Blog

Our 4 Core Functions

OpenScholar is more than an average content management system. OpenScholar provides 4 core functions for university websites all on one unified platform:

  1. Faculty Profiles
    The OpenScholar platform promotes the web presence of faculty, department and schools. With a powerful search tool, we make it easy for site visitors to search (and find!) faculty expertise or research keywords. Our websites have the capability to be nested in a Parent-Child relationship allowing information to be pulled up to the department or school level from faculty sites. Site...
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OpenScholar + CMS platforms

Can OpenScholar work with other Content Management Systems on your campus?


The answer is Yes!
 

We frequently get asked how OpenScholar can work with platforms like WordPress, Drupal or even homegrown website platforms.

Across a single campus, there could be multiple content management systems (CMS) running different websites. This is very common but addressable issue.

Listen as our CEO,...

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Start with a Pilot

5 Easy Steps to Piloting OpenScholar

OpenScholar provides your school with a quick and cost-effective way to create academic-focused websites,  meet faculty needs and support strategic initiatives. Adopting OpenScholar campus wide or beginning with a pilot is easy, and with this 5 step implementation process it takes 30-45 days.

5 steps

Bringing an OpenScholar pilot to your campus:
 

  1. Contact OpenScholar
  2. Identify an internal evaluator
  3. Select a pilot Department 
  4. Work with us to create OpenScholar websites for your pilot group
  5. Get ready for roll-out

... Read more about Start with a Pilot

Accessibility & OpenScholar

What is Web Accessibility?

Accessibility involves two key issues:

  1. how users with disabilities access electronic information and
  2. how web content designers and developers enable web pages to function with assistive devices used by individuals with disabilities.

accessible speech bubble image exampleFor the user with a disability, the challenge is to identify tools that provide the most convenient access to web-based and other electronic information. For the web content designer/developer, the challenge is to remove the obstacles that prevent accessibility tools from functioning effectively. In many cases, these challenges are relatively simple to overcome, but sometimes the solutions require some additional thought and effort. (1)... Read more about Accessibility & OpenScholar

Publications & OpenScholar

As discussed in last week’s blog OpenScholar offers a simple and easy way to display published work. The platform gives users the ability to quickly add their most recent publications to their website and allows these publications to be automatically distributed to Google Scholar (if desired). This way, there is no lag time for citations published on your website, and you gain the exposure that Google Scholar offers their users. By streamlining this process, you can be sure your work is getting the visibility it warrants, which can help support and expedite your journey to tenure. Additionally, when people google you, or some of your publications, not only will your Google Scholar come up, but as will your OpenScholar website, allowing for further exploration of your work and your website.... Read more about Publications & OpenScholar

Cite your way to tenure

Cite your way to tenure 

Using OpenScholar to promote your publications

 


“Not everything that can be counted counts and
not everything that counts can be counted.”

- William Bruce Cameron

We know that using citations assists researchers in validating their work, but how does the exposure of being cited...

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What Do Millennials Really Think of Your Website?

Millennials are ditching paper handouts and brochures in favor of doing their college search online. With students applying to a greater quantity of schools and more traveling out of state to continue their education, online sources are proving increasingly valuable.

Websites should give a virtual look into life as a college student and provide dynamic content about academic programs, student life, faculty, etc. You can tell a lot by what an institution chooses to show (or not show) on their websites.
 
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Our Top 5 Favorite Things about Building an OpenScholar Site

#1. The many different widget options
 

Widgets are drag and drop tools that make it easy to include useful content on the site without having to create it yourself. There are many options to choose from and can be personalized to your desire. In our sites we used calendars, slideshows, and social media feeds to make our sites more interactive. It was nice not having to add content constantly, as it was simple to add widgets and let OpenScholar do the work of generating our site. For example, adding one event on the News & Events page...

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