In order to identify an article published in international databases, a special tool – DOI – is actively used. This is a unique number assigned to scientific articles. It greatly simplifies the search for posted materials, their citation and authentication. Today we will take a closer look at what DOI is and what are the advantages of using it for publishing in Web of Science.
What is DOI: Let's understand the term
DOI (Digital Object Identifier) – is a unique alphanumeric code designed to identify digital objects such as scientific articles, books, conference materials and other publications. It provides a stable reference to the source, guaranteeing access to it even if the URL changes. In the context of Web of Science, DOI has become a standard that simplifies the search, citation, and accounting of scientific materials.
The DOI structure consists of two parts: a prefix and a suffix, separated by a slash:
- prefix: assigned by the official DOI registration agency and identifies the journal, publisher or organisation (e.g. 10.1000).
- suffix: a unique code that identifies the publisher of the publication (e.g., xyz123).
Thus, the full DOI might look like this: https://doi.org/10.1000/xyz123. It can be used to quickly search for a publication through scientometric databases such as Web of Science.
Advantages of using DOI
1. Continuous access to publications
As we noted earlier, the DOI ensures that a published article will always be accessible by the same identifier, even if the journal's website changes address. In order to find the material you are looking for using this identifier, you need to enter the DOI on doi.org. After that, the system will instantly direct you to the publication, eliminating the risk of losing the material.
2. Increased visibility and citation
Scientific publications with a DOI are easier and more accurately found through search engines and databases than materials without such an identifier. This makes them more visible in the scientific community. For example, in Web of Science DOI helps to increase citation: articles with a unique code are more convenient to include in bibliographies, and references to them are automatically taken into account by systems such as Crossref. As a result, scientists can increase their scientometric indicators, such as the h-index.
3. Simplifying the citation process
While writing research articles, dissertations, monographs and other types of scientific papers, scientists are obliged to draw up a list of used references. Often this stage is accompanied by mistakes that can further negatively affect the perception of the work, its citation and even the reputation of the author. For example, incorrectly cited references, outdated or non-functioning URLs can make it difficult to access the sources, which reduces the credibility of the research.
Having a DOI for articles helps to minimise such errors: a unique identifier allows the source to be accurately cited, eliminates confusion between similar papers, and provides a stable reference that is not affected by changes in web addresses.
4. Copyright protection
DOI helps protect copyright by providing a unique identifier that clearly links a work to its author. A DOI registration captures the metadata of an article, including author names, title, publication date, abstract, keywords, and more. In effect, it is an official record of the origin of the material.
In the context of Web of Science, this is particularly important because the database brings together many international publications, and having this information helps to avoid authorship disputes or misuse.
DOI is an effective identification tool that has a number of advantages. It not only helps in searching for a publication in databases, but also provides access to the material even if its URL is out of date.
If you want to assign a DOI identifier to your publication, "Scientific Publications" is ready to help you! Our specialists will provide full support at all stages: from DOI generation and assignment to consultations and technical support. Want to get a free consultation? Fill out the form below and our manager will contact you as soon as possible. Together to new scientific achievements!
