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Research & Research Study

For Researchers - The Research Office

You are here: Macquarie University | Research Office (Researchers) | IRIS (Integrated Research Information System) | IRIS User FAQs

IRIS User FAQs

Getting Started

Login Questions

Error Messages

Publications Questions

Author Questions:

DEEWR (formerly DEST) Questions  

Editing Publications

Research Quality Framework (RQF)


Getting Started

Who do I contact if I want to provide feedback?

For feedback related to suggested enhancements for IRIS, please visit the IRIS Feedback page.

For IRIS questions, we suggest you have a quick look at the FAQ on this page, and if you don't find a solution, then you should send an email to IRISHelp@mq.edu.au or phone ext 4455 (02 9850 4455).

For all login and password questions, please contact ITS on (02) 9850 HELP (ext 4357) or Freecall 1800 063 191. You can also fill in an IT Services Request Form, or email ITHelp@mq.edu.au

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Login Questions

How do I get a login and password?

Login and Password Access to IRIS is provided by IT Services. 

You can contact ITS on (02) 9850 HELP (ext 4357) or Freecall 1800 063 191. You can also fill in an IT Services Request Form or email ITHelp@mq.edu.au

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Now I have my login and password, how do I login?

To login, please go to the IRIS website and click the link in the left menu for IRIS. Click on the link for 'Publications Module', and type in your Username and password. No spaces allowed in Username or Password.

 

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I've tried to login but I keep getting an error message, 'Account setup error, please contact your System Administrator'.

Account Setup Error Message

If you receive this message, your IRIS User Profile may not be fully configured. All you need to do is contact IRIS Help, tell us about the error message, and provide your Name, User Name [this is your ID] and your Department. We will never ask you for your password. Contact IRIS Help by sending an email to IRISHelp@mq.edu.au or phone ext 4455 (02 9850 4455). 

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My password doesn't work

Staff Member

If you are a staff member using a staff number to access IRIS, all account administration is completed on the MyMQ Staff Portal accessible by the following web address:

https://staff.mq.edu.au/

On this page there is a link titled "Forgot your password?" under the section titled "Login Assistance" where you can attempt to retrieve your password.

If you are unsure of your current password and have not set up your "Secret Questions and Answers" or are unable to answer the questions correctly, you will need to contact the IT Help Desk and supply your full name and staff number so that IT can reset the password.

You can contact ITS on (02) 9850 HELP (ext 4357) or Freecall 1800 063 191. You can also fill in an IT Services Request Form or email ITHelp@mq.edu.au

 

 

Student Member

If you are a student member using a student number to access IRIS, all account administration is completed on the MyMQ Student Portal accessible by the following web address:

https://my.mq.edu.au/

On this page there is a link titled "Forgot your password?" under the section titled "Login Assistance" where you can attempt to retrieve your password by correctly answering the "Secret Questions and Answers".

If you have not set this up, you can log in and on the "Student Communications" tab, there is a section titled "Account Administration" where you are able to set up your "Secret Questions and Answers" and change the current password.

If you are unsure of your current password and have not set up your "Secret Questions and Answers" or are unable to answer the questions correctly, you will need to contact the IT Help Desk and supply your full name, student number, date of birth and either the barcode from your student card or address so that IT can reset your password.

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Error Messages

When I try to login I get an error message

After you type your login and password and click the Login button, you may get an error message.

IRIS Error message 

If you can click "OK" on the error message, do so and try again.

If a new window has opened with the error message, close the new window and try again.


 

"View Publications List" link doesn't seem to work

When I click on "View Publications List", I get a new window with a message saying "Server Error in '/RMEWeb' Application. Runtime Error".

Runtime Error Message 

At the moment, the link to this feature is not working. Once this feature has been configured and tested, this link will lead to a set of reports.

 

"Server Error" message appears when I click on "View Publications List" 

When I click on "View Publications List", I get a new window with a message saying "Server Error in '/RMEWeb' Application. Runtime Error".

Runtime Error Message

At the moment, the link to this feature is not working. Once this feature has been configured and tested, this link will lead to a set of reports.

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Publications Questions

What happened to OPUS?

The OPUS database has been replaced by the online IRIS [Integrated Research Information System] database. All information which was held in the OPUS database for 2000-2005 has been transferred to IRIS so will be available to view.

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What happened to all my data?

Your data is now in IRIS. All publications submitted to the Publications Audit from 2000 to 2005 have been loaded into the new system.

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Where is the check list of Publication Categories?

You can view/download a list of all  categories on this PDF:

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What is the close-off date for lodging Publications?

The Research Office will not set closing dates for publications to be lodged with Departments.

Close off date:  please contact your Departmental Admin person a.s.a.p. 

Divisional Contacts will verify the publication record online.  Once a publication record has been verified at Division level, the Research Office will finalise the record electrnically for inclusion in the Publications Return.

In 2008 the University has decided not to collect centrally hardcopy evidence of every publication eligible for inclusion in the HERDC process.  The good news for Divisions is that we have been able to extend the cut-off date for entry of publications into IRIS for inclusion in the 2007 collection to the 12th of May 2008.

A consequence of this decision is that Divisions may either collect and retain the hardcopy data themselves, or alternatively require all of their staff submitting publications to have available at short notice such a hardcopy.  This hardcopies would be needed in the (admittedly remote) case where the Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR - DEST's replacement) decides to perform an audit.  The type of hardcopy required can be found in the HERDC specifications (see either the DEEWR or the Research Office websites).  A further consequence of the change is that the responsibility for categorisation of the publication will rest with the individual researcher and the Divisional administrators (ultimately certified by the Dean). 

Although 12th May has been set as the central deadline, we are quite happy for Divisions/Departments to set earlier cut-off dates so that they can undertake appropriate corrections, checking and local administration.

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What kinds of hard-copy verification material do I need to keep?

The exact requirements for hard-copy verification material is different for each category, but generally they fall under four main headings.

1. Proof that the item was published

This is a copy of the article, paper or chapter as published or enough pages of the book (e.g. title, table of contents, preface, the page with the publisher & ISBN details) to demonstrate that it was actually published & made available for sale.

2. Proof that the item was refereed

This is only relevant for C1 Journal articles and E1 conference papers. Many journals and some conference proceedings have a statement about their peer review process, or conference organisers include it as part of the guidelines for authors in the call for papers. It is not enough for the journal to have an ISSN - we also need to be able to prove that articles are refereed. There are also websites with Periodical Directories.

We use and recommend Ulrich's Periodical Directory because it has clear information & indication of refereeing - http://www.ulrichsweb.com

The Thomson ISI Master Journal List is also very good - http://scientific.thomson.com

Some disciplines will also find that there is access to periodical database via the MQ Library website. The MLA Directory of Periodicals is one such database.

Go to http://www.lib.mq.edu.au/databases/ and search for MLA.

3. Proof of affiliation to Macquarie University

The best evidence of this is the byline or information about authors/contributors.

Staff and/or student lists for 2006 are also useful.

Remember that when you sign the declaration at the bottom of the IRIS submission email, you are certifying that all authors listed as MQ staff or students were here when the research was done.

4. Proof that the item meets the definition of research

Given the wide variety of disciplines and styles of publication across the University, this is something that the authors are going to be more able to assess.

Please read the DEEWR definition of research to ensure that your publication meets it:

DEEWR's specification for the collection of higher education data  contains a number of definitions. DEEWR's full definition of research is  available in section 1.3.8 of these specifications, an extract of  which appears below:

"For the purposes of these specifications, research  comprises:

  • creative  work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to  increase the stock of  knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture  and society, and the use of this  stock of knowledge to devise new  applications
  • any activity classified as research which  is  characterised by originality; it should have investigation as a  primary  objective and should have the potential to produce results  that are  sufficiently general for humanity's stock of knowledge  (theoretical and/or  practical) to be recognisably increased. Most  higher education research work  would qualify as research 
  • pure basic research, strategic basic research,  applied research and experimental development."

To review the full Specifications, please view the PDF:  


This is also a major reason why we need to have copies of the full item (or preface & introduction for a book).

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Why am I expected to be able to provide so much proof/evidence?

DEEWR provides a strict set of criteria which the Research Office Auditors follow for each Publication.

Auditing involves much more than viewing 'proof' of a publication's existence. For example, DEEWR expects to see evidence that a Conference was 'refereed', and our Auditors need to check this by viewing a statement of the proceedings, a statement from the conference organiser [or editor], by provision of the assessments, by printouts from the Conference website stating it was full paper refereed. It has been found that to meet the criteria, all of the details of the actual article/paper may exist in several different evidentiary documents.

Tip: If in doubt, ensure you can provide more evidence than is expected.

If DEEWR audits the University's publications submission and discovers  any publications do not meet their criteria, the consequences for MQ can be severe. The publication/s in question will be excluded, and DEEWR will use the total number of excluded items as an error rate for the whole submission. What this means is that the amount of funding allocated to the university would be reduced.

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Do I need to provide verification materials for non-DEEWR publications?

You should be able to provide verification materials for ALL publications, to show evidence of the publication, paper, etc which meets the requirements detailed on your application document.

Ensure you keep verification materials.

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Does each co-author have to lodge a Publication?

No. The DEEWR collection is for each 'paper', and the Research Office is able to apportion points per author from one lodgement [if all authors have been recorded on the publication].

IRIS allows you to see any publications in our system where you are assigned as an author, whether you entered the data or not. If one of your co-authors has already lodged the publication, it will immediately appear in your IRIS profile.

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I am the  main [or first] author - do I receive a higher DEEWR weighting?

No. All co-authors receive equal weighted points, providing they are affiliated with Macquarie University, and this evidence is provided. Currently there is no distinction between staff, student or the order of authors.

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Does the Research Office require a full copy of the article / paper / book chapter?

Yes, except for the Book category. For books, please provide the preface, introduction, and the first chapter. For ALL publications you must provide evidence of the year of publication, details of the commercial publisher [books and chapters], and refereed status for journal articles and conference papers.

All publications must meet the DEEWR criteria for research [please read the Definition of Research further down this page].

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Just how much money does my publication bring my Division?

The value of a weighted DEEWR proxy publication point varies from year to year.  The formula is quite complex because IGS, RTS block grants are calculated on a (weighted) average performance in the previous two years. 10% of that is derived from publications' performance. Each publication (DEEWR Proxy or not) contributes to the amount each Division and Department is allocated in the 'Distributed Funding Model'.

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How should I organise the materials?

To provide your publication and evidentiary documents in a  plastic sleeve is adequate. Please highlight all necessary dates, names, places, titles etc to help our Auditors assess your publication with a minimum of fuss. Do not use staples, clips, etc, just include loose pages and please give to your Department Contact.

Remember, if your materials are well organised, the Audit staff can verify your data and quickly ascertain the assessment. Please also mark any publications with highlighter or post-it note if you wish to bring something extra to the attention of the Audit staff.

TIP: You may find it useful  to keep a copy of your entire application with supporting documentation, in case you need it at any time in the future. 

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What happens to the materials after lodgement?

Once the lodgement has been made to DEEWR, the Research Office stores all publication [and supporting documentation] until March of the following year. There have been instances where the evidence needs to be reviewed for some reason so it is kept in the Research Office. At the end of March, all the materials are packed up and sent to  Records & Archives, so that we have space to start the process for the next year.

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What can I do to streamline the process?

Excellent question! You can ensure you provide as much supporting documentation as is required [more, if possible] for each publication, and if you highlight all relevant text throughout, it will speed up the audit processing time.

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Which Journals are accepted as being "Refereed"?

DEEWR allows for  the confirmation of a journal's refereed status in a number of ways:

  • the journal is listed in one of the Institute for Scientific Information indexes www.isinet.com/journals
  • the journal is classified as "refereed" in Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory (Volume 5 - Refereed Serials) or via Ulrich's web site www.ulrichsweb.com
  • there is a statement in the journal which shows that contributions are peer reviewed
  • there is a statement or acknowledgement from the journal editor which shows that contributions are peer-reviewed
  • provision of a copy of a reviewer's assessment relating to the full article

DEEWR used to maintain a Register of Refereed  Journals but has not updated this Register since January 2006. Although not updated, the Register will remain available  to consult when determining  whether a journal satisfies the HERDC peer-review requirements.

Please visit the DEEWR website for more information.

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How do I ensure my Conference Paper meets E1 category requirements?

Assessing Conference Papers takes a number of factors into account, and we strongly recommend that you carefully read all available guidelines,

Go to the Publications main page to see current DEEWR guidleines. 

This Summary of Conditions may be useful:

The Conference:
  • must be able to demonstrate national or international significance ('workshops' or 'seminars' are not usually accepted).
The Paper:
  • must be an original, scholarly work
  • must have been peer reviewed as a FULL paper ('abstract' refereeing is not accepted)
  • must show your affiliation with Macquarie University.
The Publication/Proceedings:
  • must be available beyond the realm of conference participants, eg via web access or CD/book.

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Author Questions 

What if the byline shows Macquarie and another university?

Each university may claim the full value of the authors at their institution. For example, if the byline states that Mr X is affiliated with Macquarie and UNSW, both  Macquarie and UNSW can claim this author at 100%. An affiliation is only split at less than 100% if the author shared research between different departments at  Macquarie. Use the appointment details box on the author screen to indicate the proportion of the appointment.

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What about authors who were only visiting  Macquarie temporarily?

If the author undertook research leading to the publication while at  Macquarie, but the byline lists another institution and not  Macquarie, Macquarie can still claim the publication if the author signs a statement certifying that he/she undertook the research leading to the publication while a visitor at  Macquarie. You will need evidence, such as an entry in an annual report, to show that the visitor was in the department.

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If a publication shows another university or organisation as the author's affiliation, but the research was carried out at Macquarie, can we still claim the author's contribution?

If the publication affiliates the author with another institution, but you know the research was done at  Macquarie, then we need a statement signed by the author stating that the research leading to the publication was carried out at  Macquarie. You can use this proforma. Advice by fax or email is acceptable.

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What about adding authors external to Macquarie?

You will be able to do this, completing as many of the data fields as possible. You may find that the external author is already entered.

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I want to enter my book chapter, but the book isn't there

If your book is not in the list, it may be worth trying a more careful search - e.g. by ISBN. If none of your searches manage to find the correct book then it will need to be added to the IRIS database.

Your Department Administrator has receive training to enable them to add the book for you. 

You will need to provide: 

Title, Total number of Chapters in book, ISBN, Editor(s), Publisher, Place Published, Year of publication 

Once the book has been added to the database, you (and any other chapter authors) will be able to add the chapters of that book.

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My journal isn't there

If your journal is not in the list, it may be worth trying a more careful search - e.g. by ISSN. If none of your searches manage to find the correct journal then it will need to be added to the IRIS database.

The current version of IRIS restricts the ability to add these journal records to Administrator level access. In the new year, your Department Administrator will be able to add the journal for you.

In the meantime , the IRIS Help Desk staff will be able to add the journal for you. The most effective way to make this happen is to send an email to IRISHelp@mq.edu.au with the following details about the journal:

Journal name, ISSN, Publisher, Place Published

Once the journal has been added to the database, you (and any other article authors) will be able to add articles from that journal.

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The system does not recognise re-ordering of authors when I click on the arrows.

This is an issue with the software that we have reported to the software supplier for correction.

The fastest work-around is to delete the authors (including yourself) and then add them back in the correct order.

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I cannot upload documents as evidence for my publications

The Upload Document link relates to the planned development of a feature to create a dynamic link between a publication record and a digital repository, and should not be used.


If you select this link, you will see a page displaying the following message:

"Arrow interface service not present - upload not available"

Currently, the New Document link will only enable you to record a static piece of information about the name and location of the document. It does not load the actual document and replace any requirement to provide a printed evidence of your publication for auditing.

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DEEWR Questions

Which are the DEEWR Categories?

Currently the categories DEEWR audits are A1, B1, C1 and E1. To obtain a full list of categories, please view the PDF.

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What is the DEEWR definition of research?

DEEWR's specification for the collection of higher education data contains a number of definitions. DEEWR's full definition of research is available in section 1.3.8 of these specifications, and extract of which appears below:

"For the purposes of these specifications, research  comprises:

  • creative  work undertaken on a systematic basis in order to increase the stock of  knowledge, including knowledge of man, culture and society, and the use of this  stock of knowledge to devise new applications
  • any activity classified as research which is  characterised by originality; it should have investigation as a primary  objective and should have the potential to produce results that are  sufficiently general for humanity's stock of knowledge (theoretical and/or  practical) to be recognisably increased. Most higher education research work  would qualify as research
  • pure basic research, strategic basic research,  applied research and experimental development."

To review the full Specifications, please view the PDF:

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What are DEEWR weightings?

Each category has different weighting, which is shared between the contributing authors:

  • A1 - Book is 5.0
  • B1 - Chapter is 1.0
  • C1 - Journal article is 1.0
  • E1 - Conference paper is 1.0

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How do I know if my publication is excluded from DEEWR?

To minimise the risk of being excluded due to insufficient evidence, you should ensure all your verification documentation is sent to the Research Office well before the close-off date [for the previous year's publications].

If your publication does not meet DEEWR requirements then it is likely to be reclassified by the Research Office Auditors. The precise notification procedure has not yet been determined, however you will be able to view all details of your publications within IRIS to view the category code and verification status.

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Editing Publications

I entered my publication but didn't get my confirmation email

There are two possible reasons why this may happen. 

1. Your publications records are still marked as "data entry in progress".

You'll need to mark them as "data entry complete".

Login to IRIS and click the HOME button or link.  In the white part of the screen, click the link "Show Publications I have entered"

Show Publications I have entered 

Click the Title of the publication, to see all the details on the screen. 

In the left navigation menu, you will see the ACTIONS section towards the top.  To mark the record as "Data Entry Complete and Submit for verification", click on the link with that name. .

Publications Action Menu 

A new screen will appear which has a Text Box (if you wish to type a message to the Auditor).


If you don't need to type a message for the Auditor, simply click the SUBMIT button.

The next page to display shows the full record of your publication, with a message saying the publication is now Complete.


 

You’ll notice that the headings on this page have changed from green to red for each section. This means you can no longer make changes to the record, unless you click the link in the Actions menu which says "Rever to Draft":

Publication Revert to Draft 

The confirmation email will be sent to you, which may take several hours to arrive.

2. Your email name does not appear on the Staff List on the MQ website.

Go to http://www.mq.edu.au

In the left menu column, click STAFF.

On the right hand side at top of page under 'SEARCH', type your name in the text box for 'Search for a Staff Member".

Click the GO button.

When you find your details, can you see your primary email name?  If not, you need to add it, as this is the email name which is used by IRIS. 

Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click on 'Click here to modify your personal details'.

Please ensure the email name is correct, so that you will receive important emails which may come through ITS and IRIS.

You will need your Staff/Student number to make changes to your record.

When you're finished, please click the SUBMIT button at the bottom of the screen.

This email name will be used for all future Publications. If for some reason your record does not update, please contact HR to have them update your details.

If your publication was marked as 'complete' before you updated your email name, then IRIS had nowhere to send the email.  You can email the IRIS Help Desk on IRISHelp@mq.edu.au with the Subject: EMAIL NAME PROVIDED, to let us know the email name you have used.

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My publication is marked as data entry complete but I still didn't get my confirmation email

Due to the way that the email program works, confirmation emails can take an hour or more to arrive in your inbox.

If you've been waiting longer than two hours, please check your SPAM FOLDER first. If your email is there, please click the checkbox and then click WHITELIST so it will be sent to your normal Groupwise email inbox.

If the email is not in the SPAM folder, please either phone the IRIS Help Desk on 4455 or send an email to IRISHelp@mq.edu.au, so that we can investigate and correct the problem as quickly as possible.

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Why can't I edit one of my records?

You can edit publications which have not yet been audited.

Login to IRIS and click the link 'Show Publications I have entered'.

If a publication appears under the headings 'Data Entry in Progress' or 'Submitted for Verification', you can click the publication Title to view more information. In the top right corner of the next screen, you will see the Entry Status is either 'Complete' [meaning you cannot edit at this point], or 'In Progress'.

To allow editing of your publication  [before it is audited and marked Complete] you can click the link 'Edit Publication Details' in the left menu, under the heading 'Actions'.
 

If the Entry Status is 'Complete', you will see a different link under the Actions menu called 'Mark Data Entry Incomplete'. Click this link  to proceed.

 

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Can I add publications for previous years?

Yes, publications for previous years can be added to IRIS. There is currently no requirement or plan to audit such records and therefore verification materials do not need to be provided..

Please note the RQF may require that you will be asked to provide verification materials at a later date.

After logging into IRIS please take the following steps:

  • Select the appropriate category from the 2007 or 2006 collection year list.
  • When you are entering the details of publication, you will need to change the Publication Year from the default of 2007 or 2006 to the correct year.  

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Can my additional publications from previous years be loaded as a batch?

The Research Office is unable to use a batch import to load records into IRIS at the moment. You can contact your Publications Administrator who can help you entering these into the IRIS system.

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Why can't I give you my publications via spreadsheet or electronically?

The publications from need to be entered into IRIS via the webpages in order to trigger the verification process, send the confirmation email, and ensure that these records are audited correctly.

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RQF

Where can I get a list of the peer esteem factors to be collected for RQF?

To facilitate the University's collection of data required for RQF, 13 Peer Esteem Factors have been added to the IRIS list of publication categories.

These documents contain a description of each esteem factor, together with data requirements.

Peer Esteem Factors (PDF)
Peer Esteem Factors (RTF)

Data entry of esteem factor information uses the same screens and follows the same steps as entry of publications data.

There is currently no requirement or plan to audit esteem factor records and therefore verification materials do not need to be provided..

Please note the RQF may require that you will be asked to provide verification materials at a later date.

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Peer Esteem Categories 

Peer Esteem Category P2D

When entering Peer Esteem category P2D, please note  'Editorship of books' is included. The field requests an ISSN - you can also enter an ISBN in its place.

Peer Esteem Category P2E

When entering Peer Esteem category P2E, please note 'referee for prestigious journals' is required as well as  entry of 'Last Year Appointed'.  Journals invite ad hoc reviews as well as through formal appointment on an Editorial Board.  For the former, there is no 'appointment year', so please enter the year in which the invitation was made.


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Entering Peer Esteem Factors

Peer Esteem Factors are being collected for the RQF, for the period 2000 - 2006.

In order to collect the information, we are using the Publications Module of IRIS. Please note this may change in the future if the RQF requirements differ.

To get started, proceed as though you are creating a publication.

You will find the Peer Esteem Categories listed below all the other categories, alphabetically, when you are creating a 'new publication'.

Please download the Peer Esteem Factor User Instructions.

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