7.9 Tools and Features that Enable Bulk Downloading

Only genuine, user-driven usage MUST be reported. COUNTER reports MUST NOT include usage that represents requests of full-text content when it is initiated by automatic or semi-automatic bulk download tools where the downloads occur without direct user action.

• Products like Quosa or Pubget MUST only be recorded only when the user has clicked on the downloaded full-text article in order to open it.

• Full text retrieved by automated processes such as reference manager software or robots (see Section 7.8 above) MUST be excluded.

• Usage that occurs through emailing of a list of articles (Requests) or citations (Investigations) that was not as a result of a user explicitly selecting the items for sharing MUST be excluded. Note that the act of a user explicitly sharing an item would be considered an Investigation, and a user downloading and then emailing a PDF would also be considered a Request.