Deposit your research outputs

Which version to deposit

Research outputs such as journal articles, conference papers, and book chapters usually go through several key stages. Versions tend to include: the submitted manuscript, the Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM), the proof, and the published paper (or Version of Record). You can find out more about these versions below.

• If you are depositing a research output that was published open access, you can upload the published version or provide the URL.
  The Minerva Access team will link to your publication's open access location.
• If you are depositing a paywalled publication, you should upload the Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM).
  This peer-reviewed and revised manuscript version can usually be made open access after an embargo. If a rights retention statement was included in the submitted manuscript, this version can be made open access immediately upon publication.

If your publication was funded in full or in part by an NHMRC or ARC grant, or by another funder with an open access policy, you are expected to make either the published version or the AAM open access. Find out more on our Funder Open Access Policies page.

Preparing research outputs for deposit

Full details of how to prepare files for deposit can be found in the Knowledge Base article "Preparing files for deposit to Minerva Access."

Consider the following tips for creating high-quality, accessible manuscripts:

• The preferred formats for document are Word (.docx or .doc) or PDF (.pdf). Where possible, we encourage the deposit of Word documents for accessibility, as they are easier for screen readers.
• When preparing manuscripts for submission, ensure you have removed all personal information. This includes your phone number and address, which may appear on the coverpage. Remember to also clear all comments and track changes.
• You can make formatting improvements to your manuscripts to enhance their look and feel, or to add a citation to the final published version. You cannot, however, mimic the publisher’s typesetting, replicate their copyedits, or make other changes to the content of an accepted manuscript.
• Ensure your document is accessible to users with disabilities. This includes:
  • Adding alternative text to images, diagrams, and graphs.
  • Using built-in, structured headings (H1, H2, H3...) throughout the document.
  • Ensuring high contrast between text and background colours, while making figures and diagrams colourblind friendly.
• To learn more about creating accessible documents, see:
  • Harvard University's Accessible Documents guide, with practical advice on creating accessible documents of various kinds.
  • The University of Minnesota's guide to 7 core accessibility skills.
  • Microsoft's advice for creating accessible Word documents.
  • Nitro's advice for creating accessible PDFs.

Deposit policies and embargo periods

When you deposit your research in Minerva Access, the repository team will check publisher permissions and copyright before making any files public. They will apply and manage any embargo periods that may be required.

Most academic journals will allow the Author Accepted Manuscript (AAM) of an article to be made open access in an institutional repository. Embargoes of between 6 and 36 months are usually required, unless a rights retention statement has been used.

Many academic book publishers will likewise allow the AAM of a single chapter (or the author's own chapter in an edited volume) to be made open access in a repository. Embargoes of between 12 or 24 months will usually apply. The same is usually true of published conference papers.

Checking publishers' deposit policies

You may wish to consider publishers' sharing policies and embargo periods when deciding where to publish. To determine when a manuscript (submitted or accepted) can be shared in Minerva Access, look for policies relating to sharing in an institutional repository or non-commercial repository.

Publishers usually specify their deposit policies on their website. This may be part of an open access policy, sharing policy, or self-archiving policy. These will determine which versions of a publication can be shared, when, and in what locations.

If your work has been accepted for publication, your publishing contract should also detail your sharing rights. The contract should specify where and when you're allowed to share different versions of your work.

The Open Policy Finder is an online database of open access policies. It can be searched by publisher name or journal title. Publisher or journal records will describe where and when different versions of an output can be shared. For further guidance and instructional videos, see the Open Policy Finder Help pages.

Using Elements to deposit in Minerva Access

Elements is the University's publications management platform. Records are fed into Find an Expert profiles and the Researcher Dashboard. When files or open access URLs are deposited, records are sent to Minerva Access.

For step-by-step instructions on depositing your research using Elements, see "Depositing to Minerva Access" on the Research Gateway.

The below instructional video shows you how to upload your publications to Minerva Access using Elements.

_{Make Your Research Open In Minerva Access from University of Melbourne Library on Vimeo.}

Further support

If you require assistance depositing to Minerva Access or have enquiries relating to the Minerva Access platform or existing records, please email, contact the Research Outputs team at research-outputs@unimelb.edu.au.

For enquiries relating to the Deposit of Theses or existing Thesis records, please email minerva-access@unimelb.edu.au.

More information on open access can be found on our Open Scholarship website. For further support, please email your discipline's Liaison Librarians.