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SUNY Open Access Repository (SOAR)

FAQ

Am I required to deposit my article in SOAR?

No, faculty, students, and staff are not required to deposit their works. It is highly encouraged (especially if an article on the publisher's website is not open access), and we make it as easy as possible

What are the benefits to putting articles in SOAR?

  • Increased discoverability of works by Google and Google Scholar
  • Remove paywall barriers to your research without paying APCs (for articles without a funder OA requirement)
  • Increased citation rates
  • Persistent links to works
  • Usage statistics, including Altmetric visualizations

What works may be deposited in SOAR?

Peer-reviewed, scholarly works including articles, theses, and dissertations may be submitted. Please contact us at libsuppt@upstate.edu if you have questions about other scholarly works.

How do I know which version of the article may be deposited into SOAR?

and/or

Will I be violating copyright or the licensing agreement with the publisher?

If you follow the publisher's policies or guidelines, you will know which version may be legally deposited.  You can find a summary of publishers' policies in the Sherpa Romeo online database.  Look for the "Open Access pathway" that includes institutional repository, like the one below for Nature:

Example of Sherpa Romeo entry

This indicates that you may deposit the accepted version (the author's manuscript) into a repository with a 6 month embargo, or deposit the submitted version with no embargo.  

What about the Conditions indicated in the Sherpa Romeo record?

If a publisher requires a link to the published version, a DOI citation, etc., we will ensure that these conditions are met when the article is placed in the repository.

Can you please just let me know what version may be deposited into the IR for me?

Sure!  Enter the citation information into the article submission form and choose "No" to the question, "Do you know which version of the work the journal or publisher allows be self-archived in an institutional repository?"  We will then look it up and let you know by email.

Do I need to ask co-authors at other institutions for permission to submit an article to SOAR?

No. Any author may grant permission to copy and distribute their work, but it is a best practice to discuss it with co-authors in advance of putting an article in the repository.

What do "green" and "gold" open access mean?

"Green" open access refers to the version of an article deposited into an institutional repository (e.g., SOAR).  "Gold" open access refers to an open access version of record (on a publisher's web site).  Gold open access usually requires the payment of an APC, or article processing charge.

Do I need to provide you with the version of the manuscript to be deposited?

Yes. The Library is unable to obtain either the submitted or accepted versions of your manuscript from the publisher.  You may submit a PDF of the version needed when the article submission form is completed, or, if you do not know which to submit, will look it up and let you know by email  (see the previous Q & A).

If I have more than one article that is currently close access, may I send you a list of citations?

Yes. Rather than complete the article submission form for multiple articles, you may send a list of citations or CV to libsuppt@upstate.edu; for those that works that are closed access, we will determine what version may be deposited in SOAR and let you know.  We we will complete the deposit process after you have responded with the manuscript versions indicated. 

Will I be giving up the copyright to my work when it is deposited in SOAR?

No, you retain the copyright for the version deposited in the repository.  

May I place an embargo on a work submitted to SOAR, even if the publisher does not require it?

Yes. You will find a place to enter an embargo end date in the article submission form.

If a work has an embargo, is the metadata visible?

Yes.  The article metadata (title, author, subject keywords, abstract, etc.) are still searchable through Google, and the record will open in SOAR, but the full text cannot be downloaded until the embargo expires.

Will the embargo automatically expire?

Yes.  SOAR will remove the embargo on the date chosen when the article is submitted.

How do I see usage statistics for an item in SOAR?

When in an item record, the last menu option on the right is "Display statistics." This will provide statistics on:

  • Total visits,
  • File downloads
  • Visits in the last six months
  • Top country visits
  • Top city visits

The "Scopus Count" link that appears below the URI will show the citation count.