Fundamental Science Practices Frequently Asked Questions

Refer to USGS series descriptions (their intent, audience, format) and discuss series options with your Science Center, Bureau Approving Official, and local Publishing Service Center Chief to determine which USGS series is appropriate to use for your published information product. [Read more]

USGS series information products consist of a Professional Paper, Scientific Investigations Report, Scientific Investigations Map, Data Report, Techniques and Methods, Circular, Fact Sheet, General Information Product, or limited-use Open-File Report. [Read more]

Ensure the manuscript meets USGS standards for scientific quality, review, and approval in the USGS Information Product Data System (IPDS): at least 2 USGS-initiated rigorous peer reviews are obtained and reconciled; Bureau approval and final editing occur before the manuscript is in page proofs; the publishing and distribution location for the final publication are identified. [Read more]

A cooperator publication with scientific contributions from USGS authors is released by the cooperator on a publicly accessible website and is citable. Conversely, RFFIRs are limited-use USGS publication series information products prepared by the USGS and provided as confidential communications only to other government or international entities, and are not citable. [Read more]

A cooperator publication with scientific contributions from USGS authors, may include new interpretive information and is publicly released. Conversely, a progress report from USGS to a cooperator may contain only previously published interpretive or non-interpretive information, but cannot present new interpretations or conclusions of scientific results. [Read more]

Yes. If data collection for a cooperator publication is USGS-funded, a publicly accessible data release is required prior to or simultaneously with release of the associated cooperator publication. An acceptable digital repository for the data release should be identified in the data management plan or agreement. [Read more]

The FSP requirements for release of USGS scientific data and software associated with scholarly publications also apply to cooperator publications. Data and software management, publishing, and curation responsibility should be specified in data management plans. [Read more]

Although USGS does not require or assign DOIs for cooperator publications, assignment of DOIs is a best practice to ensure long term access to a product. If they have the capability to do so, cooperators should assign a DOI or other persistent link to the information product. [Read more]

The cooperator determines use and placement of the trademarked USGS identifier or a text identification line (such as "Prepared in cooperation with the U.S. Geological Survey") based on their own visual identity/logo requirements. To acknowledge the Bureau’s contribution, USGS authors should request that USGS be prominently displayed. [Read more]

Citations for cooperator publications may list USGS authors by individual names or by using the Bureau name (U.S. Geological Survey). In all cases, the citation must include the cooperator’s name as the publisher. For examples [Read more]

Editing and formatting requirements are applied to cooperator publications according to the cooperator’s publishing standards. Although cooperator publications are not required to follow the editorial requirements for USGS series publications, Bureau writing quality and standards must be met. [Read more]

Cooperator publications are released on cooperator websites. Because the results of Federal Government scientific research must be made publicly available, these publications must be hosted on a publishing platform with continued persistent public accessibility. [Read more]