UniSC is collecting publications as per the specifications below for the internal Research Publications Data Collection (RPDC) as well as in preparation for a future research quality evaluation.
RPDC is an annual internal report, and one of the main sources of information to measure research activity.
Publishing a research paper involves more than simply sharing findings in the public domain. It entails rigorous quality control measures, typically including peer review or editorial assessment, aimed at enhancing the work's validity and impact. This process often encompasses multiple stages, including thorough evaluation, editing for clarity and coherence, copy-editing for grammar and style consistency, design considerations, and formatting to meet publication standards.
A research publication typically demonstrates:
Research, as per the Australian Research Council, entails creating new knowledge or innovatively applying existing knowledge to generate new concepts, methodologies, inventions, and understandings.
Following OECD standard, the Australian Bureau of Statistics defines Research and Development (R&D) as systematic work aimed at expanding knowledge and developing new applications.
Both definitions highlight research as a creative and systematic process aimed at advancing the stock of knowledge and/or devising novel practical applications.
Activities meeting the definitions of research (and development) include:
Activities that do not support the conduct of research are:
All publications submitted for RPDC reporting must meet the following criteria:
To be included in RPDC reporting, publications must meet the definition of research, meet the specific criteria below, and can only be counted once, regardless of the format it is published in.
All authored research books must meeting the following criteria:
The types of books that may meet the criteria include: | The types of books that do not meet the criteria include: |
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All book chapters in research books must meeting the following criteria:
The types of book chapters that may meet the criteria include: | The types of book chapters that do not* meet the criteria include: |
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* Unless they meet all the criteria for inclusion. |
All refereed journal articles must meeting the following criteria:
The types of journal articles that may meet the criteria include: | The types of journal articles that do not meet the criteria include: |
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All refereed conference papers must meeting the following criteria:
The types of conference papers that do not meet the criteria include: |
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Non-Traditional Creative Works (NTROs) must satisfy the same criteria as RPDC publications in the "All publications" tab, as well as:
Further information on NTRO eligibility criteria can be found here.
If you have an NTRO research output that you wish to claim, let the Library know the details by logging into your Researcher Profile and depositing your output. Further information about depositing research outputs to the Research Bank can be found here.
Please also email your Research Statement to research-repository@usc.edu.au
For eligibility reporting purposes, authored books and book chapters in edited volumes must be published by a commercial publisher. The requirement for a commercial publisher serves as a substitute for formal peer review, which is necessary for journal articles and conference papers.
A commercial publisher is defined as an entity whose primary business is producing and distributing books for sale. Such publishers operate independently of subsidies from parent organizations or third parties.
University presses and similar self-supporting entities are also considered commercial publishers if they oversee both the printing and distribution of publications, alongside maintaining responsibility for scholarly quality.
Note: Conference proceedings do not require publication by a commercial publisher to be eligible. Authored books and book chapters not published by a commercial publisher may still qualify if they have undergone a formal peer review process.
Publishers that may not be eligible include:
For the purposes of the reporting eligibility, an acceptable peer review process is one that involves impartial and independent critical assessment or review of the research publication in its entirety before publication, conducted by independent, qualified experts. Independent in this context means independent of the author.
Peer review is a requirement for journal articles and conference publications as well as for books and book chapters that are not published by a commercial publisher.
For journals, any of the following are acceptable as evidence of a peer review process:
For conference publications, any of the following are acceptable as evidence of peer review:
For books and book chapters that are not published by a commercial publisher, any of the following are acceptable as evidence of peer review:
Note: A statement from an author that a publication was peer reviewed is not acceptable. The existence of an advisory board is not sufficient evidence that all related publications were assessed by members of it.
For further information on RPDC or ERA reporting:
Library Services - UniSC Research Bank
Rebecca Cooke - Senior Digital Library Officer, Library Services
Office of Research
Research Performance Information & Systems, Office of Research