In 2024, the UG Open Science Blog continued to provide insights into open research and scholarly communication, publishing 18 articles and interviews that spanned diverse academic landscapes. 

Our Open Access Publication in the Spotlight series showcased the breadth of UG staff research, featuring studies ranging from ADHD driving interventions to musicians' experiences with algorithmic networks, and the evolving role of university researchers as entrepreneurs.

Beyond highlighting specific research, we offered practical resources for academics, including guidelines on research practices, reproducibility insights, and interviews exploring best practices in FAIR data management.

This year's most-read articles reflect the diverse and dynamic nature of scientific discourse. From innovative social media approaches in research communication to advice on choosing CC licenses and authors sharing their experience with publishing an open access book with a high societal impact, our top articles have sparked conversations across domains. 

However, readers were (again) particularly drawn to learning more about UG/UMCG authors who fell prey to predatory publishers.

Join us as we revisit the five articles that captured the most attention this year:

1. UG & UMCG Authors: Falling Prey to Fraudulent Predatory Publishing Practices (published in 2021)

2. One Year After X: Embracing Open Science on Mastodon (2024)

3. Which Creative Commons Licence Should I Choose? (2021)

4. Open Access Publication in the Spotlight: April - Sharing with Minimal Regulation (2024)

5. Publishing an Open Access Book on Psychosocial Support Methods for People with Intellectual Disabilities (2024)

Focussing only on articles that were written in 2024, the top five posts are: 

1. One Year After X: Embracing Open Science on Mastodon

2. Open Access Publication in the Spotlight: April - Sharing with Minimal Regulation 

3. Publishing an Open Access Book on Psychosocial Support Methods for People with Intellectual Disabilities

4. Open Access Publication in the Spotlight: March - Gender Differences in Dutch Research Funding

5. Strengthening Scientific Integrity: An Interview with Michiel de Boer, Founder of the Dutch Reproducibility Network

Image: Photo by John Phelan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons