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 comprehensive FAQs not only provide further explanation of the FSP and related publishing policies but also describe the specific procedures and decision making necessary to meet the
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
How may coauthorship order be addressed for group projects that result in multiple products or sections within a larger product? [023]
In such instances, group members determine the order of coauthorship from one information product to another as they deem appropriate. In the case of lengthy information products, group members determine if authorship of individual sections may be separately designated to recognize specialized contributions. [Read more]
What criteria and guidance are available for determining or attributing authorship of information products? [022]
Authors are the ones responsible for the preparation and content of the information product. Authorship should be limited to the individual or individuals who make a substantial intellectual contribution to conception or design of the investigation; the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of data; and the content of the information product. [Read more]
What FSP and other requirements related to authorship of USGS scientific information products must be followed? [021]
If the author has full-time, part-time, or volunteer (including emeritus) USGS affiliation or shared affiliation; or if the author is working under a USGS grant, memorandum of understanding, or other cooperative agreement, then FSP requirements must be followed regardless of whether the information product will be published by the USGS or by an outside entity. [Read more]
Who are the approving officials with authority to grant Bureau approval of science information products? [061]
Depending on the product or product content, Bureau approval authority (formerly Director's approval) is delegated to Science Center Directors and to Bureau Approving Officials (BAO)s in the Office of Science Quality and Integrity (OSQI). Refer to SM 205.18 for detailed information on the approval authority for various scientific information products. [Read more]
How does USGS define peer review and what are the FSP peer review requirements? [038]
USGS defines peer review as scrutiny of work or ideas by colleagues (peers) who are well qualified and who are of equal standing with one another. The FSP requirements for peer review of USGS science information products are found in SM 502.3. [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]