Sharing and promoting your published research papers on LinkedIn can be a great way to increase visibility and highlight your academic achievements. However, there are some important factors to consider before posting full-text versions of published papers.
Copyright and publisher policies
The copyright for published journal articles and conference papers is typically owned by the publisher, not the author. Before sharing the full text of a published paper on social media, it is essential to check the publisher’s copyright transfer agreement and sharing policies.
Many academic publishers allow authors to share either the abstract or a link to the paper. However, most standard publishing agreements prohibit authors from posting the final published PDF version publicly without permission. Doing so could be considered copyright infringement.
Here are some key points on publisher sharing policies:
- The author acceptance version (pre-print) of a manuscript is usually fine to share online.
- Sharing the final published PDF on commercial sites like ResearchGate and Academia.edu is often prohibited.
- Most publishers allow sharing a limited number of figures/images or excerpts from the paper.
- Always check the publisher website for the journal’s specific self-archiving and sharing policy.
- Some publishers allow authors to post the accepted manuscript version after an embargo period (e.g. 12 months).
The best course of action is to share a link to the published paper on the journal website rather than uploading PDFs to social media without permission. Many publishers also allow authors to upload either the pre-print or accepted manuscript to non-commercial repositories and sites.
Copyright holder concerns
Aside from publisher policies, researchers funded by government agencies like NIH are required to make their accepted manuscripts publicly available within 12 months of publication. However, the published PDF still should not be shared without permission.
If you are not the sole copyright holder, it is also important to ensure your co-authors consent to public sharing of the manuscript. For collaborative and multi-authored papers, publishers often require all authors to sign copyright agreements.
Plagiarism and scooping concerns
While pre-prints and non-commercial sharing of accepted manuscripts is standard practice, some researchers may be wary of publicly posting full papers before formal publication. Pre-print servers like arXiv now allow authors to establish precedence while also sharing their work openly prior to peer review.
However, scooping and plagiarism are persistent concerns in highly competitive fields. Some academics may thus prefer to limit sharing to abstracts and links until the paper appears in a peer-reviewed journal and establishes clear attribution.
Alternative ways to share papers on social media
Rather than sharing full-text manuscripts or published PDFs, here are some recommended ways to highlight your research on LinkedIn and other platforms:
- Link to the published paper using the journal URL or DOI.
- Post the title, abstract, highlights, and images from the paper.
- Share the paper citation and acknowledgement details.
- Comment on the significance, background, and impact of the research.
- Tag collaborators and co-authors in the post.
- Repurpose tables and figures from the paper as shareable social graphics.
Proactively contacting publishers to seek permission to share the full-text can also be worthwhile for high-profile papers. Some publishers are willing to grant one-off permission for thesis chapters, inaugural articles, or other special cases.
Using ResearchGate and Academia.edu
Academic social networks like ResearchGate and Academia.edu allow authors to easily upload and share full-text manuscripts. However, many publishers prohibit sharing final published PDFs on these commercial sites.
Before uploading your papers, be sure to carefully check publisher policies. Cases of mass copyright infringement takedown notices have occurred when publishers discover their content being shared without permission.
In some fields like computer science and physics where pre-print sharing is common, uploading either the submitted manuscript or accepted author version is generally acceptable if the journal permits it. But always err on the side of caution when considering sharing the definitive published version.
Key points on sharing papers with ResearchGate and Academia.edu:
- Choose the author’s accepted manuscript or pre-print version when possible.
- Do not share the published PDF without publisher approval.
- If in doubt, first seek permission from the copyright holder.
- Remove improperly posted papers if requested by the publisher.
- Link back to journal homepage and DOI to ensure discoverability.
Using institutional repositories
Subject-specific and institutional repositories like arXiv, RePEc, PubMed Central, SSRN, and university collections are designed for openly sharing scholarly output. These trusted non-commercial archives are ideal venues for making your work accessible in accordance with copyright and publisher policies.
Most institutional repositories will only accept the author’s accepted manuscript or pre-print versions. However, this still allows authors to legally share and promote their papers while respecting journal publishing agreements.
Repository staff can also assist with determining which version of your paper can be made public and obtain publisher permission on your behalf if needed. Your library or research office will have specific guidance on utilizing your institutional repository.
Benefits of sharing papers on social media
Assuming copyright and plagiarism concerns are duly addressed, here are some notable benefits of properly promoting your published papers:
- Showcase your resume, skills, and scholarship credentials.
- Increase visibility and demonstrate thought leadership in your field.
- Facilitate discovery and access to your research.
- Promote collaborations and networking opportunities.
- Bolster your public profile and online presence.
- Track impact via mentions, shares, and profile views.
- Comply with open access mandates from funders.
Tips for effectively sharing papers
Follow these tips for sharing your published work ethically and effectively on social media:
- Summarize the research in an accessible way for wider audiences.
- Use visual abstracts, charts, diagrams, and infographics from papers.
- Tag collaborators to broaden visibility.
- Link prominently to the journal, DOI, paper URL.
- Mention the publisher, journal, and conference.
- Frame the post in an engaging way beyond just the title/abstract.
- Provide guidance on how to legally access the paper.
- Boost exposure by sharing across multiple platforms.
Conclusion
While sharing published papers directly on social media is restricted by most publisher copyright policies, there are many effective ways to legally promote your research online.
By linking to the definitive version of record, posting highlights and excerpts, crediting the publication venue, and utilizing repositories, you can establish visibility and engagement with wider audiences beyond academic circles.
However, always exercise due diligence by first checking publisher sharing policies and copyright agreements before disseminating published manuscripts online.