Resource types

This page proposes definitions for the types of document proposed in HAL. These definitions are mostly issued from the COAR Resource Type vocabulary and are a help for everyone depositing.

Blog post: a piece of writing or other item of content published on a blog. Not suitable for a text published on a website. Note that a blog is not a journal: indicate the title of the blog in the metadata Description.

Book: a non-serial publication that is complete in one volume or a designated finite number of volumes.

Critical edition: the critical edition often (but not necessarily) uses a basic manuscript edited in appropriate places to show the differences from one version to another. In general, a critical edition includes a single, edited version of the text (and sometimes its translation) with extensive introductory notes, explanatory notes and a critical apparatus (see source).

Dictionary or encyclopedia: reference book containing a collection of words in a language or field of activity, usually presented in alphabetical order, and providing a definition, explanation or correspondence for each.

Handbook: didactic book presenting the essential concepts of a science, a technique.

Synthesis book: book that takes stock of a body of data and knowledge.

Book chapter / Book section: a defined chapter or section of a book, usually with a separate title or number.

Conference paper: a paper, typically the realization of a research paper reporting original research findings. Choose « Yes » for the metadata Proceedings if the conference paper is published in proceedings. As for an invited conference, choose "Yes" for the metadata Invited.

Conference poster: A display poster, typically containing text with illustrative figures and/or tables, usually reporting research results or proposing hypotheses, submitted for acceptance to and/or presented at a conference, seminar, symposium, workshop or similar event. A noter que l’affiche d’un colloque, séminaire, etc. n’est pas un document éligible dans HAL.

Conference proceedings: conference proceedings is the official record of a conference meeting. It is a collection of documents which corresponds to the presentations given at the conference.

Encyclopedia article: paper in a published reference book or encyclopedia. Does not concern a Wikipedia entry.

HDR: thesis presented for the habilitation to direct research (Habilitation à Diriger les Recherches HDR) which is the highest diploma in French higher education and provides recognition of both the scientific level and the ability to supervise young researchers.

Image: a visual representation other than text, produced within the framework of the research. The sub-types of images in HAL are: photography, drawing, illustration, engraving, synthetic image. A brief description of the research is expected (metadata Abstract).

Journal article: an article, typically the realization of a research paper reporting original research findings, published in a journal issue

Book review: A written review and critical analysis of the content, scope and quality of a book or other monographic work.

Data paper: a data paper is a scholarly publication describing a particular dataset or group of dataset, published in the form of a peer-reviewed article in a scholarly journal. The main purpose of a data paper is to describe data, the circumstances of their collection, and information related to data features, access and potential reuse. Ex: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2021.107627

Review article: a review article takes stock of research and knowledge on a specific topic based on a selection of publications and proposes new avenues for research (see source).

Lecture: higher education course material.

Map: defined as a representation normally to scale and on a flat medium, of a selection of material or abstract features on, or in relation to, the surface of the earth or of another celestial body.

Other publication: any published document with a scientific purpose that does not correspond to any of the other document types.

Patent: a set of exclusive rights granted by law to applicants for inventions that are new, non-obvious and commercially applicable. A patent is valid for a limited period (generally 20 years), during which time patent holders can commercially exploit their inventions on an exclusive basis.

Preprint/Working paper : a preprint is a scientific manuscript without peer-review and has not yet been accepted by a journal. This is about the resource type and not about the version of the paper (preprint or submitted version, postprint ou accepted author manuscript).

Preprint: subtype to be used for a preprint available in a preprint server like arXiv, bioRxiv, etc.

Working paper: subtype to be used if the preprint belongs to a specific collection (laboratory collection for ex).

Report: A report is a separately published record of research findings, research still in progress, policy developments and events, or other technical findings, usually bearing a report number and sometimes a grant number assigned by the funding agency.

Research report: a publication that reports on the findings of a research project or alternatively scientific observations on or about a subject.

Technical report: a document that describes the process, progress, or results of technical or scientific research or the state of a technical or scientific research problem. It might also include recommendations and conclusions of the research

Report to funding agency: a formal document written for the research funder.

Technical expertise report / Expert appraisal report / Processed expertise report : a document intended to produce recommendations for decision-makers.

Data management plan / DMP: a formal statement describing how research data will be managed and documented throughout a research project and the terms regarding the subsequent deposit of the data with a data repository for long-term management and preservation.

Special issue: journal issue devoted in whole or in large part to a specific topic or event (scientific conference, etc.)

Software: a computer program in source code (text) or compiled form. See also : Deposit software source code.

Sound : a resource primarily intended to be heard. A brief description of the research is expected (metadata Abstract).

Thesis: a PhD thesis reporting the research undertaken during a period of graduate study leading to a doctoral degree.

Translation: a translation may concern books or journal articles. The translation must enrich the original work and extend its field of reception. The author of the translation must be a specialist in the field of research of the translated document and must be able to transcribe its concepts (see source). This type of document concerns a published translation and should be chosen if the researcher wishes to promote his translation work.

Video: a recording of visual images, usually in motion and with sound accompaniment, produced during the research process or a scientific conference. Ce peut être l’enregistrement d’une conférence/colloque, d’un cours. A brief description of the research is expected (metadata Abstract).