Search RADAR

The GSA repository of art, design, and architecture research

Help

This page provides answers to the most frequently asked questions about RADAR, The Glasgow School of Art's research repository.

For more information, see our RADAR Policies and Guides page.

If you cannot find what you are looking for, please contact the RADAR team in the Research Department at radar@gsa.ac.uk

Using RADAR

  • Who can access RADAR?

    Anyone can access RADAR to view the research outputs produced by GSA staff and postgraduate research students. You do not need to be logged in. Full text is available where possible.

  • What is a research output?

    Research may be defined as "a process of investigation leading to new insights, effectively shared (HEFCE 2011)."
    A research output is an item that is produced as the final outcome of that process, in order to share the findings with an appropriate audience. The output can take many forms, such as a journal article, book, artefact, or exhibition.

  • How do I search and browse RADAR?

    There is a search box on every page of RADAR (select the magnifying glass icon on a mobile device). You can also browse the outputs using the links in the ‘browse’ menu.

  • Why do some outputs have 'restricted files' and how do I access them?

    'Restricted files' are not available on public view and this is often due to copyright restrictions or because the file is under an embargo stipulated by the publisher. If the GSA author has given their email address, then a ‘Request a Copy’ link will appear below the file. Alternatively, you can contact the RADAR team to ask if the file can be made available. Please note that some GSA theses may be available to view in print at the GSA Library.

Depositing in RADAR

  • Who can deposit in RADAR?

    All current GSA academic staff and postgraduate research students.

  • Why should I deposit my research outputs?

    RADAR helps to promote your research by making it more discoverable and visible to others, including businesses, government, the wider arts sector, potential students, and the public, leading to potential future collaborations, engagement, and impact. It also fulfils the open access requirements of the Research Excellence Framework (REF) and many UK funding bodies, such as UK Research and Innovation (UKRI).

  • How do I login to RADAR?

    Only GSA staff may login to RADAR. If you are logged in to your GSA laptop already, then you will be automatically logged into RADAR when you select 'Login'. If you are using a non-GSA computer, then you will need to login to RADAR with your GSA email address and password.

  • How do I deposit my research outputs?

    GSA staff can upload their outputs directly to RADAR, and postgraduate students will need to contact the RADAR team to deposit their theses and research outputs. Once logged in, please select ‘Manage my Outputs’ from the ‘My RADAR’ menu, and then the ‘Create New Research Output’ button. Fill in as many details as you can, and upload a copy of your text or documentation of your output, such as images, audio, or video files.

  • How do I edit a record that is already on RADAR?

    Follow the ‘request a change’ link below the relevant record for your output, and provide details of the edits required. The RADAR team will make the edits for you, or if there are lots of changes, we will send the record back to you to edit.

  • How do I create my profile?

    Once logged in, please select 'My Homepage' from the 'My RADAR' menu, and then select ‘Edit Profile'. Fill in your details and ensure the 'Profile Visibility' is set to 'Public' once your profile is ready to go live on RADAR and select ‘Save’. To upload your profile photograph, select the ‘Profile Picture’ button on ‘My Homepage.' For best results, please upload a photograph that is at least 302 x 302 pixels.

  • How do I deposit my thesis?

    When you are ready to deposit, please contact the RADAR team to arrange to deposit your print copy and digital copy. You will need to deposit your final approved MPhil or PhD thesis (and portfolio if required), in order to graduate and for your degree to be awarded. Please see the Thesis Deposit section on Canvas for guidelines on thesis deposit, FAQs, and the Thesis Deposit Form. There are additional open access requirements for theses funded by UKRI (such as through the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities - SGSAH), which are detailed on Canvas.

  • What are the Open Access requirements for the REF?

    The Research Excellence Framework (REF) Open Access Policy applies to journal articles and conference papers with an ISSN. GSA requires academic staff to deposit their accepted manuscript in RADAR within 3 months of the acceptance date, as per the REF 2021 Open Access Policy. From 1 January 2026, there are additional requirements: the maximum possible embargo period is now 12 months, and the funding bodies' strong preference is for licensing as CC-BY (other Creative Commons licenses are also permitted). Further details are available on the Staff Intranet at the link below:

    • REF 2029 Open Access Policy

  • What are the Open Access requirements for UKRI?

    The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Open Access Policy applies to publications that need to acknowledge funding from UKRI, or any of its councils such as the AHRC. This policy applies to journal articles and conference papers, as well as to long-form publications such as books and chapters. Details are available on the Staff Intranet at the links below:

    • UKRI Open Access Policy for journal articles and conference papers
    • UKRI Open Access Policy for long-form publications

    There are also specific open access requirements for theses funded by UKRI (such as through the Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities - SGSAH), which are detailed on the Thesis Deposit section on Canvas.

  • How does copyright affect my outputs on RADAR?

    You must check who owns the copyright for every output you deposit. Even if you are the creator, you may have shared your copyright with co-creators, funders, or assigned it to your publisher. If you wish to use third party material in your research output, such as images of another artist's work in your journal article, you must also check if copyright exists in the work that you wish to re-use. In general, you need to identify the copyright owners and obtain their permission.

    You should also consider protecting the copyright of your own work when depositing in RADAR. When uploading files, you can choose a Creative Commons license to communicate the rights you reserve, and those you waive for the benefit of users.