Fundamental Science Practices Frequently Asked Questions
What USGS scientific information products must follow FSP?
How does USGS define peer review and what are the FSP peer review requirements?
How is approval granted and what documents at a minimum must be submitted to the approving official?
What is the foundation of FSP?
What Federal Government policies require the release of scientific data, and how does the USGS intend to meet these requirements?
What is considered USGS scientific software and what are the USGS requirements for releasing it?
What types of project progress information can be reported and why is that important?
The frequently asked questions (FAQs) represent a Bureau consensus to ensure interpretations of Fundamental Science Practices (FSP) policies are uniformly applied throughout the USGS. These FAQs provide further explanation of the FSP and related publishing policies, as well as describe the procedures and decision making necessary to meet the policy requirements.
FSP Background
Authorship
Review
Approval
USGS Publication Series
Journal Publications
Metadata
Data
Software
Project Reporting and Cooperator Publications
Web Pages, Conferences, Abstracts, and Presentations
Preprints
The FAQs will be updated as necessary and changes in the form of additions or revisions are reflected by date (month/year) as they occur. Questions about the FSP that are not addressed here should be directed to gs_fspac@usgs.gov.
FSP Frequently Asked Questions
Can USGS Bureau-approved preprints be the final publication for releasing new, interpretive USGS information? [198]
No, preprints are preliminary, intended to precede final publication, and are generally cited as unpublished work. [Read more]
Can USGS Bureau-approved preprints be subsequently published as USGS series, cooperator publications or journal articles? [199]
Yes, Bureau-approved preprints may subsequently be published as superseding USGS series, cooperator publications, or journal articles. [Read more]
Is the process of product dissemination and cataloging in the Publications Warehouse for Bureau-approved preprints the same as it is for other USGS-authored IPDS product types (such as journal articles and cooperator publications)? [200]
Yes, USGS preprint manuscripts are documented in individual IPDS records, considered stand alone products, and cataloged in Publications Warehouse. [Read more]
What are some examples of preprint servers where USGS authors have posted their approved information products? [201]
USGS authors use a variety of preprint servers often depending on science discipline. [Read more]
What happens if there are both USGS and non-USGS authors affiliated with an information product, and the non-USGS co-author submits the information product to a preprint server before Bureau approval has been received? [202]
Publicly posting a manuscript without Bureau approval is a violation of Fundamental Science Practices. Such manuscript posted on a preprint server needs to be removed or replaced with a Bureau-approved version. [Read more]
Can a USGS co-author of a manuscript temporarily remove their name and USGS affiliation from a preprint with the intention of being added as an author when submitted for publication in another outlet? [203]
No, USGS author may not temporarily remove their name from a manuscript to post it on a preprint server or to bypass any other FSP requirement. [Read more]
Under what circumstance may USGS-funded unpublished data be cited in scholarly publications? [016]
Citations referring to unpublished data are allowed when the citation refers to content or auxiliary information that is not essential to ensuring others can replicate the results or evaluate the validity of the data used to support the conclusions of the scholarly publication. [Read More]
How do I create metadata? [099]
Various tools for creating metadata are available on the USGS Data Management metadata web page.
What are metadata? [096]
Metadata describe where, when, and why the data were collected; who collected the data; what types of data were collected; what processes were used to create the data; what quality assurance controls were used; and where the collected data are located. [Read more]
What are the policy requirements for USGS authors regarding use of "unpublished data" or "personal communication" (including written, oral or verbal communication) when citing data used to support scholarly publications? [177]
All supporting digital research data approved for release for final accepted manuscripts or final publications must be freely available for public access at the same time as or before the official publication date, with some exceptions allowed. [Read more]
Who owns the data collected during research or produced as an information product on behalf of the USGS? [176]
Data collected on behalf of the USGS or by using USGS funds belong to the USGS and not to the individual who collected the data. The DMP should specify data ownership, the data preservation responsibilities, and party responsible for providing the data to the public. [Read more]