Highlighting Student Work
Creative output by students makes up a notable portion of the NSUWorks repository.
Two of the biggest collections include open access theses/dissertations and ShutterShark, a student photography contest from the Halmos College of Natural Sciences and Oceanography (CNSO). Capstones, honors papers and other materials may also be published.
Prior to the introduction of NSUWorks, the university’s theses and dissertations were published in bound hard copies, kept in the library under restricted access.
Now NSU is transitioning to publishing these works online only. While all of the school’s colleges still offer students a bound copy in addition to online publishing, one college no longer makes bound copies a requirement.
For older print dissertations, NSUWorks has embarked on a project to digitize and publish them as open access files, with the permission of alumni.
Publishing theses and dissertations online in an institutional repository through the university library offers many compelling benefits.
For schools, the greatest benefit is student recruitment. Student scholarship can attract potential students interested in particular subjects to come study with the same faculty.
To encourage this, NSUWorks provides school information directly on the cover pages of student work.
For students, the greatest benefits are proof of publication and easy access to their work. When applying for jobs or further degree programs, they can provide a stable URL where their work can be viewed.
In fact, theses and dissertations get some of the highest download numbers. With the built-in tools in NSUWorks, authors can see where their research is being accessed around the world via this Author Dashboard:
For authors seeking a traditional print publisher, the Author Dashboard helps them prove the reach and importance of their work.
Digital Commons provides many additional suggestions and resources on theses and dissertations.
Images courtesy of Nova Southeastern University.
NSUWorks
Overcoming Resistance
Streamlining the Publishing Process
Open Educational Resources
Preserving the Past With Archival Collections
Managing Data
