Researcher identifiers

Stand out from the crowd!

The large number of researchers currently publishing can make it hard to accurately link authors with their papers, particularly where someone has a common name and works in a large institution. Several initiatives have attempted to assign standard identifiers to authors to ensure accurate attribution; database systems automatically assign some of these, while others are voluntary services.

Make the connection

Many of the commonly used researcher identifiers are integrated with the new Symplectic Elements system, so papers associated with a known identifier will automatically be imported onto your profile.

This page outlines some of the identifiers most commonly encountered and guides you on how to claim your own.

ORCID

ORCID (orcid.org) is an independent identifier, not linked to any one service. Identifiers are controlled by the researcher, who decides what information is displayed and what publications are associated with it. It is used to associate papers with authors in Scopus and Web of Science, and a growing number of publishers now request it when a paper is submitted, so that the identifier can be embedded in the metadata. For more information and to register, please refer to the right-hand column.

The identifier automatically creates a profile page at the ORCID site, but the researcher controls what (if any) publications or metadata are displayed. No metrics are shown.

Scopus

Scopus identifiers are automatically generated by the Scopus publications database and used to link papers by the same author or to browse within the database. The researcher does not directly control these records, but they (or a third party) can submit corrections or request that two records be merged (more details). It can be associated with an ORCID identifier.

The identifier automatically generates a profile page in Scopus, with a list of publications and some associated bibliometrics.

ResearcherID (Publons)

ResearcherID is a service offered by Clarivate (Web of Science). It was closely integrated with Web of Science, and the identifier could also be used to search within Web of Science.

As of April 2019, ResearcherID was integrated into Publons, another Clarivate tool that enables authors to track their peer-reviewing activity. (Existing ResearcherID numbers remain linked to Publons accounts, but no new IDs can be registered). A Publons account offers similar functionality for displaying a user profile and some bibliometrics, but does not provide an identifier for searching within the Web of Science.

Google Scholar

Google Scholar offers a "profiles" service, which allows a researcher to control and curate a publications list on Google Scholar. It requires an existing Google account, and profile pages are only created if the researcher opts in.

The profile lists all publications, along with relevant bibliometric data. (See some examples of University of Warwick researchers with Google Scholar profiles.)

Register for an ORCID

ORCID provides a persistent digital identifier that you own and control, distinguishing you from every other researcher.

You can connect your ORCID with your professional information - affiliations, grants, publications, peer review, and more. You can use your identifier to share your information with other systems, ensuring you get recognition for all your contributions, saving you time and hassle, and reducing the risk of errors.

The University of Warwick encourages all researchers to use ORCIDs. Funders such as the Wellcome Trust and the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) now require or recommend the use of ORCIDs, and systems like Researchfish and UKRI's Funding Service now also have ORCID capabilities.

Register for an ORCID - remember only to do this once! If you think you may already have an ORCID, this guide will help you determine if that's the case.

Once you have an ORCID, use it whenever you publish. Claiming your ORCID in Symplectic Elements means that your publications are automatically sent from ORCID to your profile, and publications added to Elements can be sent to ORCID. Inside ORCID you can also link to DataCite, Scopus and Europe PMC.

If you use ORCID in your publications, this ensures that you receive full credit for all your work, whether it is books, articles, data, or conferences; anything can be recorded. This is useful not only because your name may be similar to another researcher, but your ORCID record can be used to collate that information and make it easy to share and take with you wherever you go.