Product Overview: ResearcherID (Web of Science)
Introduction
ResearcherID, introduced by Thomson Reuters in January 2008 and now managed by Clarivate Analytics, is a unique identifying system designed to solve the longstanding problem of author identification and correct attribution of scientific works. This system is an integral part of the Web of Science ecosystem, which includes tools like Web of Science, Publons, InCites, and EndNote.
Key Features
1. Unique Identifier
Each researcher is assigned a unique identifier, known as the ResearcherID, which helps in standardizing and clarifying author names and citations. This identifier is a combination of alphabets and numbers, with the last four digits often representing the year of registration (e.g., Z-0000-2022).
2. Author Disambiguation
The primary function of ResearcherID is to differentiate between authors with the same or similar names, ensuring that each researcher’s work is correctly attributed to them. This resolves issues of author misidentification and provides a clear avenue to a researcher’s complete body of work.
3. Publication Management
Researchers can use their ResearcherID to manage and share their professional information, including their publication lists. This allows for easy tracking of publications, citations, and other relevant metrics such as the h-index.
4. Integration with Other Identifiers
ResearcherID can be linked to other author identifiers like ORCID, enabling seamless data transfer and ensuring that researchers are properly credited for their work across different platforms. This integration also helps in keeping the ORCID profile up to date.
5. Search and Collaboration Tools
The system allows users to search for authors using their ResearcherID, name, keywords, address, or institution. This facilitates the discovery of colleagues, collaborators, thought leaders, speakers, editors, and reviewers within the same field of research.
6. Citation Metrics and Analytics
ResearcherID provides access to dynamic citation metrics from the Web of Science Core Collection, which can be added to publication records on platforms like Publons and InCites. This helps in tracking citation counts, average citations, and other citation metrics.
7. Global Accessibility
The system supports Unicode (UTF-8) standards, allowing researchers worldwide to conduct searches and upload publication lists in their own language. This enhances global accessibility and collaboration within the scholarly community.
8. Privacy and Control
Researchers have full control over the privacy of their profiles and publication lists, allowing them to manage how their information is presented to the global research community.
Functionality
Registration and Profile Management
Researchers can register for a ResearcherID through a one-time process on the Web of Science platform. This registration associates the researcher with their published works and allows them to manage their publication lists and track their citations.
Search and Discovery
The system enables straightforward searches using the ResearcherID, author names, keywords, or institutional affiliations. This helps in locating colleagues, viewing public profiles, and finding key thought leaders and collaborators.
Data Consolidation
ResearcherID can transform publication data into a systematic form, such as RIS (Research Information System), which consolidates information and makes it easier for scholars and non-scholars to access the necessary data.
Collaboration and Visibility
By linking researchers with their publications across various platforms, ResearcherID enhances communication among researchers, increases their visibility, and makes their work more accessible globally.
In summary, ResearcherID is a powerful tool within the Web of Science ecosystem that standardizes author identification, facilitates accurate attribution of works, and enhances the visibility and accessibility of research outputs, thereby benefiting the global scholarly community.