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DOI (Digital Object Identifier): What is DOI

This guide will be useful to learn the definition, how DOI works, how to find and use DOI in the references

What is a DOI

A DOI, or Digital Object Identifier, is a string of numbers, letters and symbols used to uniquely identify an article or document, and to provide it with a permanent web address. A DOI is a stable link and will help easily locate a document from your citation as it will always refer to that article, and only that one. While a web address (URL) might change, the DOI will never change. DOI can be assigned to any digital object, for example:

  • academic journal articles
  • research reports
  • books
  • conference proceedings
  • media

DOIs usually start with the number 10 followed by a period. Here are examples:

10.1159/000330840          10.1016/j.jpsychires.2017.11.0

In the reference DOIs appear at the end and replace URL:

Murphy, D. C., & Saleh, D. B. (2020). Artificial Intelligence in plastic surgery: What is it? Where are we now? What is on the horizon? Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 102(8), 577–580. https://doi.org/10.1308/RCSANN.2020.0158 

How DOI Works?

DOIs are assigned at the time of object publication by the DOI Foundation. DOIs are standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), but they are not just a series of letters and numbers that identify a digital object. DOIs contain descriptive information (metadata) that helps to describe and identify that particular object. Required descriptive information includes:

  • The URL where the item is located
  • A title of the work
  • Creator(s) of the work
  • Publisher
  • Year of publication
  • Type of resource

When a DOI is created, it creates a record with a registration agency that can be updated if the digital object moves to a different URL. That allows the DOI to stay the same while updating information about it like the URL.

DOIs are assigned through registration agencies like DataCite or Crossref. Many publishers have agreements with those registration agencies to create DOIs for the works they publish. UT Austin has an agreement with DataCite which allows us to create DOIs. See UT Austin DOI resources for more information.

Find the article through DOI

DOIs are "actionable", plug it into a web browser and be taken to an object. This is called resolving the DOI.

  • If your DOI starts with http:// or https://, simply paste it into your web browser. This will usually lead you to a journal publisher's page for the article.
  • If you have digits starting with 10, turn them into a URL by adding https://doi.org/ before the DOI. 10.3352/jeehp.2013.10.3 becomes https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2013.10.3

Attribution

This guide includes content from Persistent Identifiers by the The University of Texas Libraries, Tips for Finding DOIs by COM Library licensed under a CC BY 4.0

DOI in References

You need to use DOIs for the following reasons:

  • Citation tracking, ensuring a researcher has accurate metrics on how and where their research outputs are being used or referenced. 
  • Long-term discoverability favors data sharing and reuse
  • DOIs might be required or strongly encouraged in certain citation style guidelines.
  • DOIs might be a required part of repository, journal, and database submission workflows. 

The major citations styles require URL or DOI for the digital content used for the references. Although the formatting can be different, in any case you should include only one identifier.

If there is no DOI assigned to the article, use URL and ensure you insert a stable URL (permalink). Permalink will not change and will take directly to the article (see Permalink FAQ).

In the reference DOI should be placed at the end of citation before access date.

MLA & AMA

Require a "doi:" label

Author. "Title." Title of journal, Number (vol. and/or issue no.), publication year, www.someaddress.com/full/url/ or doi:0000000/00000000000. Accessed dd Mmm. yyyy.

APA & Chicago

Allow the modern format ("doi:0000000/000000000000") or the older format with https:// ("https://doi.org/10.0000/0000").

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Journal, volume number(issue number if available), page range. doi:0000000/000000000000 or https://doi.org/10.0000/0000 or Retrieved from https://www.someaddress.com/full/url/.
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