What are persistent identifiers and how do they help?
Did you know that, just like humans, digital assets can also have a unique and permanent fingerprint? Known as Persistent Identifiers (PIDs), these unique codes can be attached to an article, a dataset, a grant document, a researcher, or even an entire organisation, ensuring that it can always be found and credited irrespective of how many times it moves around the web. They help avoid excessive time spent on tracking down an asset and getting lost in a maze of broken links and confusing records.
KNE CLUE: TYPES OF PIDs
Several types of PIDs support different types of digital assets, each playing its own part in keeping the research ecosystem organised.
Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID): Researchers can permanently link their names to their scholarly publications and differentiate themselves from others with similar names by using the free, persistent digital identity.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI): An article or eBook can be identified by its DOI, a special combination of letters and digits. Compared to a URL, it is more dependable and permanent.
Research Organisation Registry (ROR): Regardless of an organisation’s changes, the ROR guarantees that it can be identified and confirmed.
Archival Resource Key (ARK): An ARK is a persistent identifier that offers stable, enduring references to information objects such as digital files, physical artefacts, and abstract ideas, guaranteeing they remain discoverable and accessible.
Research Resource Identifier (RRID): It serves as a distinct digital identifier for scientific research resources such as antibodies, model organisms, and software, aiming to enhance reproducibility and transparency in science.
KNE CLUE: BENEFITS OF PIDs
PIDs automate the tasks of tracking, citing, and accessing information, making research easier to share, discover, and build upon. Below is how they benefit different stakeholders in the research and publishing ecosystem.
For Researchers
Enhanced visibility and discoverability: PIDs, such as DOIs for research objects and ORCIDs for researchers, help increase the visibility of researchers’ work and make it easier to find and cite their outputs. This boosts the researcher’s profile and the impact of their work.
Clear attribution: By providing unique identifiers, PIDs eliminate confusion that can arise from similar or identical names among researchers. ORCID ensures that contributions are correctly attributed to the right person.
Comprehensive research profiles: ORCID allows researchers to create detailed profiles that include their publications, peer review activities, and other professional achievements. These profiles can automatically be updated through integrations with various systems.
For Librarians and Repository Managers
Efficient cataloguing and reporting: PIDs streamline the cataloguing process and simplify reporting by providing reliable and standardised references. This enhances the efficiency and accuracy of managing research data and publications.
Trustworthiness and longevity: DOIs and ARKs ensure that research objects are persistently available and can be easily retrieved, which is crucial for long-term data management.
For Research Funding Organisations
Improved traceability: PIDs allow for precise tracking of research outputs and their association with specific funders and projects. This transparency helps in assessing the impact and outcome of funded research.
Enhanced reporting: The integration of PIDs enables more accurate and comprehensive reporting on research activities and outputs, which is valuable for accountability and evaluation purposes.
For the Research Community at Large
Support for Open Science: PIDs play a critical role in supporting Open Science by making research outputs more accessible and facilitating the sharing and reuse of data. They provide standardised metadata that enhances data management and discovery.
Enhanced quality and trust: PIDs’ standardised and persistent nature, coupled with their associated metadata, helps ensure the quality and reliability of research data. This builds trust among researchers, institutions, and the broader community.
By giving every article, dataset, grant, and researcher a unique digital “name tag,” PIDs keep the scholarly record reliable, traceable, and accessible for the long run. They are the invisible hand that ensures that today’s discoveries can be accessed and built upon tomorrow.