Getting Started in Manifold

Is Manifold the right tool for my project?

 

Given the flexibility of Manifold with an eye to Open Access and multimedia publishing, Manifold can be a great choice for researchers, instructors, or students looking to showcase their work or create collaborative reading and publishing environments. Nonetheless, it’s still helpful to orient around these questions to assess your project needs and how (or if!) Manifold can best meet them.

 

• First, does your project have one or more texts?

You can have one or more texts in a single Manifold Project. Texts can be created from five different file types: EPUBs, Word .docx files, Google docs, Markdown files, and HTML files. You can also combine different file types, except EPUBs, and create a single Text with multiple sections/chapters each added to Manifold from any of the file types listed above. Additionally, the new Text Editor allows you to easily add new sections or make changes to a Text right in the backend of Manifold. 

 

• Does your project contain interactive Math equations?

Manifold currently supports MathML for math equations. Check out Manifold’s documentation for more detailed information on using math equations in a Manifold Text. If you are using LaTeX, check out this LaTeX to MathML converter!

 

• Will your project have multimedia elements such as: audio, videos, images, interactive elements (maps, quizzes, visualizations)?

Manifold supports multimedia files such as audio, video, image, URL links, and interactive elements which can be added to a Project as a Resource, embedded in a Text, and curated into collections on your Project homepage.

 

• Will your project incorporate social annotation? To learn more about social annotation, see this article or review this informational video.

Manifold has built-in social annotation for highlighting, referring to multimedia resources, and commenting within Texts. You can even create public, private, and anonymous reading groups to engage with the Texts in your Project or other Texts on the NYU Manifold instance. Read more about this in the Reading Groups section of our documentation.

 

• Will your project have a life on or engage with social media?

Manifold has numerous ways to engage with social media right from your Project homepage. You can:

• Add links to your Facebook, Instagram, and X/Twitter accounts on your home page.
• Give your Project a hashtag that links directly to X/Twitter.

 

• Do you need a blog as part of your project?

Unfortunately, Manifold does not support blogs. However, Manifold does allow for publishing Projects in a serial format as Journals with individual Issues and Volumes. To learn more, see our documentation “Journals in Manifold.”

 

• Still wondering what your Project could look like on Manifold?

One of the strengths of Manifold is its flexibility to include multimedia content and the variety of Projects scholars have used it for. For some inspiration as to how scholars at NYU have used Manifold for their Projects, see “Manifold Projects at NYU” in our NYU Manifold Tips & Resources LibGuide. For examples of Projects hosted at other institutions, see the section “Other Manifold Instances” within “Further Reading & Documentation” of that same LibGuide.