Help / Frequently Asked Questions
- General Information
- Searching the Archive
- Submitting a Resource to the Archive
- Specific Submission
- General Review Process
- APS Review Process
General Information
What is the APS Archive of Teaching Resources?
The Archive is a searchable digital library that can be used by teachers at all levels (K-12, undergraduate, graduate and medical school) to enhance and supplement their current teaching resources. It was created for and by professional societies and individual educators as a repository of lessons, lab exercises, case histories, test questions, figures, lectures, graphics and multimedia files, educational research articles, science content articles, and links to physiology teaching resources on the web.
Who can use the Archive?
The Archive is open to all educators and students worldwide. Users do not have to be members of the participating societies. There is no membership or registration required to search, browse, or download materials. At the current time, there is no fee for any Archive material; however, if materials are catalogued in the future that require a fee to access, this is clearly noted on the item description.
What is BEN?
The BiosciEd Net (BEN) Collaborative is spearheaded by AAAS and includes more than 25 professional societies and coalitions for biology education (including the Archive partner societies). Through the BEN portal site (www.biosciednet.org), the BEN Collaborative provides searchable and seamless access to the digital library collections of its 25+ partners to provide users with accurate and reliable biology education resources.
What is NSDL?
The National Science Digital Library (NSDL) "...was created by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to provide organized access to high quality resources and tools that support innovations in teaching and learning at all levels of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.... NSDL is designed primarily for K-16 educators, but anyone can access NSDL.org and search the library at no cost. Access to most resources discovered through NSDL is free; however, some content providers may require a login, or a nominal fee or subscription to retrieve their specific resources. NSDL provides an organized point of access to: 1) High-quality STEM content aggregated from a variety of other digital libraries, NSF-funded projects, and NSDL-reviewed web sites. 2) Services and tools that enhance the use of this content in a variety of contexts" (Ref: http://nsdl.org/about).
Who can submit to the Archive?
Anyone can submit material s/he has developed to the Archive. You do not need to be a member of any of the Archive partner organizations to submit your material. The copyright for the material remains with you and you can withdraw your item at any time.
What restrictions are there on using the material I find in the Archive?
You may download and use materials hosted on the Archive for purposes such as teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research. In ALL cases, the user must acknowledge that the item was found in the Archive, be referenced appropriately, including recognition of the copyright holder. Be sure to note copyright restrictions on individual items, especially journal articles. At minimum, resources should be considered to have a Creative Commons License: Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives (see http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0). The copyright holder on each resource is noted; you can contact the copyright holder for permission for non-classroom uses.
Is there a cost associated with using any material I find on the Archive?
The vast majority of items included in the Archive are free. However, there may be some items that do have a cost associated with them. That will be specified on the resource information under "Cost."
How do I know if an item is scientifically accurate?
Each resource submitted to the Archive undergoes review before being added to the Archive. Resources and web sites submitted by individuals undergo review by experts in the field for scientific accuracy and appropriate use of animals or humans. Articles from journals (e.g., Advances in Physiology Education) were peer-reviewed before publishing. Items developed by the participating societies are reviewed in-house and/or by project advisory boards prior to cataloguing.
How do I know if an item will prove effective in my classroom or laboratory?
Because user needs will vary, items submitted to the Archive are not reviewed based on their anticipated usefulness. However, there is a comments section attached to each item.Users are encouraged to comment about the item and its usefulness to them.
How can I give feedback to the author?
You may post a comment on any item and rate its usefulness. Comments are vetted prior to posting by Archive staff. Authors are notified about comments posted on their items and have the opportunity to post a comment in return or contact you directly.
Why do I have to be at least 13 years old to register at the Archive?
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA, http://www.coppa.org) prohibits the collection of personal information from children under 13 without parental consent. However, anyone can search and download materials from the Archive.
Searching the Archive FAQs
How can I find more items on the subject I want?
First, double-check your search parameters. If you have too narrowly defined your search, fewer items will be found. Also, check to see which educational levels are highlighted. Some items that could match your search parameters might be found at a higher or lower educational level than the one(s) you've specified. Also, you can try the Drill Down Listing to browse the resources. If you continue to have difficulty, please contact us for assistance.
Why isn't the resource I submitted listed in the Archive when I search?
Have you been notified that your resource was accepted? If not, then it is still in the review process and has not been released to the Archive yet. You will be notified via email when it becomes "active." If your item has been accepted and you don't see it, please contact us for assistance.
How can I find all of the items on which I'm an author that have been accepted to the Archive?
Click on the red "My Archive" button. Then select "My Submissions" from the drop-down menu. All items that you have submitted will be listed here.
Submitting Your Own Resources to the Archive
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:
- animations
- audio or video file, including videos and podcasts
- diagram, illustration, graph/chart
- digital presentation (e.g., PowerPoint)
- photograph, image
- simulation
- teaching strategies & guidelines
- course syllabus
- lecture or lecture outline
- laboratory exercise or manual
- assignment/activity (non-laboratory)
- assessment tool (non-exam)
- exam with or without an answer key
- any other educational material
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.
Specific Submission FAQs
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.
General Review Process FAQs
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 Review Process FAQs
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?
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K-12 Submissions
- Scientific Accuracy - Is the science presented accurate?
- Experimental Focus - Does the experiment demonstrate the concept it is designed to demonstrate?
- Precollege Level - Are the materials reasonable for the grade level(s) indicated?
- Safety Concerns - Are there safety concerns that make this inappropriate for use at the grade levels indicated?
- Animal Use - If used, are animals used appropriately in the activity? Are there references or information on proper care of this animal?
- Human Use - If used, are humans used appropriately in the activity? Are the proper safety recommendations made?
- Pedagogy - Is there a specific inaccuracy? Are there general inaccuracies?
- Animal Use - If used, are animals used appropriately in the activity? Are there references or information on proper care of this animal?
- Human Use - If used, are humans used appropriately in the activity? Are the proper safety recommendations made?
- Is this website hosted by a scientifically and/or educationally reputable organization?
- Is there evidence that the material is scientifically accurate?
- Is there a political agenda behind the web site, is it clearly stated?
- Has the web site won any awards for scientific content or educational awards?
- Scientific Accuracy – Is the science presented accurate?
- Animal Use - If used, are animals used appropriately in the activity? Are there references or information on proper care of this animal?
- Human Use - If used, are humans used appropriately in the activity? Are the proper safety recommendations made?
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.
