ORCID - Detailed Review
Research Tools
ORCID - Product Overview
Introduction to ORCID
ORCID, which stands for Open Researcher and Contributor ID, is a global, not-for-profit organization that provides a unique, persistent identifier for researchers, scholars, and innovators. This identifier is crucial in the research tools category for several reasons:Primary Function
The primary function of ORCID is to enable transparent and trustworthy connections between researchers, their contributions, and their affiliations. This is achieved by providing a unique, persistent identifier (ORCID iD) that distinguishes researchers and links them to their research outputs, such as publications, datasets, and other scholarly activities.Target Audience
The target audience for ORCID includes researchers, scholars, and innovators across all disciplines and geographic locations. This encompasses faculty members, students, researchers in various institutions, and anyone involved in research and scholarly communications.Key Features
Unique Identifier
Each researcher is assigned a unique, free ORCID iD that remains constant throughout their career, regardless of changes in affiliation or name.ORCID Record
The ORCID iD is connected to an ORCID record, which can include a wide range of information such as biographical details, affiliations, education, grants, awards, publications, and other professional activities. Researchers have full control over the visibility settings of their record data, which can be set to “everyone,” “trusted parties,” or “only me.”Interoperability
ORCID provides a set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that enable interoperability between the ORCID record and various systems used by publishers, funders, institutions, and other research-related services. This integration helps in streamlining processes such as manuscript submissions, grant applications, and faculty evaluations.Privacy and Control
ORCID prioritizes researcher control and privacy. Researchers can manage the visibility of their data, ensuring that they decide what information is publicly accessible and what is kept private. The default settings allow for flexibility, with the ORCID iD always being publicly visible while other data can be restricted.Community and Governance
ORCID is community-built and governed by a Board of Directors representing a broad cross-section of stakeholders. The organization is committed to open, trusted, and inclusive practices, ensuring that decisions are made collaboratively and transparently. By providing these features, ORCID helps researchers gain full credit for their work, enhances the discoverability of their research outputs, and facilitates a more efficient and connected research community. ORCID - User Interface and Experience
User Interface of ORCID
The user interface of ORCID, particularly in the context of research tools, is designed with a focus on ease of use, clarity, and user engagement.
Visual and Interactive Elements
ORCID has made significant improvements to its interface based on user feedback. The new interface is “easier on the eyes” with tweaked colors, included item counts on public records, and improved buttons and tooltips. This enhances the overall visual experience, making it more intuitive and user-friendly.
Editing and Customization
One of the key features is the ability to edit items attached to your ORCID record. Users can directly edit items they have added, and for items added by other organizations, they can create and edit their own versions. This flexibility is crucial for maintaining accurate and up-to-date information.
Sorting and Bulk Editing
Users can sort lists of items in their ORCID records, both in their personal account and on the public record. This feature allows for easy organization and quick access to specific information. Additionally, a bulk editing feature enables users to change privacy settings or delete multiple items at once, which is particularly useful for managing large numbers of works.
Guidance and Support
To help new users, ORCID has implemented in-record guidance through a system called In-Product Messaging (IPM). This provides unobtrusive messages, reminders, and help while users are editing their records, ensuring they can complete tasks efficiently and understand the full value of their ORCID profile.
Accessibility and Consistency
ORCID follows strict guidelines for displaying ORCID IDs to ensure consistency and accessibility. These guidelines include using the ORCID iD icon, hyperlinks to the full ORCID record, and appropriate ARIA and alt tags. This consistency aids in recognition and reduces confusion across different contexts.
Data Accessibility and FAIR Principles
ORCID adheres to FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles. The public data is retrievable via standardized protocols, and the API supports XML and JSON formats, making it accessible and reusable. This ensures that researchers can easily retrieve and use the data, reducing administrative burdens.
Overall User Experience
The overall user experience is enhanced by these features, which aim to make the interface intuitive and supportive. The iterative development process, based on user feedback, ensures that the platform remains user-centric and continually improves to meet the needs of its users. This approach helps new users feel less overwhelmed and more engaged with their ORCID records from the outset.
ORCID - Key Features and Functionality
ORCID Overview
ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) is a non-profit organization that provides a unique identifier to connect researchers with their research contributions. Here are the main features and functionalities of ORCID, particularly relevant to the Research Tools category:Unique Identifier
ORCID assigns a globally unique and persistent 16-digit identifier to each researcher, which helps disambiguate them from others with similar names. This identifier is expressed as a resolvable HTTPS URI, making it easily accessible and machine-readable.Data Description and Metadata
ORCID records include rich metadata describing researchers and their contributions. This metadata encompasses preferred and alternate name forms, education and employment information, funding and facilities awards, and various types of works and publications. This detailed metadata ensures that researchers’ contributions are accurately and comprehensively represented.API Access
ORCID offers several APIs that enable systems to connect to the ORCID registry:Public API
Allows reading of public data on ORCID records. It is available free of charge for non-commercial services and supports authentication to get a user’s authenticated ORCID iD.Member API
Enables reading of public and limited-access data, as well as adding, updating, or deleting items on a record with the user’s permission. This API requires member credentials and uses OAuth for authentication.Premium Member API
Offers additional features such as token delegation, webhooks for update notifications, and multiple integrations. This API also uses OAuth for authentication and requires member credentials.Authentication and Authorization
ORCID uses the OAuth 2.0 protocol for authentication and authorization. This allows organizations trusted by the record holder to retrieve additional non-public data and to add or update data in ORCID records. Users must authorize access through an ORCID-branded button or link within the system, ensuring that permissions are granted securely.Integration with Systems
Organizations can integrate ORCID into their systems to collect authenticated ORCID iDs and update researchers’ records. This integration involves obtaining user permission through OAuth and can be done using a vendor system or a custom system that integrates with the ORCID Member API. ORCID provides a sandbox environment for testing integrations before moving to production.Data Retrieval and Sharing
ORCID supports standardized communications protocols (HTTPS, XML, JSON, RDF) for retrieving data by the identifier. The public API allows machine-readable access to public data, and content negotiation enables data to be accessed in various formats. This ensures that data is retrievable, shareable, and interoperable.Benefits for Researchers and Publishers
- Accurate Attribution: ORCID helps ensure that researchers receive accurate credit for their work by reliably connecting them to their contributions.
- Efficiency: Collecting ORCID iDs during the publication process saves researchers time and reduces errors.
- Global Visibility: ORCID iDs make researchers’ work more discoverable globally, supporting indexing, search, and discovery processes.
FAIR Data Principles
ORCID aligns with the FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) data principles by providing globally unique identifiers, rich metadata, and standardized protocols for data retrieval. This ensures that the data within ORCID records is findable, accessible, and reusable by both humans and machines. While AI is not explicitly mentioned as a core component of ORCID’s current features, the structured data and APIs provided by ORCID can be leveraged by AI-driven tools to enhance research workflows, such as automated data integration, analysis, and reporting. However, as of the current information, ORCID itself does not integrate AI directly into its product. ORCID - Performance and Accuracy
Evaluating the Performance and Accuracy of ORCID
Evaluating the performance and accuracy of ORCID in the research tools category involves several key aspects, including adoption rates, data integrity, and integration with other systems.
Adoption and Engagement
ORCID adoption has been increasing, but there are still variations in engagement across different disciplines and countries. Studies have shown that ORCID adoption is measured by the percentage of researchers with at least one publication linked to their ORCID iD. However, there are disparities in adoption rates; for instance, a detailed analysis of ORCID distribution by discipline at Osnabrück University (UOS) revealed significant differences in ORCID coverage across various research areas.
Data Accuracy and Integrity
Ensuring the accuracy of ORCID data is crucial. One significant issue is the phenomenon of “author shuffling,” where an ORCID iD is assigned to the wrong author on a paper. This problem, though relatively rare (affecting about 0.5% of records in 2020), requires careful handling to maintain data integrity. To address this, researchers use algorithms and string matching techniques to correct these errors and ensure the correct ORCID iD is associated with the right researcher.
Integration with Other Systems
ORCID integrates well with other research information systems, such as Crossref and Dimensions. This integration allows for enhanced metadata concerning author affiliations, publisher-level, and funder-level information. For example, the Dimensions database serves as a key intersection between Crossref and ORCID datasets, enabling the linking of ORCID assertions with publications and other research activities.
Limitations and Areas for Improvement
Despite the advancements, there are several limitations and areas that need improvement:
- Data Coverage: The coverage of ORCID iDs in external data sources is still too low to be used as a reliable data source for reporting needs on its own. It often requires additional manual corrections and validations to enrich external ORCID person lists.
- Affiliation Information: Maintaining accurate and visible affiliation information in ORCID records is critical. Discrepancies in coverage between institutions can be attributed to the inconsistent maintenance of this information.
- User Education: There is a need to better articulate the value of engaging with persistent identifiers like ORCID for both authors and editors. Streamlining login and password reset processes, as well as providing clear guidelines, are ongoing efforts to improve user adoption and understanding.
- Technical Issues: Issues such as managing duplicate records and verifying affiliations continue to be challenges in the use of ORCID iDs in journal publishing workflows.
Best Practices and Recommendations
To improve the performance and accuracy of ORCID, several best practices are recommended:
- Ensure consistent and accurate maintenance of affiliation information in ORCID records.
- Implement automated reporting using persistent identifiers, but supplement with manual corrections where necessary.
- Use validated information to update ORCID records, which helps in building trust in scholarly communications and reduces the reporting burden for researchers.
In summary, while ORCID has made significant strides in connecting researchers and their contributions, there are ongoing efforts to improve data accuracy, integration, and user engagement. Addressing the identified limitations will be crucial for enhancing the overall performance and accuracy of ORCID in research tools.
ORCID - Pricing and Plans
ORCID Pricing Overview
ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) offers a clear and structured pricing system, primarily targeted at organizations rather than individual researchers, who can use ORCID for free.
Free Option for Researchers
Individual researchers can register for an ORCID iD at no cost. This ID is unique and can be used throughout their career, even if they change their name, organization, discipline, or country.
Organizational Membership Fees
For organizations, ORCID membership is categorized into several tiers based on the organization’s annual budget and type.
Direct Membership Fees
- Commercial Organizations:
- Basic Access: $5,800 USD per year
- Premium Access: $11,600 USD per year for small organizations (less than $200M in annual revenue), and $28,985 USD per year for large organizations (more than $200M in annual revenue).
- Non-Profit and Government Organizations:
- Basic Access: $4,635 USD per year (20% discount on direct membership fees)
- Premium Access: $9,270 USD per year for small organizations, and $23,185 USD per year for large organizations.
- Start-ups and Other Small Organizations:
- Basic Access: $1,445 USD per year (75% discount for organizations with less than $200,000 in annual revenue)
- Premium Access: $2,895 USD per year.
Consortium Membership Fees
Consortium membership is available for non-profit and government organizations, offering lower fees and additional benefits such as technical and administrative support.
- Standard Fees:
- Small Tier (below $10M): $1,700 – $3,395 USD per member per year, depending on the number of members
- Standard Tier ($10M – $1B): $3,395 – $6,735 USD per member per year
- Large Tier (above $1B): $4,565 – $9,070 USD per member per year.
- Lower Middle Income (LMIC) and Lower Income (LIC) Economies:
- There are additional discounts for organizations from these economies. For LMIC, there is a 50% reduction in fees, and for LIC, there is an 80% reduction.
Additional Fees
- Additional Integrations: $1,125 – $3,480 USD per integration, depending on the membership type.
Features and Benefits
- Basic Access: Includes basic integration and support.
- Premium Access: Automatically included for consortium members, offers additional features such as the Affiliation Manager, which allows organizations to add affiliation data to their researchers’ ORCID records without needing a developer or specialized IT knowledge.
In summary, while individual researchers can use ORCID for free, organizations are charged based on their size and type, with various discounts available for non-profit, government, and smaller organizations, as well as those from lower-income economies.
ORCID - Integration and Compatibility
Integrating ORCID into Research Tools
Integrating ORCID into various research tools and systems is a streamlined process that enhances the accuracy and efficiency of managing researcher profiles and data. Here are some key points on how ORCID integrates with other tools and its compatibility across different platforms:Collection and Authentication of ORCID iDs
Research organizations can integrate ORCID into their systems to collect authenticated ORCID iDs from researchers. This involves gaining permission to read from and write to the researchers’ ORCID records, which can then be stored and displayed within the organization’s systems.Compatibility with Various Systems
ORCID can be integrated with a wide range of research information systems, profile systems, and electronic research administration systems. For example, universities like the University of Oregon use Symplectic to collect researchers’ authenticated ORCID iDs and read research output from ORCID records, while also pushing publication and affiliation data to ORCID records.Specific Integrations
Several institutions use specific tools for ORCID integration:- Open Journal Systems (OJS): Many universities, such as Universidad Católica de Cuenca and Universidad de Los Lagos, use the ORCID plugin in OJS to authenticate users and push publication and peer review data to ORCID records.
- Pure and Symplectic: Institutions like Universidad Continental and University of Chester use these research information management systems to collect authenticated ORCID iDs, import publication data, and export affiliation and works data to ORCID records.
- DSpace: Universities such as Universidad Autónoma de Baja California and Universidad de la Serena use DSpace to authenticate users and push publications and affiliation data to ORCID records.
API Integration
The ORCID Member API provides the technical infrastructure to connect ORCID records with local institutional systems. This API allows for various functionalities, including collecting ORCID iDs, adding employment/education information, works, and funding awards to ORCID records, and linking researchers’ profiles in the Research Information System to their ORCID records.Cross-Platform Compatibility
ORCID integrations are generally compatible across major operating systems and the latest versions of internet browsers. The ORCID Registry works best on updated browsers and operating systems, ensuring smooth functionality across different devices.Workflow and Best Practices
ORCID provides best practices and workflows to help research organizations integrate ORCID into their systems effectively. These include guidelines on collecting authenticated ORCID iDs, displaying iDs, using ORCID data to populate local systems, and supporting networking and collaboration.Conclusion
In summary, ORCID integrates seamlessly with a variety of research tools and systems, enhancing the management of researcher data and reducing administrative burdens. Its compatibility across different platforms ensures that researchers and organizations can efficiently maintain accurate and up-to-date records. ORCID - Customer Support and Resources
Customer Support Options
ORCID provides several comprehensive customer support options and additional resources to help users effectively utilize their services, particularly in the context of research tools and integration.
Technical Support
ORCID offers detailed technical support for member organizations to integrate the ORCID API into their local software systems. This includes guides on how to collect researchers’ authenticated ORCID iDs, read and write information from ORCID records, maintain current information via webhooks, and allow users to sign in using their ORCID iDs.
Guides and Blogs
ORCID provides a range of technical guides and blogs to assist with API integration. These resources include:
- ORCID API Basics: Walkthroughs of the ORCID authentication process and custom API integration.
- System Integrations: Guides on integrating ORCID with various systems such as repositories, Open Journal Systems (OJS), HeinOnline, VIVO, and ProposalCentral.
Support Requests
Users can submit support requests directly through the ORCID support system. If you encounter issues such as being unable to sign in, you can contact the support team and provide your ORCID iD for assistance.
Email Support
For general inquiries or issues, users can contact the ORCID support team via email at support@orcid.org. Additionally, some institutions offer specific support, such as Utah State University, which provides library specialists for ORCID setup and optimization appointments.
Community Resources
ORCID is a community-driven organization, and it encourages engagement through various community resources. Users can connect with other researchers and organizations to share best practices and resolve issues collectively. The ORCID website also provides information on how to link other researcher IDs (like ResearcherID and Scopus Author ID) to your ORCID iD, and how to grant permissions to trusted individuals to manage your ORCID record.
Registration and Account Management
ORCID offers step-by-step guides for registering and managing your ORCID account. This includes tips on adding additional email addresses for backup, verifying your email address, and managing your account settings. If you encounter any issues during registration, the support team is available to help.
By leveraging these resources, users can ensure they get the most value out of their ORCID iDs and integrate them seamlessly into their research workflows.
ORCID - Pros and Cons
Advantages of ORCID
ORCID, or Open Researcher and Contributor ID, offers several significant advantages for researchers:Unique Identification
ORCID provides a unique, persistent identifier that ties research outputs to an individual, eliminating name ambiguities and ensuring that all work is properly attributed to the correct person, even if names vary in spelling or if the researcher changes their name or institution.Comprehensive Record
Researchers can create a comprehensive list of all their publications, works, and activities in one place, including datasets, peer review activities, and more. This is particularly useful as it covers a broader range of outputs compared to other platforms like Scopus or Web of Science.Improved Discoverability
Using ORCID ensures that all research activities and outputs are easily discoverable, making it simpler for others to find and associate your identity with your work. This includes datasets, articles, media stories, citations, experiments, patents, and notebooks.Time Savings
ORCID reduces repetitive data entry by facilitating the reuse of publication data across various systems, such as manuscript submissions to publishers, funding applications, and author ID systems. This integration saves time and streamlines the process of managing research outputs.Stability and Portability
The ORCID iD remains constant throughout a researcher’s career, even if they change institutions or email addresses. This stability ensures that the researcher’s contributions are consistently linked to their unique identifier.Community and Interoperability
ORCID is supported by a wide range of organizations and provides APIs and services that enable interoperability between different systems, allowing researchers to connect their ORCID iD with their affiliations and contributions seamlessly.Disadvantages of ORCID
While ORCID offers many benefits, there are also some drawbacks to consider:Limited Search Engine Visibility
Searches for a scholar’s name or publication title on internet search engines like Google are unlikely to display ORCID results prominently. This means researchers may need to maintain a publication record elsewhere to ensure easy discoverability through search engines.Time and Effort in Setup
Although obtaining an ORCID iD is quick, building the connections and adding all relevant publications and activities to the ORCID record can be time-consuming. This process involves manually adding or linking various research outputs, which can be labor-intensive.Potential for Misuse
There are concerns about the potential misuse of ORCID identifiers by third parties, such as for-profit publishers or government agencies, to track researchers or their publications. This raises privacy and control issues, as the identifiers could be used in ways that are not in the researcher’s best interest.Costs and Dependencies
While ORCID services are free for researchers, institutions may need to pay fees to support the system. This can create a financial burden, especially for smaller or less well-funded institutions.Technical Requirements
The ORCID system may require specific browsers or technical setups, which can add an additional layer of complexity for some users. In summary, ORCID offers significant advantages in terms of unique identification, comprehensive record-keeping, and improved discoverability, but it also has some drawbacks related to search engine visibility, setup effort, potential misuse, costs, and technical requirements. ORCID - Comparison with Competitors
Comparing ORCID with Other Tools
ORCID
ORCID is a unique identifier for researchers that helps in disambiguating their work and ensuring accurate attribution. Here are some of its unique features:- Transparent and Attributable: ORCID provides direct recognition of research contributions, tied to an authenticated ORCID iD or institution.
- Granular Recognition: It recognizes a broad range of research outputs, including non-article-based contributions and non-science works in the humanities and arts.
- Integration with Existing Ecosystem: ORCID works with existing scholarly societies and other participants, keeping them at the heart of research evaluation and reputation management.
- CRediT Taxonomy: ORCID uses the CRediT taxonomy to recognize various contributions to research works, ensuring comprehensive attribution.
Alternatives and Similar Tools
Esploro
Esploro is a research information management solution that, while not a direct alternative to ORCID, complements it by linking comprehensive scholarly information across all academic disciplines.- Comprehensive Data: Esploro breaks down data silos and makes it easy to showcase faculty work, enhance collaborations, and attract talented researchers.
- Institutional Focus: It is more focused on institutional research impact and efficiencies rather than individual researcher attribution.
Omega-PSIR
Omega-PSIR is a free software application that combines the functionality of a Current Research Information System (CRIS) and an Institutional Repository.- ORCID Integration: Omega-PSIR uses an ORCID plugin to collect and authenticate researcher iDs, displaying and synchronizing research outputs registered in institutional CRIS.
- Institutional Use: It is primarily used by universities and research institutions to manage and showcase research outputs.
Rescognito
Rescognito, though not a direct competitor, works in conjunction with ORCID to enhance research attribution.- Recognition System: Rescognito uses ORCID iDs to attribute recognition to researchers through a system of “COGs” (ReCOGnition), which are open, transparent, and attributable.
- Institutional Recognition: It allows organizations to recognize research behaviors and outputs, aligning with institutional goals.
AI-Driven Research Tools
While not direct competitors to ORCID, AI-driven research tools like Consensus can be seen as complementary in the broader context of research management and attribution.Consensus
Consensus is an AI-powered academic search engine that helps in literature reviews and research summaries.- Literature Review: It provides AI-powered summaries and a Consensus Meter to show the degree of agreement among studies on a particular topic.
- Focus on Literature: Unlike ORCID, Consensus is focused on streamlining the literature review process rather than individual researcher attribution.
Conclusion
In summary, ORCID stands out for its unique focus on individual researcher attribution and its integration with existing research ecosystems. While tools like Esploro, Omega-PSIR, and Rescognito offer complementary functionalities, they do not replace the specific role ORCID plays in ensuring accurate and transparent research attribution. AI-driven tools like Consensus are more about enhancing the research process rather than managing researcher identities and contributions. ORCID - Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some frequently asked questions about ORCID, along with detailed responses to each:
What is an ORCID ID?
An ORCID ID, or Open Researcher and Contributor ID, is a unique digital identifier that helps link researchers to their grants, publications, and other research-related work. It is maintained by the nonprofit ORCID organization and is designed to unambiguously distinguish a researcher’s activities and outputs from those with similar names.Why do I need an ORCID ID?
Having an ORCID ID is crucial for gaining full credit for your research contributions. It helps in identifying, validating, and confirming your authorship, and it can be applied to your research outputs to track your work. Additionally, it aids in reducing errors caused by name ambiguity and makes your work more discoverable within the research community.How do I register for an ORCID ID?
Registering for an ORCID ID is free and straightforward. You need to visit the ORCID website, enter your first name, last name, and email address, create a password, and select your preferred privacy settings. After confirming your email, you can complete your profile and add various types of research-related information.What are the benefits of having an ORCID ID?
The benefits include consistency in your research identity throughout your career, even if your name changes or you switch institutions or fields. It summarizes your publication history in one place, reduces administration time by auto-populating biosketches and other documents, and allows customizable privacy settings. ORCID IDs also help connect existing work from different databases, making it easier to manage and share your research outputs.How do I add items to my ORCID record?
You can add items to your ORCID record either manually or using the ORCID member API. For manual additions, you can log in to your ORCID account and follow the instructions on the “Add works to your ORCID record” page. For automated additions, institutions or systems need the researcher’s permission and member API credentials to integrate with the ORCID Member API.What is the structure of an ORCID identifier?
An ORCID identifier is a 16-digit number, with the last character being a checksum that ensures the other 15 digits form a coherent ID. The checksum ranges from “0” to “10,” with “X” representing the value “10.” This structure ensures the uniqueness and integrity of the identifier.Is ORCID interoperable with other author identity systems?
Yes, ORCID is designed to be interoperable with many other author identity systems such as Scopus’ Author ID or ResearcherID. It also integrates with systems used by publishers and funding organizations like the NIH, NSF, and Wellcome Trust to facilitate grant applications and manuscript submissions.What are the privacy and data security policies of ORCID?
ORCID takes privacy and data security seriously. Data is stored on secure servers, and only the record holder and their assigned delegates can modify the profile. ORCID offers three privacy settings: Public, Limited Access, and Private, allowing you to control who can view your research and profile details.Can I change my ORCID ID?
No, ORCID identifiers are randomly assigned and cannot be changed. This ensures the long-term stability and uniqueness of the identifier.How do I affiliate my ORCID ID with my institution?
To affiliate your ORCID ID with your institution, you need to log in to your ORCID account, go to the Employment section, add your current employment information, and select your institution from the drop-down menu. Ensure the correct affiliation text appears to confirm the connection.Do I need to pay for an ORCID ID?
No, registering for an ORCID ID is free. One of ORCID’s guiding principles is to provide identifiers free of charge.