A digital object identifier (DOI) is a unique alphanumeric string assigned to a digital object, such as a journal article, research report or dataset. It provides a persistent link to its location on the internet. The DOI system was created by the International DOI Foundation (IDF), which was established in 1998. The IDF is a non-profit organisation that develops and manages the DOI system. The creation of the DOI system was driven by the need for a standardised method to identify and link digital objects reliably across the internet.
- What are the components of a digital object identifier (DOI)?
- What is the purpose of a digital object identifier (DOI)?
- What are the benefits of digital object identifiers (DOIs)?
- How to use digital digital object identifiers (DOIs) in citations?
- How to find of digital object identifiers (DOIs)?
- What academic texts use of a digital object identifiers (DOIs)?
- How to prepare academic texts for publication?
What are the components of a digital object identifier (DOI)?
A DOI typically consists of two parts:
- 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).
What is the 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.
What are the benefits of digital object identifiers (DOIs)?
Overall, DOIs enhance the accessibility, reliability and efficiency of digital information management and dissemination.
- Persistent identification: Ensures that digital content can be reliably located over time.
- Easy citation: Simplifies referencing and citation in academic and professional contexts.
- Interoperability: Facilitates linking and integration across various digital platforms and systems.
- Metadata: DOIs often come with metadata, which provides information about the object, such as the title, authors, publication date and publisher.
- Tracking and metrics: Help track citations, usage statistics and impact analysis for digital content.
How to use digital object identifiers (DOIs) in citations?
Using a DOI in citations ensures that the referenced material can be easily located. Here 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.
How to find digital object identifiers (DOIs)?
These resources can help researchers find, manage and cite digital content reliably, leveraging the benefits of DOIs across various disciplines and research outputs.
- CrossRef is a non-profit open digital infrastructure organisation for the global scholarly research community providing DOI lookup services.
- DataCite connects research outputs and resources from data and preprints to images and samples and provides DOI lookup services where researchers can find DOIs for articles, books and more.
- Figshare is an online repository for research outputs that assigns DOIs to uploaded content, making it citable and accessible.
- IEEE Xplore is a digital library for research articles and conference proceedings in engineering and technology, often including DOIs for reliable citation.
- International DOI Foundation (IDF) is the organisation that oversees the DOI system. Their website provides comprehensive information about DOIs, including their structure, usage and the policies governing them.
- JSTOR is a digital library for academic journals, books and primary sources, with DOIs included in the metadata for many of its resources.
- Mendeley Data is a data repository that assigns DOIs to datasets, enabling easy sharing and citation of research data.
- PLOS (Public Library of Science) is an open-access publisher that uses DOIs extensively for their articles, ensuring persistent links to their content.
- PubMed often includes DOIs in the metadata of biomedical literature, making it a valuable resource for researchers in the life sciences.
- ResearchGate is a professional network for researchers that often includes DOIs in the publication metadata, facilitating easy access and citation.
- SSRN (Social Science Research Network) is a repository for preprints and working papers in the social sciences, assigning DOIs to ensure persistent access and citation.
- Zenodo is an open-access repository that assigns DOIs to research outputs, including datasets, software and publications, ensuring persistent access and citation.
What academic texts use digital object identifiers (DOIs)?
DOIs are commonly used for a variety of scholarly and professional sources. The primary types of sources that typically have DOIs include:
- Journal articles: Peer-reviewed articles published in academic and professional journals.
- Books and book chapters: Entire books, edited volumes or specific chapters within books.
- Conference proceedings: Papers and presentations published as part of academic and professional conference proceedings.
- Datasets: Research data made available online.
- Reports: Research reports, technical reports, white papers and other formal documents.
- Theses and dissertations: Graduate and postgraduate research work available online.
- Standards and guidelines: Industry standards, guidelines and protocols published by organisations.
- Grey literature: Non-traditional publications such as policy briefs, working papers and other materials not typically controlled by commercial publishers.
- Multimedia: Videos, audio recordings and other digital media used in academic and professional contexts.
- Software: Software and code repositories, especially those used in research and development projects.
How to 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 vital in academic publishing, providing reliable links to digital content like journal articles, books and other materials. Created by the International DOI Foundation in 1998, DOIs consist of a unique prefix and suffix, ensuring that digital objects can always be found, even if URLs change.
DOIs offer numerous benefits: they ensure identification, simplify citation and provide valuable metadata, aiding citation tracking and impact analysis.
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