October 20, 2021

Why researchers need ORCID: Tips from UW Libraries

Have you ever wondered how researchers distinguish themselves from others with the same name?

In a given field or institution, there may be several researchers with a similar, or even the same exact name. Perhaps the researcher has changed their first, last, or preferred name over time. Or perhaps the researcher’s name is spelled differently in certain languages. These potential possibilities may make it challenging for potential research partners, curious scholars, institutions, or funding agencies to correctly identify the specific researcher they are looking for. Certain agencies and institutions may ask a researcher to list all previous names, works, institutions, and funding history in order to distinguish that researcher from others; however, this process may take a significant amount of time and effort for the prolific researcher. 

Luckily, there is an easy way to streamline this process – enter ORCID.

ORCID, or Open Researcher and Contributor Identifier, is a type of persistent identifier – a long-lasting reference to a digital resource – that allows for specific identification of an individual through the combination of a unique ID and the ability to locate that reference over time (Digital Preservation Coalition). In the case of ORCID, the unique ID is a string of 16 numbers; for example, 0000-0001-2345-6789. You may be familiar with other forms of persistent identifiers, such as Digital Object Identifiers (DOI) on research articles, or Persistent Uniform Resource Locators (PURL) for web addresses.

Benefits

Creating an ORCID allows for researchers to increase the visibility and reach of their work, as many services, such as SciENcv or ResearchGate, allow integration with ORCID. PubMed even allows individuals to search for specific authors from their ORCID. Additionally, certain funders such as the NIH now require ORCID in certain circumstances, and certain journals may request an author’s ORCID during submission.

Adding works that you’ve previously contributed to is very simple, allowing for a researcher to add works manually, via a trusted institution, or even through BibTeX files. ORCID also has a function that automatically updates your profile with new works. If you’re not quite ready to share your work, you can also utilize ORCID’s visibility settings to curate who is able to see certain information and works on your profile.

Even for a new researcher, or someone who is just starting to consider publishing, ORCID can ensure that their works will be attributed correctly in the future. 

Where can I learn more?

For questions about ORCID or other forms of persistent identifiers, contact the Scholarly Communications and Publishing (SCP) team at uwlib-scp@uw.edu! We are always happy to provide assistance on any of your needs. 

Our next presentation on persistent identifiers is on October 27th, 2021, at 1 p.m. PST. Can’t make it? We also offer regular workshops on this topic and many more topics, which you can find on the UW Libraries Calendar.