Frequently Asked Questions


General Information Submission Assistance Digital Accessibility Rights Issues Researchers Metadata Issues UCF Theses and Dissertations SelectedWorks

General Information

What is STARS? What is Digital Commons?

STARS is UCF's digital repository to publicize, disseminate, and preserve works by, for, and about UCF. The intention is to provide access to this work as broadly as possible, and for as long as possible. Digital Commons is the product that hosts STARS and makes it possible. Digital Commons is a suite of tools and services that enables institutions to manage, display, and publish scholarship to the web in a beautiful, highly visible online showcase. As the leading hosted institutional repository (IR) platform, Digital Commons offers all of the features of a traditional IR as well as professional-grade publishing tools and our SelectedWorks™ individual scholar pages. With Digital Commons, institutions can collect, preserve, and make visible all of their intellectual output, including pre-prints, working papers, journal articles, dissertations, master's theses, conference proceedings, presentations, data sets, images, and a wide variety of other content types.

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How is STARS organized?

STARS is full-text searchable, but for navigation purposes, it is organized by communities. Each community consists of collections. All collections of materials must have at least one named “collection administrator” who is a current university staff or faculty member, has received an orientation to the system, agrees that the collection will abide by STARS policies, and is familiar with the needs associated with their collection in STARS.

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Who can submit materials to STARS?

The repository is open to all faculty, staff, students, and affiliates of UCF. Student submissions may be subject to approval by the STARS coordinator in conjunction with a sponsoring faculty member. Any UCF college, unit, department, lab, center, or institute is eligible to join.

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Do I have to be affiliated with UCF to put content in STARS?

While content does not have to be authored by UCF faculty, students, or staff to be included in STARS, there does need to be a UCF affiliation. For example, a unit may use STARS to post papers from a conference they sponsored, which may include some UCF authors and many from other institutions. All that is required is that the sponsoring UCF unit decides that it is appropriate for their part of STARS.

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What types of materials can be hosted in STARS?

Examples of content you may put in STARS include (but are not limited to):

  • Working papers, conference papers, and technical reports
  • Faculty-student collaborative projects
  • Journals published by the UCF community
  • Published articles when copyright and/or license allow
  • Faculty course-related output primarily of scholarly interest
  • Organizational annual reports, newsletters, founding documents, etc.
  • Data sets
  • Books or book chapters when copyright and/or license allow
  • Image collections or audiovisual materials, either primary or supplementary
  • Conferences and events
  • Projects that include digitized content and/or links to online content
  • Any materials created by, for, or about UCF

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What are the basic guidelines for work submitted to STARS?

Members of the UCF community interested in submitting work should work with their Subject Librarian or directly with the STARS coordinator and should review the policies and guidelines listed below. Different collections may have specific guidelines for submissions. These basic guidelines and principles apply to works submitted to the repository.

  • The work must be original, produced and submitted (or sponsored by) a faculty, staff, student, organization, institute, or department of UCF.
  • The work must be creative, scholarly in nature, research-oriented, or of institutional significance.
  • The author must own the copyright to all components and content for files uploaded to the repository, or have received and be able to show permission to make files available within STARS.
  • Authors retain the copyright of all works submitted and are free to reuse content as long as it complies with any other publication agreement.
  • All users must respect the intellectual property rights of the author and cannot copy, distribute, display, alter, or use for commercial purposes, any of the works unless otherwise specified.
  • By submitting for inclusion, the author or representative of the organization or department grants the University the right to distribute and preserve the material via STARS.
  • Contributors should notify all co-authors of intent to deposit work in STARS.
  • The repository follows an open access policy but in some cases material may be restricted by IP, domain, or username and made available only to current college faculty, staff, and students.
  • At this time, there is no formal limit to size of material but Collection Administrators or the STARS Coordinator reserve the right to deny inclusion of artifacts that are too large.
  • If you have questions about the suitability of a project for STARS, please contact us at STARS@ucf.edu

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Is there anything I shouldn't put in STARS?

Please note that the following content is NOT permitted for submission/publication to STARS:

  • FERPA-protected information, including student email addresses.
  • HIPPA-regulated information (protected health information, including any information related to the past, present or future physical or mental health of an individual, except only if the individual has authorized release of his or her information in writing, and such release is in the hands of the publisher.
  • Content barred by law or regulation from publication.
  • Intellectual property for which the submitter does not have permission to submit and distribute.
  • Non-public personally identifiable financial or contact information of any kind including, but not limited to, social security numbers, credit/debit card numbers, account numbers, account balances, and private residential addresses, except only where such records preexist as legitimate publicly accessible records outside the university.
  • Photographic depictions of individuals in areas where reasonable expectation of privacy exists, except if all individuals depicted have given written consent to publication of their image.
  • Records protected by state privacy laws. Please note that privacy laws vary by state and protect their residents even when they are out of state.

 

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Can I update the email address for my STARS account?

Yes! Please log in to your My STARS Account using the original email address. Choose Edit Profile in the Account Settings section on your My Account page to update your email address, other contact information, or customize your password.

You will also need to email stars@ucf.edu with the current email address on your account and the preferred email address you want to change it to. Please provide a list of the links to the records for your items in STARS so we can update each item with the new email address.

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Can I update a work previously submitted?

STARS has been established as a permanent repository. Some collections may allow authors to request an updated version be posted. Posting updated versions along with the original material is one way faculty can show the progression of their research.

Additionally, as STARS strives to ensure that all content is accessible to everyone by providing equitable access to research and knowledge, authors are encouraged to review their works for digital accessibility. The Digital Accessibility section of the STARS FAQ provides answers to common questions about these requirements, guidelines for preparing documents, and resources to help you make sure your submissions are compliant.

If you have an item that you would like to have updated in STARS, email stars@ucf.edu with a link to the record for the item to update and attach the revised version to the email. If you have additional questions or multiple items to update, please contact stars@ucf.edu so we can determine how to best accommodate your request.

Please note: theses and dissertations, both graduate and undergraduate, MAY NOT be revised per policies outlined by the College of Graduate Studies and Office of Honors Research.

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Can I remove a work previously submitted?

STARS has been established as a permanent repository. Once materials are submitted and posted, items CANNOT be withdrawn but can be hidden from view. Possible reasons for withdrawal include factual inaccuracy, plagiarism and possible copyright infringement. Authors may request that the administrator remove their paper, or a version of their paper. They may also request that an updated version be posted. Posting updated versions along with the original material is one way faculty can show the progression of their research.

  • Any requests for withdrawal must be sent to the STARS coordinator.
  • Authors or affected parties may request that works be removed from Digital Commons for reasons of factual inaccuracy, plagiarism, or potential copyright infringement.
  • No materials will be removed without an attempt to reach the author.
  • If authors who have submitted work to STARS leave the University, their work will be retained in the repository. If the authors would like to have new contact information added to their material, the STARS coordinator will assist them in having such information added.
  • If a work is withdrawn, a citation including original metadata will always remain, but the work is noted as withdrawn. Sample statements might include “removed at request of author” or “removed by legal order.”

Please note: theses and dissertations, both graduate and undergraduate, MAY NOT be revised per policies outlined by the College of Graduate Studies and Office of Honors Research.

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Can STARS handle foreign language content?

Yes, there is support for unicode metadata and full-text objects, which allows submissions in such non-Western languages as Greek, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Hebrew, and Arabic. So, feel free to include smiley faces in your metadata and articles. ☺

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How does STARS facilitate searching?

STARS content is full-text indexed in major search engines like Google™, Bing™, and Google™ Scholar. Our repository sites benefit from being part of an extensive collection of quality academic research—over 480,000 submissions and growing. In addition, scholars can find your papers and objects by topic, author, keyword, or institution. Customized email alerts and RSS feeds are also available to readers, allowing them to be automatically notified of new research.

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How do I start a new collection or project?

Visit the STARS project proposal to get started. Your responses will help us understand your needs so we can connect you with the appropriate staff and resources. You will be contacted to discuss a more detailed project plan and timeline. We look forward to working with you to make your content widely accessible and more discoverable.

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May I contact you?

Please do! Feel free to contact us at STARS@ucf.edu with any comments, questions, or suggestions.

 

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Submission Assistance

Where do I find the submission form to upload my work?

The easiest way to start your upload is to go to the collection you want to upload to and click on the Submit Item link in the Author Corner section of the sidebar. You must be logged in to STARS in order to upload works. If you are not logged in when you click on Submit Item, you will be prompted to do so.

I don't have electronic versions of old working papers that I'd like to include in the repository. Is it okay to scan the printed page to a PDF file?

Yes--scanning printed pages is a great way to create PDF files for inclusion in the repository. There are two ways to scan a page: using OCR (Optical Character Recognition) or scanning the page as an image. Making OCR scans requires careful proofreading and loses the original formatting of the documents. Image scans cannot be searched. The best solution takes advantage of both of these methods. Many software applications allow for the OCR capture of image scans. When documents are scanned this way, users see the image scan but search the full-text of the document. This is the preferred method for scanning documents for the repository.

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When I copy and paste abstracts into the Submit form, some formatted text reverts to plain text. What's going on?

When copying abstracts from a word processing file or a PDF file, and pasting the text into the submission form, you are taking text from an environment that supports fonts and text style changes. Because the abstract is intended to be presented on the web, text styles must be specified using HTML codes.

If submitting an abstract in HTML format, please be sure to select the corresponding option on the submission form.

The following HTML tags are recognized by the system and may be used to format an abstract (use lowercase tags):

How to include HTML tags

HTML tags
<p> - paragraph
<p>This is the first paragraph.</p>
<p>This is the second paragraph.</p>

This is the first paragraph.

This is the second paragraph.
<br /> - line break
<p>This is a line of text with a linebreak here. <br /> This is text after</p>

This is a line of text with a linebreak here.
This is text after
<strong> - strong/bold
<strong>bold text</strong>

bold text
<em> - italics/emphasis
<em>italicized text</em>

italicized text
<sub> - subscript
Text with <sub>subscript</sub>

Text with subscript
<sup> - superscript
Text with <sup>superscript</sup>

Text with superscript

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How do I include accents and special characters in the abstracts and titles?

The repository software supports the worldwide character set (Unicode, utf-8). Accents, symbols, and other special characters may be copied and pasted into the abstract or title field from a word processing file or typed in directly. Windows users may also use the Character Map to insert these characters. Macintosh users may use the Character Palette (available via Edit > Special Characters in the Finder).

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How do I revise a submission?

To revise a submission that has been posted to the repository, contact the repository administrator with the new version.

Please note: theses and dissertations, both graduate and undergraduate, MAY NOT be revised per policies outlines by the College of Graduate Studies and Office of Honors Research.

If the submission has been submitted, but not yet posted, you may revise it via your My Account page:

  1. Locate the article on your My Account page, and click the title.
  2. Click Revise Submission from the list of options in the left sidebar.
  3. Enter your changes in the Revise Submission form, and click Submit at the bottom of the page to submit your changes. (You only need to modify the portion of the form that corresponds to the changes you wish to make.)

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How can I submit a multi-part file, such as multiple chapters for a book?

Combine all the sections together as one Microsoft Word file or PDF file and submit that.

To make one PDF file from multiple files, open the first PDF file, then choose Document>Insert Pages from Acrobat's menus to insert the second file (indicate it should go after the last page of the first file), and repeat for all documents. The result will be one compound PDF file which may then be submitted.

If you feel that the one large PDF file might be too large for some people to download, we suggest that you submit the consolidated file as the full text of the article, and then upload the separate chapters or sections of the document as Associated Files. These files will appear on the web page alongside the complete document. For more information about uploading associated files, see below.

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Can I post related files (sound clips, data sets, etc.) alongside the published article?

Yes. The bepress system refers to these supplementary items as Associated Files. You will be prompted to submit Associated Files when you upload your submissions. The name of the files you upload will appear on the web site along with your short description of it. Viewers must have the necessary software to open your files; that is not provided by the bepress system.

Please be sure that there are no permissions issues related to use of the associated material. Sometimes, especially with images, you must write a letter seeking permission to use the material before it can be posted.

Also note that where possible, items such as images, charts and tables that are referenced in the document (or otherwise an integral part of the document) should be included directly in the article itself and not posted just as associated files.

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Can I post a reprint from a journal?

It depends on what the journal allows, which is usually specified in their agreement with the author. If it would not violate copyright to post the reprint on your repository site, you're welcome to do so. Permissions for many publishers can be found at SHERPA RoMEO.

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A working paper in our repository site has been published in a slightly revised form in a journal. What should I do?

Many journals do not have any restrictions on working papers that preceded an article, especially if substantial revisions were made. You should check your author agreement with the journal to confirm that there is no problem with leaving the working paper on the site. The repository would constitute noncommercial use.

Assuming the working paper does remain on posted in the repository, it is a good idea to include the citation to the published article on the cover page of the repository working paper. Please contact the repository administrator to request this change.

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Digital Accessibility

Why do new submissions to STARS need to be digitally accessible?

To ensure inclusivity and meet accessibility standards, all submissions to STARS must be digitally accessible upon upload. This ensures that everyone can access and benefit from the information. Here, you'll find answers to common questions about these requirements, guidelines for preparing your documents, and resources to help you make your submissions compliant. Thank you for your commitment to making our scholarly resources accessible to all.

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What should I do to make source documents such as Word documents, PowerPoint presentations, and Excel spreadsheets digitally accessible?

When creating a Word document, PowerPoint presentation, or Excel spreadsheet improve accessibility with the built-in accessibility checker for the source software.

Keep the accessibility panel open and address issues as you create the file

Watch short videos courtesy of UCF Digital Learning to learn more about specific accessibility issues and features in Word:

When converting to PDF, use settings that retain tags and accessibility formatting

Avoid "Print to PDF" settings as they will remove tags and accessibility formatting: choose “Download as PDF” or “Save as Adobe PDF”.

Review tools and techniques to help build accessible Word documents and tools and techniques to help build accessible PowerPoint presentations courtesy of Student Accessibility Services.

Understand how to improve accessibility in your documents with the Accessibility Assistant or learn more about making your content accessible using Microsoft 365.

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What should I do to make a PDF digitally accessible?

To create an accessible PDF, it is crucial to begin with an accessible source document.

Original files, such as Word documents or PowerPoint presentations, should be properly formatted and structured.

Use appropriate headings, lists, tables, and alternative text for images in the source document.

Adobe Acrobat Pro is available on all UCF Libraries Public PC desktops and technology lending laptops.

Use instructions from Adobe to create and verify PDF accessibility using Acrobat Pro.

Review tools and techniques to help build accessible PDF documents courtesy of Student Accessibility Services.

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What should I do to make videos digitally accessible?

Videos must have captions. Video captioning refers to the process of creating a text version of speech and non-speech content in video/audio content. This text is shown in real time on the screen and is synchronized with audio content.

Follow these Best Practices courtesy of the UCF Digital Accessibility Basics webcourse:

  • Text is synchronized with audio content
  • All audio is captured (including sounds and music)
  • Speakers are identified: If speaker names are unknown, speakers should be given a number that is consistent throughout the video (e.g., Speaker 1, Speaker 2, etc.)
  • Captioning should be remediated so that the grammar is as accurate as possible for captioning, punctuation, and spelling

Styling

  • No more than 2 lines of text should be shown on screen at one time
  • Text must be on screen long enough for the viewer to be able to read them
  • Text color and background color should be adjusted to contrast with video screen
  • Captions should not overlay important content: Bottom center is the most common placement for captions

Review tools and techniques to help build accessible videos courtesy of Student Accessibility Services.

Review the DIY Captioning overview courtesy of the UCF Faculty Multimedia Center.

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What should I do to make audio files digitally accessible?

Audio files must have an accompanying transcript. A transcript is a document that contains the text version of speech and non-speech content in video/audio content.

Follow these Best Practices courtesy of the UCF Digital Accessibility Basics webcourse:

  • Speakers are identified: If speaker names are unknown, speakers should be given a number that is consistent throughout the video (e.g., Speaker 1, Speaker 2, etc.)
  • Transcripts should be separated into sections with headings (when applicable)
  • Include timestamps for longer files
  • Transcripts must be in an accessible document format

Learn about transcribing your recordings in Word for Microsoft 365 (Windows only) or Word for the web courtesy of Microsoft.

Review guidance for creating audio-only content courtesy of the United States government.

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What should I do to make images in my documents digitally accessible?

Images must have alt-text. Alternative text that is accurate, equivalent, and succinct must be provided to convey an image's meaning.

Follow these alt text General Guidelines courtesy of section508.gov:

  • Alt text should be short and to the point
  • Alt text should communicate the same information as the visual content
  • Alt text should refer to relevant content provided by the image, rather than simply describing how the image looks
  • Alt text should not contain any extra or unnecessary information, and should not repeat information that is already provided in the text
  • Alt text must be in the same language as the main content. For example, if you translate an English document into Spanish, you must also translate the alt text into Spanish

Learn about authoring meaningful alternative text courtesy of the United States government.

Review how to create alt-text and appropriately apply it in Microsoft Word.

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Do you have some helpful resources for digital accessibility?

Tools and techniques to help you make your digital resources accessible including videos, Microsoft Word documents, Microsoft PowerPoint presentations, and PDFs courtesy of UCF’s Student Accessibility Services.

UCF Accessibility Policy Videos for direction on accessibility topics in Microsoft Word courtesy of UCF Digital Learning.

DIY Captioning Overview for introducing closed captions and some different platforms that can be used to efficiently caption pre-existing and new content courtesy of UCF’s Faculty Multimedia Center.

Digital Accessibility Webcourse discusses UCF's Digital Accessibility Policy, as well as strategies to make content more accessible. This course is self-enroll for all UCF students, staff, and faculty.

Developing content with accessibility in mind videos and making your content accessible to everyone for Microsoft Office.

Create and verify PDF accessibility for Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Guidance to create accessible digital products including documents, presentations, spreadsheets, PDFs, audio, and video courtesy of Section508.gov.

Introduction to Web Accessibility to better understand some key principles of accessible design courtesy of WebAIM.

Read UCF’s Digital Accessibility Policy and the New Rule on the Accessibility of Web Content and Mobile Apps Provided by State and Local Governments to understand the guidelines and requirements that ensure all digital content is accessible, fostering an inclusive environment for all users.

For general information about building an accessible future at UCF, please refer to the Accessibility at UCF website.

For general information about accessibility in STARS and Digital Commons, please refer to the STARS Accessibility Statement.

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Rights Issues

What are the general rights and terms of use for material posted in STARS?

These terms of use apply to any works without a Creative Commons license.

  • For previously published works (journal articles, book chapters, etc.) for which the publisher retains copyright, permission has been granted (where necessary) to post this material in STARS. For any use, which exceeds personal use or fair use, permission may be required by the copyright owner of the material.
  • For previously unpublished scholarly or creative works, the right to download or print any portion of this material is granted by the copyright owner only for personal or educational use. The author/creator retains all proprietary rights, including copyright ownership. Any editing, other reproduction or other use of this material by any means requires the express written permission of the copyright owner. Except as provided above, or for any other use that is allowed by Fair Use (Title 17, §107 U.S.C.), you may not reproduce, republish, post, transmit or distribute any material from this web site in any physical or digital form without the permission of the copyright owner of the material.
  • For works posted in STARS that display a Creative Commons license in their record and/or on the work itself, the use of that work is governed by the terms of the license selected by the content creator. For more information about Creative Commons licenses, or to license your own work, please visit Creative Commons - About The Licenses.

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What are my rights as an user?

All users must respect the intellectual property rights of the author. Materials may be downloaded for education and research purposes provided due recognition is given to the author. Material may not be copied, distributed, displayed, altered, or used for commercial purposes, unless such use is specified.

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What are my rights as an author?

The author retains the copyright for all works submitted. The author is free to reuse the content, but it is his or her responsibility to check the terms of the publication agreement if a document published in STARS is published elsewhere. Authors may update and add to existing works. Author’s (or those submitting on behalf of an author) sign a Non-Exclusive Rights form outlining the terms and conditions under which the submission is made. For more information about non-exclusive rights forms, please contact us at STARS@ucf.edu.

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Can I submit work to STARS for which I retained the copyright?

If you retain copyright to the work in question, you should be able to submit it to STARS. If you share the copyright with other authors, check with them to make sure they also approve of the work being made available via STARS.

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What if I didn't retain the copyright?

If you do not retain copyright, but rather the publisher does, you should check publisher copyright policies to determine what is allowed to be submitted to an institutional repository. Permissions for many publishers can be found at SHERPA RoMEO. While the listing of publishers is growing, it does not cover all publishers. It may be necessary to contact publishers directly when their policy is ambiguous or when it does not address access via an institutional repository. A number of publishers allow the post-print version of a work to be submitted to an institutional repository, but not the publisher’s PDF version of the work. A post-print is defined as the post-peer reviewed version of the article that is accepted by the publisher for final publication.

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Do you have a copyright infringement policy?

STARS contributors are responsible for adhering to the copyright policies of the University of Central Florida, which includes adherence to federal copyright law. In general, we will assume good faith on the part of repository contributors, educate our contributors on their rights and responsibilities with respect to copyright, and act quickly to remedy copyright problems if they arise. In order to prevent problems with allegations of copyright infringement involving STARS, we will:

  • Provide access to resources about the requirements of copyright law, copyright consideration for materials previously or subsequently posted in scholarly journals and other forums, and fair use.
  • Make it clear that submissions to STARS should comply with UCF’s policies on copyright and applicable copyright laws.
  • As part of the submission process, require submitters to warrant that their submissions do not infringe copyright.

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What will you do if someone makes copyright infringement allegations about material I have posted?

In the event that an interested party makes specific allegations of copyright infringement regarding material posted in the repository, with sufficient information to be substantially in compliance with the DMCA notification requirements, we will:

  • Forward such correspondence to: UCF’s designated copyright agent, the administrative contact for the unit under which the allegedly infringing material was posted, and the authors of the allegedly infringing material.
  • Remind authors and unit administrators of their rights and responsibilities concerning copyright and scholarly expression.

Upon the request of UCF’s copyright agent, the unit administrator, or the authors, we will:

  • Disable access to the full text of the allegedly infringing item.
  • Retain the item record and metadata (with a note that the full text is not available at present).
  • At our discretion we may choose to publicize the correspondence alleging infringement.
  • Restore access to the full text if such counter-notification is given.

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What will you do if you discover that specific material in STARS is posted in infringement of copyright?

In the event that we discover that specific material in STARS is posted in infringement of copyright, but we have not received actual notice from an interested party as described above, we will:

  • Report our discovery, and the reason for our judgment that the item is infringing, to the administrative contact for the unit under which the allegedly infringing material was posted, and the authors of the allegedly infringing material.
  • Remind authors and unit administrators of their rights and responsibilities concerning copyright and scholarly expression.
  • Request a warrant confirming that the material is not infringing.
  • If we do not receive one in a reasonable time period, at our discretion disable access to the full text as described above.

Generally, discovery of infringement should involve positive evidence of infringement. We should not presume that authors have not obtained special permission to use copyrighted material in their submissions. In any of the events described above, we will retain all correspondence related to the alleged or apparent infringements.

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I don't know if I own the copyright to my work. Is there anywhere I can look it up?

Permissions for many publishers can be found at SHERPA RoMEO. While the listing of publishers is growing, it does not cover all publishers. It may be necessary to contact publishers directly when their policy is ambiguous or when it does not address access via an institutional repository. A number of publishers allow the post-print to be submitted to an institutional repository, but not the publisher’s PDF version. A post-print is defined as the post-peer reviewed version of the article that is accepted by the publisher for final publication. For additional questions, please contact us at STARS@ucf.edu.

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I need more information about copyright. Can you help?

Yes! Please visit our Scholarly Communication copyright page or contact us at STARS@ucf.edu.

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Researchers

Who can access the materials posted in STARS?

Materials hosted in STARS default to open access so they are readily available to worldwide audiences.

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What if I want to restrict access to my files?

Access restrictions are available. Restrictions can be made to limit access to specific user ids within the system, by IP range, or by domain (i.e. anyone with a @ucf.edu email address).

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Could I create an online searchable database of my lab data?

STARS uses the Digital Commons platform. We can review your content to determine how it will work best in the system. However, if you want to create a stand-alone database and are looking for a server to host it, STARS will not be able to help with that.

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I have A LOT of files. Do I have to upload them one at a time?

You can upload items individually or you can work with an administrator to upload in batches. We are happy to make you an administrator on any of your collections so you can have permissions to complete tasks at your discretion. The batch upload is done by spreadsheet so the learning curve is relatively small.

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Would I be able to update my data files as needed?

Authors cannot replace an item once it is in the system, but we are happy to make you an administrator on any of your collections so you will have permission to make changes at your discretion.

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Is anyone else already using the Digital Commons platform for data?

You can read about faculty experiences using Digital Commons for data here:

If you want to see how others have showcased their data in Digital Commons, here are some good examples:

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Do you have a generic statement I can use for my proposal?

We do have a generic statement. If you would like one more specific to your project, we please contact us.

The data will be publicly available via the University of Central Florida’s institutional repository, STARS (stars.library.ucf.edu), an open-access digital repository for the research and scholarly output of the University of Central Florida. This institutional repository operates on the bepress Digital Commons platform, a comprehensive hosted solution for storing, managing, and sharing data. The service offers unlimited storage, customizable metadata, authorization and access control tools, long-term stable URLs, on-demand metrics, and search engine indexing.

The data and metadata are managed by the PI in consultation with repository staff and librarians. Data appropriate for public release will be openly published and archived through STARS. Those data requiring access restriction periods prior to open access publication through the repository will be appropriately embargoed and/or restricted based on user id, IP range, or domain.

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I'd like to learn more. Can you help?

University of Central Florida researchers are eligible to submit materials to STARS, a university-wide digital repository hosted on the Digital Commons platform. Digital Commons is a comprehensive hosted solution for storing, managing, and sharing data. Digital Commons provides:

  • Unlimited Storage (no additional costs)
  • Authorization and access-control tools
  • Fully hosted: no campus IT resources required
  • Support for all file types and formats
  • Multiple back-ups, cloud storage, and quarterly archives

STARS can support access to media and file types for data in a variety of shapes, sizes, and formats including TIFF, .mov, .ark, .shp, and anything else you’ve got. Streaming audio and video, geo-location tools, and pan and zoom for images bring research data to life. STARS provides faculty with an intuitive, easy-to-use interface to upload and manage datasets directly. Tools are also provided for staff to upload and manage data files in bulk on researchers’ behalf. When researchers publish data sets on STARS, they get on-demand metrics about who’s looking at their data. STARS has settings to allow materials to be fully open access or to restrict access and manage levels of authorization based on user id, IP range, or domain. In addition, advanced tools for data publishing such as license and copyright tools, customizable metadata, recommended citations, multiple display options, and persistent URLs ensure tailored curation and discoverability for all types of data.

For information about data management, please visit our Data Management guide. For assistance with STARS, please contact us at STARS@ucf.edu.

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Metadata Issues

What is metadata?

Simply put, metadata is used to describe or summarize works or objects. It may include information that describes what a work is about, how it is presented, and what has been done to it. Examples of metadata include keywords or subjects, the number of pages a book has, an object's file format, or the date a photograph was taken or digitized.

Technically speaking, metadata is data about data, data associated with an object, a document, or a dataset for purposes of description, administration, technical functionality and preservation.

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How does metadata work in STARS and Digital Commons?

Metadata allows resources in STARS to be discovered online and shared worldwide. Metadata is added with each item when it is uploaded into STARS, either by you or a collection administrator, and it can be added or revised in the future, either by a collection administrator or our Metadata Cataloger.

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What are the different types of metadata?

There are three main types of metadata: descriptive, structural and administrative metadata.

  • Descriptive metadata describes an item or object, and may include title, author, and keywords.
  • Structural metadata describes how the parts of an item are organized. How pages are ordered to form chapters is an example of structural metadata.
  • Administrative metadata includes technical, rights management and preservation metadata.

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Are there standards in metadata? What metadata standard does Digital Commons support?

Yes, there are international standards to metadata. Digital Commons supports Dublin Core (DC), the most widely used standard for digital resources. All labels and fields in Digital Commons are mapped to DC when appropriate for metadata harvesting and sharing.

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Can you provide a list of available metadata fields in STARS and give me some examples?

Of course. The Metadata Guide for STARS may answer some of your questions and provides tips on the use of common metadata fields. When we meet with you to begin building your collection, we will have a list of basic fields, then depending on your individual needs, we build on that list.

Since there are over 400 other institutions using the Digital Commons platform, we are able to find examples for many other types of collections, and we have modeled many of our collections on what others are doing. Let us know what your needs are and we can provide you with options.

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My data has some discipline-specific characteristics that cannot be covered by the generic fields defined by Dublin Core, what can I do?

Digital Commons allows us to create a unique set of metadata fields for every collection. These fields will then be mapped to the most appropriate field in Dublin Core for metadata sharing and interoperability. But don’t worry about this part—you tell us what you want to see in STARS and we will do the mapping.

If you are interested in learning more about disciplinary metadata standards, visit the library's research guide to learn more.

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How are the metadata fields set up in STARS for your collection or data?

We have a standard list of fields that we use for types of publications and collections, including events, images, journals, etc. From there, we can work with you to further define the set of metadata elements, policies, and controlled vocabularies for your particular project or collection. Once the fields are finalized, the STARS Administrators will work with our representative at Digital Commons to get the collection set up for you.

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Can I choose certain metadata fields for public display and hide other fields for my collection?

Yes. The Library's STARS administrator can set it up for you.

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Can I edit and revise metadata for my publications and research data?

Only collection administrators can revise metadata. However, if you have a question about one of your items, or notice a problem with the record, feel free to contact the STARS administrator at STARS@ucf.edu for assistance.

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Can you help ensure my metadata is better organized or displayed to allow greater discovery and sharing?

Definitely! Digital Commons works directly with Google to ensure their records are optimized to place highly in search results, and then Digital Commons works with us to make sure we are following those recommendations.

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How is my data and metadata going to be shared online and by the community?

Metadata in STARS will be exposed via the Open Archives Initiative Protocol for Metadata Harvesting (OAI-PMH). Digital Commons supports OAI-PMH version 2.0 and it is an OAI Data Provider. Its sites support OAI-PMH as a means of exposing metadata, but not harvesting metadata from other sites. For details, please read: Digital Commons and OAI-PMH: Harvesting Repository Records.

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I have works and datasets in local databases and other repositories, can they be transferred to STARS? What about metadata for these resources?

The Library can work with you to transfer your works and datasets in various locations such as local drives, local databases and other repositories to STARS, if permitted by copyright. The Library can discuss with you the metadata options for these materials.

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I am interested in learning more about metadata, the generic Dublin Core, and disciplinary metadata standards. Where can I find more information?

Dublin Core provides basic information such as definition and use of DC elements and qualifiers at "DCMI Metadata Terms." Elements and qualifiers can be found under the first two lines of the "Index of Terms" table. The Library can help you to enhance your metadata.

A list of guidelines and resources to help you specify your data:

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Are there ways that my data can be better specified to allow greater discovery and sharing?

There are several ways that can help you to organize and present your research and data. To share your researcher identifiers and assign controlled vocabularies to different fields in your data are among them. Researcher identifiers: Researchers are recommended to provide their identifiers and authority files established by the research communities and the library community if available. These identifiers can include but not limited to: ORCID, ResearcherID, LC Name Authority File, Virtual International Authority File (VIAF), DBpedia link, and your Academia.edu profile. Controlled vocabulary is a standardized set of terms used to organize knowledge for subsequent retrieval. Tags, thesauri, taxonomy and ontology are all forms of metadata that form the foundation for semantic web and the linked data world. For collections in Digital Commons, both controlled vocabularies and keywords can be assigned. You can refer to the following resources on controlled vocabularies:

Digital Commons also provides Disciplines: Digital Commons Three-Tiered Taxonomy of Academic Disciplines for you to select for your resource or data. In your submission, you are encouraged to provide some keywords for your data. Controlled terms can be set up for a field in the repository using a drop down list. You can discuss with the STARS team to contribute or request controlled vocabularies to be added for your collection.

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UCF Theses and Dissertations

Who owns the copyright to UCF theses and dissertations?

Students retain copyright to their theses and dissertations in STARS. STARS requires a non-exclusive license to archive and distribute student theses or dissertations. Students retain the right to use their work in future publications or dissemination.

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How do I submit my thesis or dissertation to STARS?

Students will receive instructions from either the Office of Honors Research or the Office of Graduate Student Life.

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Is there a fee associated with submitting theses and dissertations to STARS?

No, there is no fee to students associated with hosting theses and dissertations in STARS.

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Can the level of access be changed after submission of a thesis or dissertation?

No, access options cannot be changed after official submission per Graduate Studies/Office of Honors Research policies

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How do I obtain a copy of a campus-only thesis or dissertation?

Anyone located on any UCF campus, and those with a STARS account with a @ucf.edu and @knights.ucf.edu, can view and download all theses and dissertations. Authors who have an email address associated with their work, and an account in STARS with the same email, can access their work at any time.

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I do not have an email address associated with my thesis/dissertation. How do I add one?

Contact us at STARS@ucf.edu, and include your name and the title of your work.

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How can I change the email that is on my thesis/dissertation?

Contact us at STARS@ucf.edu, and include your name and the title of your work.

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Who can find and read works in UCF's Theses and Dissertations collection in STARS?

STARS content is full-text indexed in major search engines like Google™, Bing™, and Google™ Scholar. If you chose a Campus-only restriction for your work, only users on a UCF campus or with a @ucf.edu or @knights.ucf.edu email address can read the full-text, however other information such as abstract, keywords, and advisor/chair are freely available. If you have patent or other proprietary issues and chose to temporarily embargo your thesis or dissertation, no information will be available about your work for the duration of the embargo period.

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When will I be able to access my thesis/dissertation in STARS?

Theses and dissertations are typically available within a month of the final submission deadline. Authors will receive email notification when their work had been made available.

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What are the digital accessibility requirements for my thesis/dissertation?

For graduate ETDs, please refer to the information provided by the College of Graduate Studies. For honors undergraduate theses, please refer to the information provided by the Office of Honors Research.

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I have more questions, who do I contact?

Feel free to contact us at STARS@ucf.edu with any comments, questions, or suggestions.

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SelectedWorks

What is SelectedWorks?

SelectedWorks profiles helped UCF faculty, staff, and students store, manage, and showcase their work in a user-friendly, UCF-branded interface. These profiles made individual authors’ work accessible worldwide and were optimized for search engines like Google and Google Scholar.

With SelectedWorks, authors could create profiles that connected directly with the UCF repository. They could highlight all their work, including those in STARS, upload new content, and share existing works. Authors could also add a bio, expertise section, photo, job title, and links to their CV and external websites. They had full control over their profiles and could update or change the content at any time.

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Is SelectedWorks being sunset?

Yes, the Expert Gallery Suite will be retired December 31, 2024. This includes the modules SelectedWorks, the Impact Dashboard, and the Expert Galleries. All pages and metrics will be permanently removed. If you would like a copy, it is very important that you save your content and any data in advance.

For more than 20 years, SelectedWorks profiles have been used by scholars to make their research available to a worldwide audience. However, Elsevier recently made the strategic decision to focus more of their resources on supporting scholars via their institutions through the Digital Commons suite.

Please see the SelectedWorks guide for more information on the retirement of SelectedWorks and alternative options for author profile pages and content hosting services.

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Will this change impact STARS?

No, the sunset of SelectedWorks does not impact STARS, UCF’s institutional repository and open access publishing platform. STARS will continue to host and showcase works by, for, and about the University of Central Florida.

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How should I prepare for the transition?
  • Consider alternatives to your SelectedWorks profile for your author profile page or content hosting services.
  • Determine what metrics and content you want to save from your profile.
  • Update your email signature and any other locations that link to your SelectedWorks profile.

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What do I need to do before December 31, 2024?
  • Log in at https://works.bepress.com/login.
  • Save a copy of your content by importing it into a compatible reference manager (e.g., Zotero) or manually adding it to a storage solution (e.g., your device or cloud storage). This includes content published to your SelectedWorks profile and uploaded to your SW drive.
  • Visit your Author Dashboard and save any metrics you wish to retain.
  • Update your email signature and any other locations that link to your SelectedWorks.
  • For additional guidance, see the SelectedWorks Guide for Authors.

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What happens after December 31, 2024?

All pages and metrics will be permanently removed, and we will be unable to provide assistance regarding SelectedWorks profiles or the Expert Gallery Suite. It is crucial to save your content and any data in advance.

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How do I access my SelectedWorks profile?

You can access your SelectedWorks profile before the shutdown at http://works.bepress.com/login.

If you are viewing your profile, click on the menu in the upper right-hand corner and select Login.

If you do not remember your password, use the "Forgot your password?" link to reset it.

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I am on my profile page but can’t make any changes.

To edit your profile, you must be signed into your SelectedWorks profile.

If you are viewing your profile, click on the menu in the upper right-hand corner and select Login. If you need help, contact the STARS manager at stars@ucf.edu.

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Can I assign someone else to edit my profile for me?

Yes! You can assign delegates to act on your behalf.

    • Make sure you are logged into your SelectedWorks profile.
    • Click on the menu in the upper right hand corner and select Access Management.
    • In the Delegates box, add the first and last names and the email address of the person that you would like to be able to make changes for you. Click Add.

    Please note: Your delegates will be able to make any and all changes to your site including uploading/removing content and adding/revising personal information.

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What happens to the content I uploaded to STARS and shared to my SelectedWorks profile?

Anything you previously uploaded to STARS will stay in STARS. You may choose to link to your content in STARS from a new profile.

Any content uploaded directly to SelectedWorks will be permanently removed. It is crucial to save your content and any data in advance.

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Can I add my SelectedWorks content to STARS?

For content you previously uploaded directly to SelectedWorks, STARS may be an option for content hosting.

STARS is UCF's institutional repository that provides open access to the university’s scholarly and creative works submitted by faculty, staff, students and affiliates of UCF wishing to share their work with a worldwide audience.

  • Focus on UCF - works by, for, or about UCF
  • Materials created during your time at UCF
  • Examples: Faculty scholarship and creative works, departmental collections and archives, digitized collections
  • To upload materials to STARS, a STARS account is required to login. You can create a new account by clicking Sign up at the login prompt.
  • Faculty can add their scholarship and creative works to STARS using this submission form to be included in the Faculty Scholarship and Creative Works collection.
  • Prior to submitting content to STARS, please ensure compliance with copyright and digital accessibility policies and verify that the content is suitable for open access.

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Who should I contact for questions and assistance with my SelectedWorks profile?

For general questions or assistance with your SelectedWorks profile, please contact the STARS manager at stars@ucf.edu.

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