Make it count:
Recording, Sharing, and
Futureproofing Art & Design Research in Pure
Michael Duncan, Research Librarian
Open Research
and Publishing, University of Dundee
Presentation written and delivered by Michael Duncan Research Librarian
Open Research and Publishing
Library Services, University of Dundee
This presentation was originally delivered at the DJCAD Research Away Day at the University of Dundee on 18 June 2025.
DOI: 10.20933/100001404
Text Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license: Michael Duncan, Open Research and Publishing, University of Dundee. Images subject to copyright of the owner, separate permissions must be sought.
Overview
Imagine someone citing an exhibition in the same way they would cite a journal article.
Equal and Open
Increase the visibility of your work
What does a strong Pure record look like?
Tips, tools, and support to make it easier
Why this matters
You don’t just make the work – you make it last.
• Digital Decay – digital evidence disappears
• Outputs not recorded – lost opportunity
• Regular documentation – curating professional practice
• Avoid the scramble for evidence
Visibility of Pure Records
Connect your work to a global network
• 25,000 visits to the Discovery Research Portal last month
• 2.5 million Google search appearances
• Records harvested by larger research databases
Using Pure for Art & Design Research
Outputs:
• Exhibitions, performance, artworks, objects, software, datasets
• Publications, conferences, reviews
• MCOs
Evidence:
• Photos, videos, screenshots
• Contextual text and abstracts
• Links to coverage or related outputs
• Open/closed access to files
Before and after – metadata makeover
Sparse Record
• Title Only
• Incomplete date
• No venue listed
• No description
• No evidence
Rich Record
Title+ Subtitle
Full date (start and end)
Venue details + links
Description written for Pure
Evidence: PDF screenshots
Photos, reviews, catalogues
Links to reviews for context
Keywords
Collaborators, funders
Example Records
Using our test persona, Lesley Smith, and the current DCA exhibition, Acts of Creation: On Art and Motherhood
Sparse Record (next slide)
• minimum info to create record
• Little or no effect on visibility
Rich Record (slides after)
• Full set of metadata included
• Increases findability and relevance to future audiences
Tools and Advice
Screengrabs
Websites with dates, venue, and other details are crucial evidence for screengrabs
Recommended tool: Awesome Screenshot
A browser extension that helps capture your screen. Get it on:
• Apple Mac
• Microsoft Edge
• Google Chrome
2025_6_19_CooperGallery_website_TBWPrize_https:// www.dundee.ac.uk/events/trinity-buoy-wharf-drawing-prize2024
REF Definition of Research
A process of investigation leading to new insights, effectively shared.
• Definition applies to research in any form
• When practice become research?
• What does effectively shared mean? – open, accessible, findable, preserved
• Use DOIs and Pure for effective sharing
DOIs – Digital Object Identifiers
Like a forwarding address for your research
DOIs look like this - 10.20933/100001402
• Longer lasting than URLs
• Weblinks can be updated if they expire
• Track downloads and reuse
• Transform your work into citable research
DOIs can be created by the library. Want to talk about getting one? Contact discovery@dundee.ac.uk
Live DOI Examples
DOIs can be applied to different types of digital object
• CRediT Contributor Register - 10.20933/100001402
Michael Duncan (Excel file)
• Green Ward Toolkit Project - 10.20933/100001403
Fraser Bruce et. al., Design HOPES (PDF poster)
• Fine Art/Art & Philosophy Dissertations 202510.20933/100001379
DJCAD undergraduate cohort (Collection of dissertations)
How the University of Dundee Library Supports
Researchers
You don’t have to be an expert in using Pure to benefit from it
Create and collaborate with us on Pure records
DOI creation for your work
Drop-in sessions at the DJCAD Library
Instructional guides, SharePoint, walk-throughs
One-2-one meetings on request
What next?
Take the first step towards enhancing the visibility of your research
Look out for the drop-in sessions
Get in touch with discovery@dundee.ac.uk
Think about your next record – how and when will you create it?
Make the time you spend on this count