What is a DOI?
Most researchers will be familiar with a DOI but not realise exactly what it does or how useful it is. A DOI is a Digital Object Identifier. The DOI is a unique and persistent identifier assigned to any object or information about an object, that resolves to a digital version. A DOI is long-lasting, ensuring accuracy even as URLs and metadata change over time.
A DOI has two parts; a prefixidentifying the provider and a suffix unique to the output separated by a forward slash e.g. this Crossref DOI for an article published by Aberdeen University Press,
How Do I Use a DOI when I Reference an Article or Other Output?
When referencing an article or any other output with a DOI, simply include the hyperlinked DOI in your citation. Click on or copy the DOI into your web browser to locate the item online, and it will automatically resolve to the specific content.
e.g. Chew, C., (2023) “Decolonising Description: Addressing Discriminatory Language in Scottish Public Heritage and Beyond”, Journal of Irish and Scottish Studies 11(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.57132/jiss.213
Why are DOIs Important?
DOIs provide stability even when URLs change, such as when journals switch publishers. Owners maintain DOIs and update metadata as needed, ensuring accuracy. Both human and machine-readable, DOIs simplify identification for indexers, repositories, publishers, and others involved in referencing works.
DOIs increase the reach and impact of your work. They evidence that the output is authentic and unique. The work will always be findable by the DOI and is more likely to picked up by indexing services and cited by others.
Can I Get a DOI for my Work?
Publishers and other organisations will provide DOIs through membership of one of several DOI Registration Agencies. As a researcher, you'll receive a DOI upon publication, whether through a journal, book publisher, repository, preprint server like ArXiv, or a platform such as the Open Science Framework.
University of Aberdeen researchers can register datasets lacking a DOI in Pure via Datacite. For reports, working papers, or other outputs requiring a DOI, the Open Research Team can provide a CrossrefDOI. Get in touch with usfor guidance on registration.
