What is a digital object identifier (DOI)?

Magda Wojcik

A digital object identifier (DOI) is a unique alphanumeric string that identifies a digital object, such as a journal article, research report or datasets. Simply put, it creates a permanent link to its location on the internet. The International DOI Foundation (IDF), founded in 1998, created the DOI system. The IDF is a non-profit organisation that develops and manages the DOI system. The DOI system standardises methods to reliably identify and link digital objects across the internet.

Components of a digital object identifier (DOI)

A DOI typically consists of two parts: prefix and suffix.

  • Prefix: A unique identifier assigned to an organisation, usually a 4-digit number (e.g. 10.1000).
  • Suffix: A unique identifier for the specific object, which can be any length and is assigned by the publisher or organisation (e.g. 4 182).

For example, in a DOI 10.1038/issn.1476-4687:

  • Prefix (10.1038): The number ‘10’ identifies the DOI system itself, while ‘1038’ is the unique identifier for the publisher (in this case, the publisher of Nature).
  • Suffix (issn.1476-4687): This part uniquely identifies the specific object within the publisher’s database. In this case, it refers to an article with the ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) 1476-4687.

Purpose of a digital object identifier (DOI)

The primary purpose of a DOI is to provide a permanent internet link to digital content, ensuring that it can always be found, even if the URL changes. This aids in citation, data retrieval and information management.

An example of a digital object identifier in an academic article.
An example of a digital object identifier in an academic article. Source: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Benefits of digital object identifiers (DOIs)

Overall, DOIs enhance the accessibility, reliability and efficiency of digital information management and dissemination.

  1. Persistent identification: Ensures that digital content can be reliably located over time.
  2. Easy citation: Simplifies referencing and citation in academic and professional contexts.
  3. Interoperability: Facilitates linking and integration across various digital platforms and systems.
  4. Metadata: DOIs often come with metadata, which provides information about the object, such as the title, authors, publication date and publisher.
  5. Tracking and metrics: Help track citations, usage statistics and impact analysis for digital content.

Using digital object identifiers (DOIs) in citations

Using a DOI in citations ensures that the referenced material can be easily located. Below are examples of how to cite a journal article with a DOI in different citation styles:

APA (7th Edition)

Format: Author(s). (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume(Issue), page range. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy

Example: Smith, J. A. (2020). Exploring the dynamics of online learning. Journal of Educational Research, 45(3), 123–135. https://doi.org/10.1234/educ.2020.6789

Chicago (Author-Date)

Format: Author(s). Year. “Title of the Article.” Title of the Journal volume number (issue number): page range. https://doi.org/xx.xxx/yyyy.

Example: Smith, John A. 2020. “Exploring the Dynamics of Online Learning.” Journal of Educational Research 45 (3): 123–135. https://doi.org/10.1234/educ.2020.6789.

MLA (8th Edition)

Format: Author(s). “Title of the Article.” Title of the Journal, vol. volume number, no. issue number, Year, pp. page range. DOI: xx.xxx/yyyy.

Example: Smith, John A. “Exploring the Dynamics of Online Learning.” Journal of Educational Research, vol. 45, no. 3, 2020, pp. 123–135. DOI: 10.1234/educ.2020.6789.

Harvard

Format: Author(s), Year. Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume(Issue), pp. page range. DOI: xx.xxx/yyyy.

Example: Smith, J.A., 2020. Exploring the dynamics of online learning. Journal of Educational Research, 45(3), pp. 123–135. DOI: 10.1234/educ.2020.6789.

Vancouver

Format: Author(s). Title of the article. Title of the Journal. Year;Volume(Issue):page range. DOI: xx.xxx/yyyy.

Example: Smith JA. Exploring the dynamics of online learning. Journal of Educational Research. 2020;45(3):123–135. DOI: 10.1234/educ.2020.6789.

Finding digital object identifiers (DOIs)

Several resources can help researchers find, manage and cite digital content reliably:

Creating digital object identifiers (DOIs)

DOIs are generated by authorised registration agencies like CrossRef and DataCite; individuals cannot create them. Here is how these organisations develop DOIs:

  • Collaboration with a registration agency: Organisations (such as publishers, universities or data repositories) must work with authorised registration agencies. These agencies manage the DOI system under the guidance of the International DOI Foundation.
  • Prefix assignment: First, the registration agency assigns a unique prefix to the organisation (e.g. 10.1000), which identifies both the DOI system and the organisation.
  • Suffix creation: Next, the organisation generates a unique suffix for each digital object. The suffix can be customised and is typically based on internal naming systems.
  • Metadata submission: Then, the organisation submits metadata about the digital object (e.g. title, authors, publication date) to the registration agency, ensuring the object is correctly identified and searchable.
  • DOI registration: Finally, after the prefix, suffix and metadata are combined, the registration agency officially registers the DOI, making it available for use and linking it to the correct digital object.
  • Maintaining and updating: The DOI is permanently linked to the object’s URL. If the URL changes, the organisation can update the DOI’s metadata through the registration agency.

Digital object identifiers (DOIs) in academic texts

DOIs are commonly used for a variety of scholarly and professional sources. The primary types of sources that typically have DOIs include:

  1. Journal articles: Peer-reviewed articles published in academic and professional journals.
  2. Books and book chapters: Entire books, edited volumes or specific chapters within books.
  3. Conference proceedings: Papers and presentations published as part of academic and professional conference proceedings.
  4. Datasets: Research data made available online.
  5. Reports: Research reports, technical reports, white papers and other formal documents.
  6. Theses and dissertations: Graduate and postgraduate research work available online.
  7. Standards and guidelines: Industry standards, guidelines and protocols published by organisations.
  8. Grey literature: Non-traditional publications such as policy briefs, working papers and other materials not typically controlled by commercial publishers.
  9. Multimedia: Videos, audio recordings and other digital media used in academic and professional contexts.
  10. Software: Software and code repositories, especially those used in research and development projects.

Prepare academic texts for publication

Editing services are crucial in preparing journal articles, books and book chapters and conference proceedings for publication. Each type of editing addresses different aspects of the manuscript to ensure it meets the highest standards of clarity, coherence and correctness. Here is a discussion on how various editing services can help:

Developmental editing

Developmental editing focuses on the overall structure and content of the manuscript. This process involves:

  • assessing the manuscript’s organisation, arguments and flow
  • suggesting substantial changes to improve structure, coherence and content depth
  • providing feedback on the logic, relevance and completeness of the content.

Moreover, the benefits of developmental editing include ensuring the manuscript is organised, effectively communicating the intended message and helping develop clear, compelling arguments and narratives.

Line editing

Line editing concentrates on the style, tone and clarity at the sentence and paragraph levels. This process involves:

  • refining sentence structure
  • improving readability
  • ensuring consistency in tone and style.

It enhances the clarity and flow of the text, making complex ideas more accessible and ensuring consistent terminology and phrasing throughout the manuscript. Furthermore, the benefits of line editing include improving the readability and stylistic quality of the text and maintaining a uniform voice and tone.

Copyediting

Copyediting ensures the manuscript adheres to language standards and publication guidelines. This process involves:

  • correcting grammatical, punctuation and syntactical errors
  • checking for spelling, hyphenation, numerals and abbreviations consistency
  • ensuring adherence to specific style guides (e.g. APA, MLA, Chicago).

The benefits of copyediting include enhancing the professionalism and polish of the manuscript and ensuring compliance with publication standards and guidelines.

Proofreading

Proofreading identifies and corrects minor errors and inconsistencies in the final manuscript. This process involves:

  • spotting typographical errors, minor grammatical mistakes
  • formatting issues
  • performing a final review before submission or printing.

The benefits of proofreading include ensuring a clean, error-free final version of the manuscript and providing peace of mind that the document is ready for publication.

Formatting

Formatting ensures the manuscript meets the required layout and formatting standards. This process involves

  • adjusting margins, headings, fonts, spacing and overall document structure
  • ensuring citations and references are correctly formatted
  • formatting tables, figures and other visual elements according to guidelines.

Overall, the benefits of formatting include ensuring the manuscript looks professional and meets publication requirements and enhancing the visual appeal and readability of the document.

Indexing

Finally, indexing creates an organised list of important topics, terms and names with their corresponding page numbers. This process involves:

  • selecting key terms, concepts and names to include in the index
  • organising entries alphabetically and hierarchically
  • adding cross-references to guide readers to related topics.

The benefits of indexing include helping readers quickly find information within the manuscript and increasing the usability and accessibility of the published work.

Key takeaways

In summary, digital object identifiers (DOIs) are essential in academic publishing, providing reliable links to digital content like journal articles or books. DOIs ensure identification, simplify citation and provide valuable metadata, aiding citation tracking and impact analysis.

Contact me for a free sample edit (and remember to use my early bird discount) to prepare your manuscript for publication.

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Magda

I am an experienced editor and indexer with a PhD in literary history. I index and edit non-fiction, academic and business texts. I am a Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading, a student member of the Society of Indexers and a vetted partner of the Alliance of Independent Authors.

MW Editing

I'm a freelance editor and indexer with a PhD in literary history. I work with non-fiction, academic and business texts.

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