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Scholarly Communication: Non-Traditional Research Outputs

Information on Avondale reportable publications.

Non-Traditional Research Outputs - NITROs

Non Traditional Research Outputs or NTROs are an important contribution to knowledge and are considered by the ERA as a valuable insight into applied research. NTROs cover a broad range of creative works that are listed below in the J publication category. NTRO's require a Research Statement to be submitted with the work and you'll find here a guide for reference.

Non-Traditional Research Outputs - J Publication Catagories

Original Creative Works

Eligibility

The exhibition of an original creative work can be used to demonstrate that the work has been made publicly available but each instance of such a research output can only be claimed once. Exhibited created works can be submitted as either:

  • A single item exhibited as an individual creative work (equal to one research output); or
  • A group of works exhibited as a cohesive/thematic collection of the work of a single creator (also equal to one research output).

Subcategories of Original Creative Works

Research Output Description
Visual Art Work A research output such as a fine art and crafts work, diagram, map, photographic image, sculpture or installation.
Design/Architectural Work Realised, constructed, fabricated or unrealised building and design projects. 'Unrealised' projects must have an output that provides evidence of the research involved
Textual Work Written creative work that is not eligible to be submitted as a book or journal article, such as a novel or art review. Exhibition catalogues and catalogue entries should be submitted in this sub-category
Other Other original creative works that do not fit in the other research output types. For example, scholarly editions, scholarly translations and public policy reports may be submitted under this category, provided they meet the relevant eligibility criteria, including meeting the definition of research

Live Performance of Creative Works

For Live Performance of Creative Works research outputs, the actual public performance is what is claimed.

Eligibility

Subcategories of the Live Performance of Creative Works

Research Output Description
Music New work or a demonstrably new or innovative interpretation or production of an existing work.
Play New work or a demonstrably new or innovative interpretation or production of an existing work.
Dance New work or a demonstrably new or innovative interpretation or production of an existing work.
Other Other new work or a demonstrably new or innovative interpretations or productions of an existing work.

Recorded/Rendered Creative Works

For Recorded/Rendered Creative Works research outputs, the research component is contained within the recording/rendering. Simple documentations of live performances of creative works with a research component are not eligible to be submitted under this research output type but may be submitted as supporting material under Live Performance of Creative Works.

Subcategories of Recorded/Rendered Creative Works

Research Output Description
Film/Video Film or video
Performance Performances (in music, dance, theatre, etc) that have been created specifically for a recorded medium
Inter-arts Recorded/rendered creative works, often experimental, produced in association with other researchers in other disciplinary fields.
Digital Creative Work Creative 3D models, including digital outputs of architectural and design projects, computer programs, games and visual artworks
Website/Web Exhibition These are eligible as recorded/rendered creative works if the eligible researcher is the creator of the creative works featured in the website. Curated web based exhibitions of the creative work of others must be submitted as Curated or Produced Substantial Public Exhibitions and Events.
Other Other recorded/rendered creative works not listed above

 

Curated or Produced Substantial Public Exhibitions and Events

The Curated or Produced Substantial Public Exhibitions and Events research output type is specifically aimed at research outputs produced by curators rather than artists. Exhibition catalogues written by curators should be submitted as Original Creative Works in the 'Textual Work' subcategory.

Where a curator is an eligible researcher, the curator may claim exhibitions, festivals and other events as research outputs. Artists may claim exhibitions of their original creative works under the Original Creative Works research output type, where the exhibition of the creative works is used as evidence that those works have been made publicly available.

Multiple exhibitions/events cannot be counted as multiple research outputs where the repeated exhibitions/events do not introduce a new research component to the work. For example, a touring exhibition can only be counted once. Multiple exhibitions/events may be counted where each subsequent exhibition/event introduces a new research component to the work that builds upon the initial research component of the original exhibition/event.

Recurring exhibitions and events may be submitted. For example, the Biennial of Sydney is a recurring event with each occurrence being unique rather than a repeat of the previous occurrence.

Subcategories of Curated or Produced Substantial Public Exhibitions and Events

Research Output Description
Web Based Exhibition The curation and/or production of an internet website presenting a collection of creative works where the internet is the medium of the exhibited works
Exhibition/Event The curation and/or production of a collection of creative works exhibited together for the first time, in that particular arrangement, in a recognised gallery, museum, or event. this should be accompanied by a well researched publication that includes the date and location of the exhibition.
Festival The curation of a festival bringing together innovative work or existing works in an informative format or through a theme that provides new perspectives and/or experiences.
Other Curated or substantial public exhibitions and events that do not fit into the above subcategories of the Curated or Produced Substantial Public Exhibitions and Events research output type.

Research reports for an external body

A research report for an external body is a written research output commissioned or solicited by an external body such as a government department or private company.

Subcategories of research report for an external body

Research Output Description
Public sector A research report undertaken for an Australian, state, territory, local, foreign or international government body or organisation.
Industry A research report undertaken for a company, industry organisation, industry peak body, or an employer/employee association
Not-for-profit A research report undertaken for a body or organisation operating in the not-for-profit sector.
Other A research report undertaken for an organisation not covered by the above sub-categories.

Unlikely to be eligible for submission under this subcategory are:

  • Submissions to public inquiries and consultations, including government or parliamentary inquiries.
  • Policy blogs or online commentaries/articles.
  • Briefing notes.

In some cases, the above items may be eligible as part of a portfolio. Institutions must only submit items that are publicly available.

Portfolio

A portfolio is a collection of research outputs that institutions submit as a single NTRO. It is made up of research outputs from the same underlying research endeavour that on their own may not meet the definition of research, but when collected together have coherent research content. All items within the portfolio must fall within the ERA reference period.

Research Submission Guidelines

 NTRO Research Statements

NTROs can be categorised as a New work or as part of an ongoing Portfolio.

New: Where the work is presented for the first time in the year of submission, or clearly demonstrates significant extension of a prior NTRO (which may include content, presentation context or other substantial core elements, such that it clearly demonstrates new knowledge and innovation).

Portfolio: A coherent collection of research outputs from the same underlying research collected and presented together demonstrate a coherent, high impact research endeavour. All portfolio items must fall within forthcoming ERA reference period.

There are three keys stages in ensuring ERA Compliance of your NTRO.

Abstract (250 words)

A description of the work as a piece of research. Articulate what you did, why you did it, what happened, what the results mean, what the work is good for, who benefits.

Research statement (2000 characters, including section headings) – note three distinct sections of the research statement:

  • Research background - Note: the research field, the current state of knowledge and the research problem and question.
  • Research contribution - Note: key finding(s), what is new, innovative, of interest to and applicable by other practitioners/researchers.
  • Research significance - Provide evidence of gatekeeping, at point of funding or distribution. Provide evidence of impact and/or esteem measures.

Documentation

Provide appropriate materials to enable the ability to determine the type, form, qualities and scale of what is being assessed. This may range from short audio recordings, images, catalogue excerpts, reports, excerpts, or for time-based work, edited video highlights (less than five minutes). Be succinct.

Research Statement - Writing Guide - Consider the below three elements

  • What is the current state of knowledge, i.e., academic and/or industry, about this topic? Where possible, name at least one key practitioner, researcher or practitioner/researcher in the area, or refer to an industry practice, policy, debate, etc.
  • Who are the key figures in the field debating or contributing to this topic? What do these people/industries say about the field/problem? For example, Jen Webb has suggested that poetic construction can be used as a mode of thinking through environmental issues. Screen Australia has identified that there is a paucity of Indigenous voices in mainstream television.
  • Which issues remain to be explored?
  • What is the research question underpinning this work? For example, How can cloud-based technologies generate cross-regional compositional collaborations to foster emerging musicians.
  • You may not have a research question at the start of the project, but you should be able to articulate one by the time the project is complete. You do not need to use the exact phrase ‘The research question for this project was’. You can use a formation such as, ‘This project sought to discover …’ or ‘This project asks how …’
  • What was your role in this work and how did this work contribute to new knowledge?
  • What does ‘new knowledge’ look like in this work? Clearly articulate context, research aims, methodological approach and contribution to the field as relevant to the discipline. Where is the contribution to knowledge in evidence (style, aesthetics, story, character, use of technology, etc.)? This should acknowledge existing research in the field.
  • A clearly stated key finding/s that is new and which will be of interest to and applicable by other practitioners/researchers. For example, ‘When designing a theatrical work for 3-5-year-olds, explicitly introducing each technical convention to them before the start of the work promotes their engagement with the story’ or ‘This new perspective can be found in the use of lighting across the work, which shifts from X to Y to Z as the narrative develops.’
  • What new understandings does this work open up for the field more broadly?
  • What was your role in this work and how did this work contribute to new knowledge?
  • What does ‘new knowledge’ look like in this work? Clearly articulate context, research aims, methodological approach and contribution to the field as relevant to the discipline. Where is the contribution to knowledge in evidence (style, aesthetics, story, character, use of technology, etc.)? This should acknowledge existing research in the field.
  • A clearly stated key finding/s that is new and which will be of interest to and applicable by other practitioners/researchers. For example, ‘When designing a theatrical work for 3-5-year-olds, explicitly introducing each technical convention to them before the start of the work promotes their engagement with the story’ or ‘This new perspective can be found in the use of lighting across the work, which shifts from X to Y to Z as the narrative develops.’
  • What new understandings does this work open up for the field more broadly?

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