The PLOS publishing model is based on an open-content license, allowing authors to retain the copyright to their work while making it freely available to the public. This approach has been influential in the scientific community, with many researchers and institutions advocating for open-access publishing. Nature and Science have also adopted similar models, increasing the availability of scientific knowledge. PLOS is also a member of the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association (OASPA) and the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE).
🌐 Cultural Impact
The impact of PLOS on the scientific community has been significant. By making scientific literature more accessible, PLOS has enabled researchers from around the world to access and build upon existing knowledge. This has led to increased collaboration and innovation, as seen in the work of Craig Venter and the Human Genome Project. PLOS has also played a key role in promoting open science and transparency, with many of its journals requiring authors to make their data and methods publicly available. GitHub and Figshare have also been used by researchers to share their data and code.
🔮 Legacy & Future
As the scientific publishing landscape continues to evolve, PLOS remains at the forefront of open-access publishing. With its commitment to making scientific knowledge freely available, PLOS has paved the way for other publishers to follow suit. The organization continues to innovate, with new initiatives such as PLOS ONE and PLOS Computational Biology. As the demand for open-access publishing grows, PLOS is well-positioned to remain a leader in the field, working with organizations like Wellcome Trust and National Institutes of Health.
Key Facts
- Year
- 2000
- Origin
- United States
- Category
- science
- Type
- organization
Frequently Asked Questions
What is PLOS and what does it do?
PLOS is a nonprofit publisher of open-access journals in science, technology, and medicine. It was founded in 2000 and has published 14 academic journals, including 7 indexed within the Science Citation Index Expanded. PLOS is a member of the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association and the Committee on Publication Ethics.
How does PLOS make its journals open-access?
PLOS uses an open-content license, allowing authors to retain the copyright to their work while making it freely available to the public. This approach has been influential in the scientific community, with many researchers and institutions advocating for open-access publishing.
What is the impact of PLOS on the scientific community?
The impact of PLOS on the scientific community has been significant. By making scientific literature more accessible, PLOS has enabled researchers from around the world to access and build upon existing knowledge. This has led to increased collaboration and innovation, as seen in the work of Craig Venter and the Human Genome Project.
How does PLOS promote open science and transparency?
PLOS promotes open science and transparency by requiring authors to make their data and methods publicly available. Many of its journals also have open peer review, allowing readers to see the comments and critiques of reviewers. PLOS has also partnered with organizations like GitHub and Figshare to make it easier for researchers to share their data and code.
What is the future of PLOS and open-access publishing?
As the scientific publishing landscape continues to evolve, PLOS remains at the forefront of open-access publishing. With its commitment to making scientific knowledge freely available, PLOS has paved the way for other publishers to follow suit. The organization continues to innovate, with new initiatives such as PLOS ONE and PLOS Computational Biology.