Guidelines for Open Science Sharing best practices for FAIR research. A user-friendly guide to making your science visible and accessible

This booklet introduces researchers to the principles and practices of Open Science, an integrated policy approach aimed at making scientific research more transparent, accessible, and reproducible. It serves as a practical guide for understanding the philosophy behind Open Science, adopting the right mindset, and implementing actionable steps to improve research quality and impact. Developed as an output of the Convention on Open Access promoted by the EU project NetCastPL4.0, this guide reflects a collaborative effort among the partners to standardize and share best practices for fostering openness in research. The guide begins by defining Open Science and its relevance in today’s research ecosystem, emphasizing how openness fosters collaboration, innovation, and public trust. It then explores the mindset shift required to embrace openness, encouraging researchers to prioritize sharing, reproducibility, and ethical practices throughout their work. To support this shift, the booklet outlines the FAIR Research Guidelines—making data Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable—which provide a foundation for responsible data stewardship. Practical sections follow, offering clear, step-by-step guidance on: Publishing Open Access (OA): Understanding publication models, navigating costs, and selecting appropriate platforms to maximize visibility and reach. Research Data Management (RDM): Organizing, documenting, and archiving research data to enhance reproducibility and long-term usability. Finally, the booklet provides curated resources to help researchers access tools, policies, and communities that support Open Science practices. Overall, this booklet is designed to empower researchers at all career stages to integrate Open Science principles into their daily workflows, contributing to a more transparent, collaborative, and impactful global research environment.