Check your research visibility vital signs!

Are your research results getting a healthy dose of attention?

“The Cost of Knowledge” is the theme for this year’s International Open Access Week (October 19-25). U of A researchers create and share knowledge to advance human understanding and the common good. The financial cost to fund research can be eclipsed by the human cost of keeping the results of that research hidden. Make sure your published research results are easy for other researchers to access and learn from.

Check Your Research Visibility Vital Signs:

1. Can you easily find your articles/books using a Google search?
   1. If not, set up your Google scholar profile (sign in at top right) and add your articles to your profile.
2. Are your articles/books accessible online to read, without a fee?
   1. If not, why not? Your subject librarian can help you find publishers that will support improved visibility and impact through open access.
3. Do you have an ORCID?
   1. If not, registration is free and takes about 30 seconds to complete. 
4. Do your journal articles have DOIs?
   1. If not, talk to your publisher about adding these digital object identifiers to your work.
5. Does your publishing agreement give you the right to deposit a version of your article in the U of A institutional repository, ERA?
   1. If it does, email erahelp@ualberta.ca to deposit your article in ERA. 
   2. If it does not, ask Library staff at erahelp@ualberta.ca to help you request permission to deposit your article in ERA. 
6. Do you have copies of your author-accepted manuscripts (versions prior to publication)?
   1. If not, it might be more difficult to make your article open access, after publication.
7. Can you find the Library’s article processing charge (APC) discounts and waivers?
   1. Spoiler – it’s here, and linked under the Library – Services – Research and Publishing Support section of the U of A Library website.
8. Do you meet your research funder’s open access requirements? For example, if your research was funded by SSHRC, NSERC, or CIHR are you in compliance with their Open Access policy?
   1. Learn more about funder mandates here, linked under the Publishing Open Access section of the U of A Library website.

For more information on services and support the Library can provide you, please visit our Research Support page. For more information on other resources, services, and supports available through the Library, just Ask Us!