Hed-Core Academic Commons

Repository Submission Guide

Hed-Core Academic Commons Repository Submission Guide

1. Introduction

The Hed-Core Academic Commons (“the Commons”) maintains a repository layer for publications, datasets, reports, and educational resources. This guide provides step‑by‑step instructions for submitting materials, ensuring compliance with the Publication Guidelines and the Data Management Policy.

2. Preparing Your Submission

Before uploading, ensure that your material meets the following requirements:

  • Format: Use open, accessible formats (PDF/A, Word with proper tagging, CSV, TXT, MP4 with captions).
  • Metadata: Prepare title, author(s), affiliation(s), abstract, keywords, and licensing information.
  • Documentation: For datasets, include methodology, variable descriptions, and limitations.
  • Accessibility: Add alternative text for images, captions for multimedia, and plain‑language summaries where possible.
  • Licensing: Decide on an appropriate license (e.g., Creative Commons Attribution).

3. Submission Process

Step 1: Log In

  • Access the Commons repository via your member dashboard.
  • Use your secure credentials to log in.

Step 2: Select Submission Type

  • Choose from:
    • Publication (article, paper, report)
    • Dataset (structured data files with documentation)
    • Educational Resource (textbook, teaching material, multimedia)
    • Collaborative Output (working group reports, policy briefs)

Step 3: Upload File(s)

  • Upload the main file in the required format.
  • Attach supplementary materials (e.g., appendices, codebooks, multimedia).

Step 4: Enter Metadata

  • Provide complete metadata:
    • Title, author(s), affiliation(s)
    • Abstract or summary
    • Keywords for discoverability
    • Date of publication or dataset creation
    • Licensing terms

Step 5: Add Documentation

  • For datasets: include methodology, variable definitions, and usage notes.
  • For publications: include references and acknowledgments.

Step 6: Review and Confirm

  • Preview your submission to ensure accuracy.
  • Confirm compliance with Commons policies.
  • Submit for repository inclusion.

4. Review and Approval

  • Initial Screening: Submissions are checked for compliance with Publication Guidelines.
  • Ethical Review: Sensitive datasets may undergo additional review.
  • Approval: Once approved, the submission is published in the repository.
  • Version Control: Updates or corrections can be submitted, with version history maintained.

5. Best Practices

  • Use clear, descriptive titles and abstracts.
  • Provide sufficient metadata for discoverability.
  • Choose open licenses to maximize accessibility.
  • Ensure datasets are anonymized if they contain personal information.
  • Keep submissions concise but complete.

6. Responsibilities of Contributors

  • Uphold integrity and accuracy in all submissions.
  • Respect intellectual property rights.
  • Ensure accessibility and inclusivity in content.
  • Respond promptly to requests for clarification or correction.

7. Support

  • Help Desk: Contact the Commons support team for technical assistance.
  • Guides and Training: Access tutorials on metadata, licensing, and accessibility.
  • Feedback: Members are encouraged to suggest improvements to repository processes.

8. Commitment

By submitting materials to the Commons repository, members affirm their commitment to integrity, accessibility, and openness, ensuring that knowledge shared within the Commons is trustworthy, usable, and impactful.

Repository User Guide