Open Science Framework (OSF) Integration

Advancing Transparent and Collaborative Research

At The University of Ontological Science, we are committed to fostering transparent, reproducible, and collaborative research practices. The Open Science Framework (OSF) provides a powerful platform that supports these values while enhancing the impact and integrity of your scholarly work. This guide introduces how TUOS graduate students can leverage OSF throughout their research journey—from initial planning to final publication—creating more rigorous, accessible, and influential contributions to ontological understanding.

OSF Fundamentals for TUOS Researchers

Institutional Integration
TUOS’s comprehensive connection with OSF:

• Institutional single sign-on with your TUOS credentials
• Branded TUOS OSF portal highlighting university research
• Automatic verification of your TUOS affiliation
• Integration with other TUOS digital research tools
• Priority support for TUOS researchers through our OSF ambassador
• Regular synchronization with TUOS institutional repository

Core OSF Features
Essential capabilities supporting your research workflow:

• Centralized project management for all research materials
• Version control tracking changes to documents and analyses
• Flexible privacy settings from fully private to fully public
• Collaborative tools for research teams and partnerships
• Persistent identifiers (DOIs) for citable research outputs
• Comprehensive file storage supporting all common formats

Getting Started Resources
Support for implementing OSF in your research:

• Monthly “Introduction to OSF” workshops at the Graduate Research Center
• TUOS-specific OSF tutorial videos and documentation
• One-on-one consultation with our Open Science Specialist
• Department-based OSF champions providing peer support
• Step-by-step setup guides for different research types
• Templates for common ontological research projects

Research Workflow Integration

Project Planning & Organization
Structuring your research from the beginning:

• Creating well-organized project structures
• Establishing clear documentation practices
• Setting up component hierarchies for complex projects
• Developing consistent file naming conventions
• Implementing metadata standards for discoverability
• Creating project wikis to document protocols and procedures

Preregistration Practices
Strengthening research through advance planning:

• Templates for phenomenological research preregistration
• Documentation of analysis plans before data collection
• Time-stamped records of hypotheses and predictions
• Structured formats for qualitative research protocols
• Flexibility for iterative and exploratory approaches
• Transparency about confirmatory vs. exploratory analyses

Data Management
Responsible handling of research information:

• Secure storage for sensitive phenomenological data
• Organization systems for complex qualitative materials
• Integration with quantitative data analysis platforms
• Version tracking for evolving datasets
• Documentation of data processing procedures
• Preparation for appropriate data sharing

Analysis Documentation
Ensuring reproducible research procedures:

• Code sharing for computational analyses
• Step-by-step documentation of qualitative processes
• Recording analytical decision points and rationales
• Linking analysis files directly to datasets
• Creating reproducible workflows with connected components
• Managing analytical iterations transparently

Collaboration Capabilities

Team Management Features
Tools for coordinated research efforts:

• Granular permission settings for different team roles
• Collaborative editing of shared documents
• Comment and discussion features for team communication
• Activity logs tracking contributions and changes
• Integration with communication tools like Slack
• Conflict resolution processes for collaborative work

Cross-Institutional Collaboration
Supporting partnerships beyond TUOS:

• Seamless collaboration with researchers at other institutions
• Clear attribution of institutional affiliations
• Tools for managing distributed research teams
• Framework for international research partnerships
• Integration capabilities with partner institution systems
• Recognition of multi-institutional contributions

Mentor-Student Research Relationships
Supporting academic apprenticeship:

• Transparent oversight of student research progress
• Structured feedback mechanisms for developing projects
• Progressive transfer of project ownership as students advance
• Templates for thesis and dissertation committee sharing
• Documentation of mentorship contributions
• Portfolio development for academic advancement

Open Sharing & Publication

Responsible Data Sharing
Ethical approaches to research transparency:

• Guidance on what data are appropriate to share
• De-identification protocols for sensitive information
• Embargoed sharing with specified release dates
• Selective component sharing based on sensitivity
• Data access controls for limited sharing
• Attribution requirements for shared resources

Preprint Publication
Early sharing of research findings:

• Direct submission to disciplinary preprint services
• TUOS-branded preprints showcasing institutional research
• Versioning capabilities as manuscripts develop
• Citation tracking for preprint impact
• Integration with journal submission workflows
• Community feedback mechanisms

Supplementary Materials Hosting
Enriching published research:

• Storage for materials exceeding journal limitations
• Multimedia supplements including audio and video
• Raw data underlying published findings
• Extended methodological details and protocols
• Additional analyses not included in formal publications
• Interactive elements enhancing research communication

Integration with TUOS Research Requirements

Dissertation & Thesis Support
Enhancing capstone research projects:

• Templates specifically designed for TUOS dissertations
• Committee access management for drafts and materials
• Transparent documentation of research development
• Permanent archiving of supplementary materials
• Public sharing options post-approval
• Integration with TUOS ETD (Electronic Thesis & Dissertation) system

Ethics & IRB Documentation
Supporting responsible research practices:

• Storage for IRB protocols and approval documents
• Participant consent templates and tracking
• Documentation of ethical decision-making processes
• Audit trails for sensitive research procedures
• Privacy protection measures for human subjects research
• Alignment with TUOS ethics requirements

Grant-Funded Research Compliance
Meeting funder requirements:

• Data management plan implementation
• Documentation fulfilling open science mandates
• Progress reporting materials organized by funding source
• Deliverables tracking for grant requirements
• Public access compliance for funded research
• Impact tracking for grant reporting

Community Engagement & Impact

Increasing Research Visibility
Amplifying the reach of your work:

• Search engine optimization for discoverable research
• Social media integration for sharing findings
• Alternative metrics tracking for online impact
• Project analytics showing views and downloads
• Strategic tagging for discoverability
• Connection to researcher profiles and identifiers

Public Engagement Options
Communicating beyond academic audiences:

• Accessible summaries for non-specialist readers
• Translation of research implications for broader audiences
• Engagement with community stakeholders through shared materials
• Multimedia presentations of research findings
• Interactive components for public exploration
• Educational materials derived from research

Interdisciplinary Connection
Bridging across knowledge domains:

• Discovery tools for finding related research
• Tagging systems linking similar projects
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration opportunities
• Integration of diverse methodological approaches
• Translation of terminology across fields
• Visualization of conceptual connections

Advanced OSF Implementation

Workflow Automation
Streamlining research processes:

• Integration with GitHub for code development
• Automated synchronization with cloud storage
• Webhook connections to other research tools
• Custom add-ons for specialized research needs
• API access for programmatic interaction
• Batch operations for efficient project management

Teaching with OSF
Supporting educational applications:

• Template projects for student assignments
• Demonstration projects for research methods courses
• Collaborative class projects with managed permissions
• Portfolios of student research development
• Transparency in teaching materials and approaches
• Research apprenticeship documentation

Institutional Research Assessment
Supporting evaluation and progress:

• Documentation for annual review materials
• Evidence of research impact and engagement
• Transparent record of scholarly contributions
• Portfolio development for academic advancement
• Metrics for departmental research assessment
• Demonstration of open science practices

Accessing OSF Support at TUOS

The Open Science Support Team is based in the Graduate Research Center (Heidegger Building, Room 205) and offers consultations Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. To schedule a consultation, email openscience@tuos.edu or book directly through the Graduate Portal.

Monthly OSF workshops rotate through introductory and advanced topics, with the schedule posted on the Graduate Research Center website. Department-specific implementations are available upon request for research groups or courses.

For technical assistance with OSF, our dedicated helpdesk is available at osf-help@tuos.edu, with typical response times under 24 hours.

We recommend that all graduate students create an OSF account and complete the “OSF Essentials” online tutorial during their first semester. Consider attending an in-person workshop before beginning your first major research project to ensure you establish effective open science practices from the start.

At TUOS, we believe that open, transparent research practices not only enhance the credibility and impact of your work but also align with our deeper philosophical commitments to shared inquiry into the nature of consciousness, reality, and human experience. By embracing these practices through platforms like OSF, you contribute to a more collaborative, rigorous approach to ontological science that benefits both the scholarly community and society at large.