Communications of the ACM
Study Reveals Strong Demand for Open-Access Science
The report tracks adults motivated to seek out credible sources and engage with challenging material.
A study by researchers from Georgia Institute of Technology indicates the importance of open-access, science-based information to everyday Americans while also advancing the use of machine learning in the social sciences.
"Widespread Use of National Academies Consensus Reports by the American Public," published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, analyzes the reasons for 1.6 million downloads of National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine consensus reports.
They found that While nearly half of the reports were downloaded for academic purposes, the researchers found, even more were accessed by people outside strictly educational settings. The latter are self-directed adult learners, including many professionals who use the reports to keep up with developments in their profession outside of formal processes or requirements, the report says.
The study shows that open access to scientific information matters to the average American, says co-author Ameet Doshi, a Ph.D. student at Georgia Tech's School of Public Policy.
From Georgia Institute of Technology
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