GSW FAQ
Platform Features
Q: Can I download articles from search results?
A: Yes, clicking on the PDF icon allows you to download the article if you have authenticated access to do so.
Q: What is GeoRef?
A: GSW is powered by GeoRef, the most authoritative abstracting and indexing database in the geosciences. The GeoRef integration is essential to providing the most comprehensive research experience possible.
Q: What is the GeoRef Thesaurus?
A: Featuring nearly 40,000 controlled vocabulary terms, the GeoRef Thesaurus is indispensable for increasing the accuracy and relevance of search results. This taxonomy helps users find related content with a single search by automatically including terms you may not have otherwise thought to search, but are relevant to your topic.
Q: Can I buy a single article?
A: Yes, journal articles and book chapters are available for individual purchase for users who do not otherwise have access to the content, by clicking on the shopping cart icon.
Q: How do I access the journal archives?
A: On the journal home page, click on Archive (below the journal title on the left) to see the full list of previous and archived issues.
Q: What is the split-screen view?
A: The article view now features a “split-screen” that shows the article text with abstracts and acknowledgements on the left and figures, tables, charts, and illustrations on the right, allowing you to scan up and down the text keeping the figures in place for reference. You can also click on a figure and go right to that spot in the text. If you prefer, standard view is also available.
Q: What is OpenGeoSci? Or How do I conduct a map-based search?
A: OpenGeoSci is a free, public map-based toolset that allows users to search for cross-sections, charts, tables, figures, and data from GSW publications. The goal of OpenGeoSci is to further aid researchers in discovery of relevant valuable assets for academic research.
Access Information
Sign in display
To confirm that users are authenticated through their institution, they should see the name of their institution in the platform header on the right side of the blue banner. Users who have logged into their personal account see their username in that banner space, to the right of the institution name.
Access icons (including OA content)
Once authenticated, users will see access icons in the search results and on content pages. If the content is Open Access, users will see an orange unlock icon. If users have subscribed access, they will see a green check mark.
Access via your institution
GeoScienceWorld provides several options for libraries to serve on-campus and remote users.
Campus IP access
Campus IP access can be set up and managed on the librarian administration dashboard. This includes the ability to update IP address ranges.
Proxy or VPN access
Many libraries use a proxy server or VPN to provide a secure network for access to authorized users, including single sign-on systems such as EZproxy. The GSW platform supports these systems and can help troubleshoot access issues. If such issues arise, please contact us using this form.
OpenAthens and Shibboleth
OpenAthens or Shibboleth authentication can also be used for remote access to the GSW content. The library administration page supports these access features and provides librarians a means for updating Entity ID and Affiliation provided by OpenAthens/Eduserv or Shibboleth IDP.
Google CASA
The GSW platform supports Google Scholar CASA and Universal CASA. These services link a user’s Google ID with their institutional affiliation based on their previous use of the institution’s IP, so that the user has access to their institution’s licensed content when away from the network.
Referrer Access
For some libraries and society members, referrer-based access is the best option for remote access. With this option, a referring link is recognized as a valid authenticated route. The referring link must be from a URL that requires authentication at that institution to access and must be an HTTPS URL. When a user clicks on that authenticated page link to GSW, access is granted.
Access as a society member
Members of the societies listed below can access content on the GeoScienceWorld platform via a single-sign-on (SSO) system. Members can start at their society page found on pubs.geoscienceworld.org and authenticate with the society by clicking the member sign in links. They will be briefly routed to their society site for authentication and then back to the GSW platform. Members of multiple societies will have layered access and authentication at one society will provide access to any other society content that was previously passed authentication in prior sessions. If you are a member with access issues please contact us using this form.
GSW supports SSO member access for the following societies:
- American Association of Petroleum Geologists
- Geological Society of America
- SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology
- Society of Economic Geologists
- Seismological Society of America
If there is anything else we can do, please don't hesitate to contact us using this form.
