Frequently Asked Questions
About the RMIT Research Repository
What is the RMIT Research Repository?Are the documents in the RMIT Research Repository citable?
How is the quality of the documents in the RMIT Research Repository assured?
How do I find my research publications?
Where are the documents in the RMIT Research Repository indexed? Where else can I find them?
Content Inclusion Guidelines
What output types are included in the repository?What objects are included in the repository?
How far back does the repository go?
Who can contribute content?
Does the repository only include outputs produced while an author was affiliated with RMIT when the work was produced?
What won't be included in the repository?
Contribute
Why should I contribute my full-text research to the RMIT Research Repository?Why should I deposit work here when my papers are already archived by the online journals in which they are published?
Who can contribute content?
What version of my work can be deposited?
What are the steps for adding my research outputs and associated full-text to the RMIT Research Repository?
Search and Browse
How can I search?Does a search cover full texts?
Can I search for people by first AND last name?
Can I change the way the results display?
Which browse options are offered?
RSS Feeds
What are RSS feeds?How do I access RSS feeds?
How do I add the Repository news to Internet Explorer's Favorites Center?
How do I add the Repository news to my RSS feed reader?
Can I create an RSS feed that contains a list of my research publications?
How do I subscribe to custom search results (e.g. my Repository contributions) using Internet Explorer?
How do I subscribe to custom search results (e.g. my Repository contributions) using my RSS feed reader?
Copyright
Is the copyright of the publication hosted in the RMIT Research Repository transferred to RMIT?If the research has already been published by another publisher, may it still be published in the RMIT Research Repository?
Statistics
How does RMIT Research Repository calculate statistics?Can I get figures on how often my papers are being downloaded?
Where are my download statistics?
What is the RMIT Research Repository?
RMIT Research Repository provides free, searchable access to RMIT University research publications. Its aim is to increase the exposure and impact of the research output of RMIT University staff by centralising it, and making it available worldwide. It contains both detailed records and the electronic full text of peer-reviewed published journal articles and conference papers, books and book chapters, as well as other forms of research produced by RMIT staff.
Since late 2010, the repository also contains most RMIT University higher degree theses dating from approx 2006. Theses submitted for Masters, Pofessional Doctorates and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) qualifications have been included. Those that have not been nominated for embargo are usually not included until the requested time has expired.
Are the documents in the RMIT Research Repository citable?
Documents in the RMIT Research Repository are equivalent or equal to the conventionally published document, and are therefore citable. Please use the citation shown at the top of the document record.
How is the quality of the documents in the RMIT Research Repository assured?
The content of the RMIT Research Repository consists of published, peer-reviewed research articles and conference papers, commercially published books and book chapters, as well as other verified research outputs.
How do I find my research publications?
Select the Browse tab, and use the 'Browse RMIT Authors' option. Alternatively, select the Search tab and enter your surname and first initial separated by a comma, in the Author field. When the list of results appears, click on your name in one of the records. This will bring up all records in the repository for which you are listed as an author.
Where are the documents in the RMIT Research Repository indexed? Where else can I find them?
The documents in the RMIT Research Repository are indexed by internet search engines such as Google, as well as by Trove and WorldCat.
What output types are included in the repository?
Currently, the repository includes the four established HERDC categories: Books, Book Chapters, refereed Journal Articles and refereed Conference Papers. Work is currently being done to include Creative Works also.
Most Masters, Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) and Professional Doctorate theses are also included and these date from approx 2006. Those nominated for an embargo period have been excluded from the repository until this time has expired.
What objects are included in the repository?
Ideally, records should have full-text objects attached in order to make the content as broadly available as possible. This full-text object should be either the PDF produced by the publisher or other official version, the accepted manuscript or the version originally submitted for publication. Working within the guidelines established by publishers, the version of the object that will be included should be sought in the following order of priority:
• Published version
• Accepted manuscript, post peer-review (also referred to as 'post-print')
• Submitted manuscript, pre peer review, but after acceptance (also referred to as 'pre-print')
NB: Most publishers permit the accepted manuscript to be hosted, so this version would comprise most of the content.
How far back does the repository go?
Based on the 2010 ERA reporting period, records from 2003 onwards have been the primary target for inclusion in the repository with the long term goal of adding older publications when possible.
Who can contribute content?
All current staff members of RMIT can contribute their research outputs, providing both HERDC and ERA guidelines have been met.
Does the repository only include outputs produced while an author was affiliated with RMIT when the work was produced?
For ERA, all research outputs of an author affiliated with RMIT at the ERA census date, even if produced elsewhere, are to be reported. These past outputs do not necessarily need to be included in the repository, but doing so allows researchers the benefit of a complete publication profile in the repository. Therefore, research outputs produced prior to an author joining RMIT will be included in the repository if requested by the author, provided that the author was a staff member affiliated with RMIT on the ERA reference date.
What won't be included in the repository?
The following publications are not included:
• Working and technical papers
• Raw research data
• Learning objects
• Software, images, etc. that are not otherwise classified as research output.
Inclusion of items in the repository is at the discretion of the Research Committee.
Why should I contribute my full-text research to the RMIT Research Repository?
Placing your content in the repository maximises the visibility and accessibility of your research, hence its usage and impact. Many researchers whose content is hosted in repositories report increased citation rates for their papers, and also increased contact or requests for collaboration from researchers elsewhere who work in similar fields.
Even if your research papers have been published in online journals, many academics and researchers, particularly those from poorer institutions or from developing countries, will still not be able to access them due to barriers such as subscription costs and licensing agreements. This means your research may not reach many people who might otherwise be interested in using and citing it. Its presence in an open repository archive such as RMIT Research Repository guarantees your work can be accessed by anyone, which maximises the impact of your work within the global academic community.
Why should I deposit work here when my papers are already archived by the online journals in which they are published?
While many journal publishers are creating online archives of published articles, there is no guarantee that this material will be available and accessible long term. If library subscriptions to journals lapse, there is no guarantee that RMIT researchers will still have access to the materials covered by earlier subscriptions. Also, as those sites reorganise, URLs may change. The RMIT Research Repository can guarantee you long-term access and secure storage with permanent URLs for any work deposited.
Who can contribute content?
All current staff members of RMIT are encouraged to contribute the full-text of their research outputs. You will need to sign and return the Deposit Agreement and Guide (PDF 34KB) before we can host your content. The Deposit Agreement outlines what RMIT will and won't do with your content, and only needs to be completed once by each staff member.
What version of my work can be deposited?
What version, if any, you are permitted to deposit will vary from publisher to publisher. Publishers generally do not allow authors to deposit publisher-formatted PDFs in repositories although a small number do. Most major publishers, such as Elsevier and Springer-Verlag, allow authors to deposit the final accepted and refereed version of the manuscript, provided we credit the publisher and link to the online version where possible. Others only permit us to host the pre-refereed version. It is our policy to comply with these publisher deposit conditions and any required acknowledgements.
What are the steps for adding my research outputs and associated full-text to the RMIT Research Repository?
1. Report it to the Research and Innovation Portfolio using the instructions at: http://www.rmit.edu.au/staff/research/publish
2. Send your accepted manuscripts to repository@rmit.edu.au
3. Complete the RMIT Research Repository Deposit Agreement Deposit Agreement and Guide
How can I search?
There are two ways that you can search:
• Simple search (on the home page): Any terms entered here will search across these fields: title, abstract and keywords
• Advanced search (available via the Search tab): use this form to restrict a search to one or more of the specific fields shown, such as author, title, publisher, etc.
The Boolean operators 'AND' and 'OR' can be activated using the dropdown menu at the bottom of the form.
In addition, there are several operators available:
• Phrase: use double quote marks to search for a phrase e.g. "Murray cod"
• Truncation: use an asterisk to find variants on a word stem e.g. nitr* will find nitrogen, nitrate, nitrite, etc.
• Wildcards for character substitution: use an asterisk to find terms with any number of characters between letters, e.g. f*ly will find family, fully, firstly, etc. Use a question mark to substitute only one character between letters, e.g. b?ts will find bits, bats, byts, etc.
Note that you cannot use a wildcard symbol as the first character of a search.
Does a search cover full texts?
No, the search features only search the data in the records for each publication, not the attached text.
Can I search for people by first AND last name?
Searching for authors can be done by using surname and first initial, click on their name to bring up all records in which they are listed as an author.
Example: Mitchell, A
Can I change the way the results display?
You can sort the result lists by title, publication date (year) and by the number of views or file downloads. All methods of sorting can also be listed in ascending or descending order. You can also export the results as an Excel file, in XML or as an RSS feed.
Which browse options are offered?
There are three options for browsing:
• All RMIT Authors: a list arranged alphabetically by surname and first name allowing you to browse all the authors featured in the repository.
• Publication type: choose the type of publication you are after and browse the complete list of records that fall within this type.
• Subject: records are classified using the Field of Research hierarchy from the Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification system. You can navigate the classification system using the hyperlinks offered as you browse through the hierarchy.
What are RSS feeds?
RSS allows you to monitor news about, and additions to, a website. If you subscribe to the Research Repository RSS feed, you won't need to keep checking the Repository page to get the latest information.
RSS feeds, or newsfeeds, allow you to:
• receive news about the repository;
• run a search of your contributions to the Repository; and
• run a custom search of the Repository (i.e. searching for a particular topic or contributor)
All RSS feeds are automatically updated, so you don't have to keep checking the Repository page to get the latest information.
How do I access RSS feeds?
Repository newsfeeds can be read either:
• in the Favorites Center of Internet Explorer, or
• in a dedicated feed reader like Bloglines or My Yahoo!.
How do I add the Repository news to Internet Explorer's Favorites Center?
1. Go to the RMIT Research Repository home page
2. Select the News tab on the 'Daily Snapshot' and select the 'RSS' link at the bottom of the list.
3. The RMIT Research Repository News page will open. In the headline select the 'Subscribe to this feed' link.
4. A dialog box will open. Press 'Subscribe' to save the feed in the Favorites Center.
5. Once you have saved the feed, open the Favorites Center, you will see the 'RMIT Research Repository News' feed.
How do I add the Repository news to my RSS feed reader?
1. Go to the RMIT Research Repository home page
2. Select the News tab on the 'Daily Snapshot' and select the 'RSS' link at the bottom of the list.
3. The RMIT Research Repository News page will open. In the headline, right-click on the link 'Subscribe to this feed' and select 'Copy shortcut'.
4. Alt+Tab to your feed reader and paste in the feed URL.
5. Save the feed in the appropriate folder.
Can I create an RSS feed that contains a list of my research publications?
Yes, you can create an RSS feed of your publications that are part of the Repository. Follow the 'How do I subscribe to custom search results' instructions below. This can be used to populate your personal webpage or your profile in social networking services such as Facebook, using an RSS application.
How do I subscribe to custom search results (e.g. my Repository contributions) using Internet Explorer?
1. Perform a Browse or Search by Author Name.
2. Select 'Subscribe to the RSS feed for this search result' link located in the Browse Results bar.
3. A new page will open. In the headline select the 'Subscribe to this feed' link.
4. A dialog box will open. Edit the search name if you like and press 'Subscribe' to save the feed in the Favorites Center.
5. Once you have saved the feed, open the Favorites Center, you will see your feed.
How do I subscribe to custom search results (e.g. my Repository contributions) using my RSS feed reader?
1. Perform a Browse or Search by Author Name.
2. Right-click on the 'Subscribe to the RSS feed for this search result' link located in the Browse Results bar, and select 'Copy shortcut' option.
3. Alt+Tab to your feed reader and paste in the feed URL.
4. Save the feed in the appropriate folder.
Is the copyright of the publication hosted in the RMIT Research Repository transferred to RMIT?
The copyright stays with the author or publisher, depending on the conditions attached at the time of original publication.
If the research has already been published by another publisher, may it still be published in the RMIT Research Repository?
- Journal articles or conference papers:
Most journal publishers permit either the final accepted version of a journal article or conference paper, or that which was originally submitted for publication to be hosted. Some permit us to host the published version. It is important that we check the conditions attached to each publication and host the version that is permitted by the publisher. Information about the conditions attached to publication in individual journals, or with specific publishers, can be found at the SHERPA/RoMEO and OAKList websites.
- Full text of books or book chapters:
Most publishers do not permit any version of the full text of books or book chapters to be hosted in the repository; however, exceptions may be made if the author has retained copyright of the work.
How does RMIT Research Repository calculate statistics?
The download statistics for the repository are designed to quantify genuine human interest in the material within the repository. Generally, each click on a record counts as a download. A 'download' may be of a view of the record's abstract page or it might be a click to open a file attached to that record, e.g. the full-text PDF. Statistics are calculated and updated hourly.
Abstract views and full downloads are counted separately, and tallies for each are shown for each record. Where a record shows counts for abstract views only, this is generally because the record does not have a full-text file attached. Specific types of access are not included in the statistics but they are collected in logs. Logs record all activity to do with records, but are excluded from final counts. There are two main exclusions from counts:
• Activity by search engine crawlers, e.g. the Googlebot for Google, and crawlers from other services such as Yahoo!, ninemsn, etc.
• Any double clicks emanating from the same person on the same record within the same timeframe for either an abstract view or a full download. The exclusion of double clicks is designed to keep statistics as meaningful as possible.
Other exclusions from counts include 'Bad Requests', '404 File Not Found' errors, and clicks by people who do not have sufficient rights to view the object in question. Since such clicks would not be successful, they are discounted.
Can I get figures on how often my papers are being downloaded?
Yes, there are statistics provided on the website. You can see statistics on the Top 50 papers and the Top 50 authors. The figures are broken up into Full Downloads and Abstract Views, and updated overnight, not in real time. Downloads per item are listed in the view of each individual item, or when items are returned in search results.
Where are my download statistics?
Download statistics per item are stored with the item. To see all your statistics, search on your surname. Download counts for abstract views and file downloads are stored with each item.