Resource of the Week #117: ORCID—An Identification Number for Researchers

Hello again. This week’s resource is a useful identification number.

Sometimes more than 1 researcher has the same name. For example, both my husband and a researcher in Germany are mathematicians named Thomas Vogel. Also, sometimes the same researchers have written their names differently on different papers.

Thus, it can be difficult to know which papers are by the same researchers. Now, however, each researcher can obtain an identification number known as an ORCID identifier. (ORCID stands for “Open Researcher and Contributor ID”.)

As stated on the ORCID website, “ORCID provides a persistent digital identifier that distinguishes you from every other researcher.” ORCID identifiers can aid in tracking authors of papers, grant proposals, and other items.

Recently I obtained an ORCID identifier, by registering through the ORCID homepage. Doing so was quick and easy.

The organization called ORCID was established in 2010, and the ORCID registry was launched last year. I look forward to seeing ORCID continue to develop.

If you haven't yet registered for an ORCID identifier, I encourage you to consider doing so. And if you have experience with ORCID, I encourage you to post a comment.

Until the next post—

Barbara