The publication process

Repositories

Repositories: definition and features

The StORe project glossary has a good general definition: 

'A repository is a store where electronic data, databases or digital files have been deposited, usually with the intention of enabling their access or distribution over a network.' (1)

Features include the following:
  • Include peer-reviewed or non peer-reviewed research.
  • No limitations on types of publications or types of data, can include peer-reviewed journal articles to grey literature, data sets, theses, teaching materials.
  • Potential to increase citation rates as enhances access (not limited by subscription requirements).
  • Enables the research to be found indefinitely (preservation of material).
  • Open access repositories becoming more and more developed; closed access repositories (repositories with the ability to make some research restricted access due to confidentiality issues) also possible.
  • Open access repositories are free to use.
Issues affecting repositories
  • Copyright
  • Version control
  • Intellectual property rights
  • Lack of awareness amongst research communities
  • Publishers policies on deposition of published research into repositories

Reference 
1. StORe project wiki, [Online] Available from:http://www.era.lib.ed.ac.uk/handle/1842/1412 [Accessed 4th June 2008. GMT 17:00]