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Copyright Management - Author Rights: Self-Archiving

Why Self-Archive?

Archiving your work in an institutional or disciplinary archive can:

 

  • Increase visibility of your work. Many archives are indexed by Google Scholar, ensuring that your work can be found.
  • Provide a permanent link to your work. Archives provide a stable digital environment to host your work (no broken links).
  • Preserve your work. Your work will be preserved exactly as deposited for years to come.
  • Let you include data, images, audio and other related files (that could not be included in the journal article).

 

Adapted from eCommons @ Cornell eCommons FAQ

 

You can self-archive your work by depositing it digitally in a freely available and publicly accessible website.

What are the types of archives?

The major types of digital archives are:
 

  • Institutional Repository: includes works from authors at a specific institution (e.g. Cornell eCommons).
  • Disciplinary Archives: includes works from authors in a specific discipline (e.g. PubMed Central).
  • Pre-print servers: database-like repositories exclusively for pre-prints that haven't yet been accepted for publication (e.g. medRxiv) 

 

I'm Ready. How do I deposit my work?

First, consider who owns the copyright to your work. If you own the copyright to your work, you can deposit your work in an institutional or disciplinary archive by submitting it online. If your publisher owns the copyright you may be able to archive (depending on your publisher agreement):

 

 

  • A pre-print (not edited or peer-reviewed)
  • A post-print (peer-reviewed), sometimes called the 'accepted manuscript'
  • The published work, sometimes called the 'version of record'

 

 

The publisher may not permit self-archiving, which is why you should be aware of what rights you want to keep and include them in an author addendum to the publisher's copyright transfer agreement. To determine what the journal allows, visit Sherpa Romeo. 

 

 

If you are affiliated with Cornell University, you can deposit your work in eCommons, Cornell’s institutional repository. Here's how:

 

  • Create an account in eCommons by registering. First submission only.
  • Login to your account and "Start a New Submission."
  • Select the Collection you wish to submit to.
  • Read and accept the Deposit License.
  • Fill in two forms that give a description of the work you are submitting (author name, title, subjects, etc.).
  • Select the file or files on your computer and upload.
  • Verify the information provided and approve the submission.

 

 

Instructions from eCommons @ Cornell eCommons FAQ

 

If you want to archive your work in a repository next to colleagues in your discipline, search the OpenDOAR directory. You will find disciplinary archives and submission guidelines.