PLOS One

This is a place for science stories.

It shares new ideas with everyone. Anyone can read them for free. This helps people learn.

The journal is very big. It shares work from many different areas. It does not pick favorites. It only checks if the work is done well.

Experts look at the work first. They check to see if it is correct. Then, the stories are put online.

Many people use these stories to learn. It is a great way to share facts with the world.

PLOS One is a very large science journal.

It started in 2006. It is part of the Public Library of Science. This group wants to share research for free. We call this open access. This means anyone can read the papers online without paying.

Most science journals only pick the most important papers. PLOS One does things differently. They do not pick favorites. They only check if the work was done well. They look at the data and the tests. They want to see if the work is rigorous. This means the science is careful and follows the rules.

Experts help check the work. This is called peer review. An editor looks at the paper first. They might ask other experts to read it. These experts give feedback to the writers. Then, the editor decides to accept the paper or ask for changes.

Many people use this journal. It covers all kinds of science and medicine. In 2017, the journal had published over 200,000 articles. It helps scientists talk to each other and share new facts with the world.

PLOS One is a very large science journal.

It is part of a group called the Public Library of Science. This group uses a way of sharing called open access. This means anyone can read the research for free online. Most journals charge money to see their papers. PLOS One works differently to help more people learn. It covers almost every kind of science and medicine. This makes it a huge place for sharing new ideas.

The journal has a special way of working. It does not pick papers based on how important they seem. Instead, it checks if the work is done carefully. This is called being rigorous. An editor looks at the paper first to check the rules. They might ask outside experts to give feedback. This process is called peer review. These experts check the data and the tests. The editor then decides to accept the paper or ask for changes.

This journal started in December 2006. It began as a test version. Three scientists helped start the Public Library of Science in 2000. These were Harold Varmus, Patrick O. Brown, and Michael Eisen. Varmus was the director of the National Institutes of Health. The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation gave money to help the group. They gave a $9 million grant in 2002. They also gave $1 million in May 2006.

PLOS One has grown very quickly. In 2007, it published 1,200 papers. By 2013, that number grew to 31,500 papers. By September 2017, they had published over 200,000 articles. In 2011, one out of every 60 articles in PubMed was from this journal. The journal's impact factor was 4.4 in 2010. In 2024, the impact factor was 2.6. It is an online-only journal. This helps it publish many more papers than a printed book.

Because it is online, the journal can do many things. It allows readers to leave comments on the website. It also lets people see how many people download the papers. The papers can have many colors and extra files. These files can be videos or other media. This helps scientists explain their work in new ways. It is a tool that connects researchers all over the world.

PLOS ONE is a massive, peer-reviewed, open access journal.

It is published by the Public Library of Science, also known as PLOS. This journal is a "mega journal" because it covers almost every field within science and medicine. Unlike traditional journals, it does not decide if a study is important enough to publish. Instead, it focuses on whether the research was done correctly and follows strict rules. This approach allows scientific knowledge to be shared more broadly with the entire world.

The journal uses a specific process called peer review to ensure quality. First, the journal staff and an in-house editorial team check the submission. They verify that the paper follows ethical standards and discloses any competing interests. Next, an academic editor reviews the paper. This editor is a member of the board with expertise in that specific science. The editor then decides if the paper needs an external peer review from outside experts. These experts provide feedback on the data and the methods used. Finally, the editor can accept the paper, reject it, or ask for revisions.

PLOS ONE operates on a unique business model called open access. Most scientific journals require readers to pay a subscription to see research. PLOS ONE works differently by making all articles free for the public immediately. This is possible because of an article processing charge. This fee is typically paid by the author or their institution. This model ensures that anyone with an internet connection can learn from the research. To protect authors, the journal may reduce or waive these fees for those without enough funds.

The history of PLOS began with an online petition in the year 2000. Three scientists led this movement: Harold Varmus, Patrick O. Brown, and Michael Eisen.

They were supported by large grants from the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation. In December 2002, the foundation awarded $9 million to help the organization. They provided another $1 million in May 2006. PLOS ONE itself launched as a beta version in December 2006. It grew from a weekly schedule to a daily publication schedule by August 2008.

The scale of the journal is truly enormous. In 2007, the journal published 1,200 papers. By 2013, that number had risen to 31,500 papers per year. By September 2017, the journal had published more than 200,000 articles in total. In 2011, one out of every 60 articles in the PubMed database was from PLOS ONE. The journal's impact factor, which measures how often articles are cited, was 4.4 in 2010. By 2024, the impact factor was recorded at 2.6.

Because it is an online-only journal, PLOS ONE offers many digital features. Papers can be any length and include full color images. Authors can also include supplementary materials like multimedia files. In 2009, the journal began making its usage data public. This includes HTML page views and how many times a PDF was downloaded. This allows the scientific community to see how much interest a paper generates. Registered readers can also leave comments directly on the articles to start discussions.

Managing such a large system requires a massive international team. The journal uses a board of over 6,000 academic editors to handle submissions. On average, each paper is reviewed by 2.9 experts. The journal has seen many leaders over the years. Chris Surridge was the founding managing editor. He was followed by Peter Binfield, then Damian Pattinson, then Joerg Heber. Most recently, Emily Chenette took over the editor-in-chief position in March 2021. This large network helps the journal maintain its role in global science.