Can I submit material if I'm not a member of the participating societies?
Yes. You do not have to be a member of any of the partner organizations to submit material.
What kind of material can I submit?
The Archive is set up to accept almost anything that could be used as a teaching resource. Formats include:
Do I have a choice of the partner organization to which I submit my resource?
When you click on "Submit a Teaching Resource," you will then select an Archive partner organization. Once you select the partner organization, the submission screens will reflect that choice. The partner organization will handle the review of your resource. Be sure to read the information for the organization describing the types of resources the organization accepts for review.
How do I submit an item?
Simply select "Submit a Teaching Resource" button on the top bar. It will walk you through a series of steps to submit your object and the relevant cataloguing information on it. Note that there are a number of questions. Allow 10-15 minutes per item.
If I start a submission, can I finish it later?
Yes. You must finish "Step 1" of the submission process. When you return to the Archive, click on "My Archive" and "My Submissions." Your incomplete submission will be listed and you can finish it at any time.
Do I retain copyright on my material?
Yes, you will retain the copyright on any original material you submit to the APS Archive. Unless you specify additional copyright restrictions, your item will be considered to have a Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives (see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0). Please note that you must have permission if your resource includes materials for which you do not hold the copyright (e.g., graphics or images). If you do not wish to get permission or create your own figures, you can simply include a complete reference or url in place of the graphic. The user can get the graphic and insert it into your resource. The Archive IS NOT responsible for obtaining permission for you to use copyrighted materials in your resource.
Where will my item be physically "stored?"
Items (such as PowerPoints, lectures, images) that you upload to the submission site are stored on the secure Archive server. Conversely, if you have them at a web address or if the resource is a web site, they remain at your site and you provide the Archive with a URL (web address). Please provide a stable URL that will not change in the near future.
How do I remove my item from the Archive?
Send an email to archive@the-aps.org and indicate the item number. It may take a few days for the item to be removed from the database.
What happens if the Internet address changes for my object?
Send an email to archive@the-aps.org, indicate the item number and the new URL (address). It may take a few days for the item's address to be changed in the database.
What happens if I revise my teaching resource?
Send an email to archive@the-aps.org and indicate the item number. If your resource was recently reviewed, we may be able to replace the file. If it has been more than a year since your item was peer-reviewed, the revised version may need to be submitted to the review process.
Who has access to my item?
Anyone is able to access your item once it is accepted and uploaded to the Archive site. Prior to that time, no one but the reviewers and Archive staff have access to it.
Will BEN and NSDL have a copy of my item on their servers?
No, only a part of the cataloguing (descriptive) information on the object is uploaded to BEN. If a BEN user selects your item for viewing, he/she is redirected to the APS server where the item can then be opened.
Will my item appear on the BEN and NSDL sites too?
Yes. Cataloguing (descriptive) information on the new items accepted at the Archive site is uploaded to BEN and NSDL on a quarterly basis.
Can I submit material if I'm not a member of the participating societies?
Yes. You do not have to be a member of any of the partner organizations to submit material.
Do I have a choice of the partner organization to which I submit my resource?
Yes. When you submit your collection, you will then select an Archive partner organization. Once you select the partner organization, the submission screens will reflect that choice. The partner organization will handle the review of your collection.
How do I submit a collection?
Simply select "Submit a Collection" under the "Submit to the Archive" button on the top bar. There you will find instructions for submitting your collection.
Why do I have to rate items in a collection before I submit?
Ratings allow other Archive community members to see how highly you recommend each item within your recommended collection.
How do I know what kind of collection to submit?
See the section "About Collections".
If I start a submission, can I finish it later?
Yes. You must finish "Step 1" of the collection submission process and select "Save and Finish Later" at the bottom of "Step 2" of the submission process. When you return to the Archive, click on "My Archive" and "My Folders." Your incomplete submission will be listed and you can finish it at any time.
How do I remove my collection from the Archive?
Send an email to archive@the-aps.org and indicate the collection number. It may take a few days for the item to be removed from the database.
How do I edit a collection after it has been submitted?
To edit a collection, you will need to contact the Archive. Send an email to archive@the-aps.org and indicate the collection number. In most cases, you will need to create a new collection to replace the existing collection.
Will my item appear on the BEN and NSDL sites too?
No. At this time BEN and NSDL do not support collections in their digital libraries.
Collections are an annotated group of Archive resources intended for use in the classroom. The Collections tool allows any logged in, registered user to submit a Folder of Archive resources as a collection (see My Archive Help for more information on creating Folders). Note that you must personally Rate each Archive resource in your Collection before submission. Submitting a Collection is similar to Submitting a Teaching Resource in that the Collection will be reviewed by the Archive and, if accepted, will become live in the Archive and accessible by the public. Collections are created from an existing My Saved Resources Folder by going to "Edit Folder" and using the "Submit as a Collection" tool.
There are four types of Collections that can be found in the Archive:
General Collection
A group of related resources from the Archive.
These collections can only be created by Archive Partner Societies and are intended to help Archive Users find related items in the Archive more efficiently.
Teacher-Recommended Collection
A group of resources from the Archive that may be utilized together to enhance teaching and learning. These collections can be created by Registered Archive Users or Archive Partner Societies.
Six Star Science Teacher-Recommended Collection
A Teacher-Recommended Collection that also discusses how the resources were used to address student-centered learning, equity issues, technology use, authentic assessment, and the incorporation of up-to-date content.
These collections can be created by Registered Archive Users.
Vision and Change Teacher-Recommended Collection
A Teacher-Recommended Collection that also discusses how the resources meet with the NSF/AAAS Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Report criteria. Learn more about this report at http://visionandchange.org.
These collections can be created by Registered Archive Users.
What should I do if my computer crashes part way through the submission process?
If this occurs before you complete Step 1 of the submission process, then you will need to start over with your submission. If it occurred after you had entered your name and contact information, then simply re-enter the Archive, click on "My Archive" then "My Submissions" then "My Incomplete Submissions." Select the item you were submitting and complete the information.
How do I know if my submission was successful?
You will receive an email from the Archive thanking you for your submission. This indicates that your item has been entered into the review database. You also can click on "My Archive" then "My Submissions" then "My Complete Submissions." You should see the item there. If you don't, contact us for assistance.
What should I do if I find out I've submitted the wrong file?
If you did not select "submit and finish" at the end of the process, you can go back into the Archive, and select "My Archive" from the red bar at the top, and then" "incomplete submissions." All your cataloguing information that you submitted will still be there and you can simply upload the correct file or address of the file. If you selected "submit and finish", please contact us for assistance.
When will I know if my item is accepted into the Archive?
You will receive an email notification with the reviewers' comments will be attached. Important: You may be asked to make revisions to the item before it is made available for Archive searches. You have a limited amount of time to complete these revisions.
Can I include figures from textbooks in my material?
No, unless you have specific copyright permission from the textbook publisher to place the figures in material that will be freely available on the web. Most publishers will not give you that permission, so you might want to either consider redrawing the figures to make them original, drawing your own figures, or just refer to the figure number in the textbook with a complete reference.
What if I revise my material in the future?
You have several options. 1. You can resubmit the material and update the cataloguing information, including version number. 2. The old version can remain in the Archive as an earlier version OR you can request the old version to be removed from the Archive. 3. You can send in the new file and request the old file be replaced with the new one, but the cataloguing information remains the same.
What if I want to change the keywords or descriptions after my item has been accepted?
Please contact us for assistance.
How are the items in the Archive reviewed?
Archive partner societies have review boards set up that specifically review items submitted to the Archive. The board members are experts in their fields. Each partner has specific review criteria. See "Review Criteria" for more information.
How can I become a reviewer?
Please contact us for more information.
APS is currently accepting external submissions.
Who are the reviewers?
Each item is assigned to a panel of reviewers who are experts in the content specific to your item. Individual reviewers remain anonymous.
What are the review criteria for APS Archive Submissions?
K-12 Submissions
Submissions categorized for use at the K-12 level are reviewed based on the following criteria:
Pedagogy Submissions
Teaching method submissions are reviewed based on the following criteria:
Website Submissions
Websites are reviewed based on the following criteria:
All Other Submissions
Submissions that do not fall under the above mentioned categories are reviewed based on the following criteria:
When will I know if my item is accepted into the Archive?
You will receive an email notification as to the acceptance of your item. A review sheet with the reviewers' comments will be attached. Important: You may be asked to make revisions to the item before it is made available for Archive searches. You have a limited amount of time to complete these revisions.
What if I don't agree with the reviews?
You are welcome to write a rebuttal to the reviewers' comments. That will then be passed along to the reviewers for their further comment. However, the final decision as to scientific accuracy does rest with the reviewers.
AAA is currently not accepting external submissions.
Items cataloged by AAA have been reviewed for scientific accuracy and the appropriate use of humans and/or animals in research.
HAPS is currently only accepting submissions from HAPS Institute participants.
Who are the reviewers?
Reviewers include HAPS Institute Instructors, faculty knowledgeable in their field of teaching expertise. All archive submissions also go through a peer review process involving other HAPS-I Scholars. Final review is done by the Executive Director of HAPS, a former professor of human anatomy and physiology and retired college administrator.
What are the review criteria for HAPS Archive Submissions?
Review criteria used are from the follow guidelines:
MSMR is currently not accepting external submissions.
Items cataloged by MSMR have been reviewed for scientific accuracy and the appropriate use of humans and/or animals in research.
NWABR is currently only accepting submissions from NWABR program participants.
NWABR resources are designed for use at the grade 8-12 level, but have been used successfully at lower and higher levels. Resources are reviewed with the following criteria:
SDB is currently accepting external submissions.
Who are the reviewers?
Generally, reviewers have a PhD in Developmental Biology or a related discipline and are experienced educators.
What are the review criteria for SDB Archive Submissions?
Rubric for Evaluating Learning Objects (LO):
1a. The proposed LO meets the basic criteria for scientific accuracy
1b. The proposed LO does not meet the basic criteria for scientific accuracy
2a. Narrative, preplanning, and accompanying materials and methods are clearly written
2b. Narrative, preplanning, and accompanying materials & methods need some clarification (see comments)
2c. Narrative, preplanning, and accompanying materials & methods are confusing and unacceptable as proposed
3a. Sources for scientific reasoning and for materials and methods are completely listed.
3b. Sources for scientific reasoning and for materials and methods are incomplete (see comments)
3c. Sources for scientific reasoning and for materials and methods are unacceptable as proposed
4a. The proposed LO meets the basic criteria for educational relevance
4b. The proposed LO does not meet the basic criteria for educational relevance
5a. The proposed LO meets the basic criteria for pedagogical effectiveness
5b. The proposed LO does not meet the basic criteria for pedagogical effectiveness
6a. Animals are not used
6b. Animal use and care are adequately described
6c. Committee review/approval of specific vertebrate animal use is required and described
6d. Animal use and care are not adequately described
6e. Specific vertebrate animal use review has not been reported
7a. General items such as grammar and website navigation are also adequate
7b. General items such as grammar and website navigation need minor revision (see comments)
7c. General items such as grammar and website navigation are unacceptable
8a. Metadata on grade level, pedagogy, key words, etc. are acceptable
8b. Metadata should be revised (see comments)
When will I know if my item is accepted into the Archive?
You will receive an email notification as to the acceptance of your item.