Various research institutes, publishers, funders, etc., are becoming more popular and thus require ORCID ID. Using this ID, you can ensure that you will properly and correctly be identified and linked with your research activities throughout your career.
So, this article tries to briefly introduce ORCID ID, explain how to get it, and describe the necessity of it for scholars.
What is ORCID ID?
The ORCID ID is a permanent digital name or number that differentiates you from other researchers. You can easily and freely get this id, and it would be a safe way to manage and keep track of your research identity and make sure that your work gets the proper credit.
How to get an ORCID ID?
To get an ORCID ID, you should register on the ORCID website and give some personal information like your name, email address, and password to get the id. When you fill in all the necessary information, you will get a 16-digit number that is unique to you and only what you have. You can utilize the unique number in your research activities. In your ORCID profile, you can customize the privacy settings and choose who can view or update your information. However, to get an ORCID ID, you have to follow certain steps:
- Go to the ORCID website and click on Register now.
- Fill in all necessary parts and provide important personal information, including name, email address, and password. You can include additional emails, other versions of your name if you have one, keywords, websites, and your country residency.
- Customize the notification setting and visibility preferences for the ORCID record.
- Agree to the terms and conditions and data protection policy, then consent that your data being publicly available is indicated as “visible to everyone”.
- Click the button at the end of the page to get the ORCID ID.
- Once you achieve your 16-digit number, you can utilize it in your research activities.
- After completing these above steps, you will get a welcome email from the website that asks you to verify your email address. This action has to be done as soon as possible to activate your account.
The necessity of ORCID ID for scholars?
The necessity of ORCID ID for researchers is undeniable. It can help scholars from different aspects:
- ORCID ID can prevent mistaken identity by avoiding confusion when researchers have similar names or change their names, or in some cases, a researcher’s name is translated into different languages.
- Using this ID, you can enter your information once and utilize it on different platforms integrated with ORCID. For example, many article publishers, like Science Direct, Springer, etc., allow you to log in using ORCID ID, so you don’t need to create a separate username or password for each journal. This way you can save time.
- ORCID ID can help you to enhance the discoverability and visibility of your funding history by bringing it from other sources or allowing trusted organizations to update it automatically on your behalf.
- By using ORCID ID, you can be sure your record will be automatically updated. For example, when you publish an article or do a peer review, they are updated by linking your record with data providers like Crossref, Datacite, or Publons.
- You have a free hand and control over your record by deciding what information to add and how to share it with prospective audience and organizations.
- ORCID ID helps you connect with a global community of researchers who use ORCID ID to enhance the discoverability and recognition of your work across disciplines, borders, and time.
Conclusion
ORCID ID is a free and unique identifier for scholars that allows them to contribute, recognize, and follow up on their research activities and outputs throughout various platforms and institutions. Using this ID, researchers can be assured that they are correctly and adequately identified and contribute to their work. They can also receive credit for all kinds of research contributions. Using such id, scholars can save time by allowing them to import and export their activities from other platforms and automatically update the information with trusted organizations. This ID enhances the visibility and discoverability of researchers.