A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is a unique and persistent identifier used to identify various objects, such as journal articles, research reports, data sets, and official publications. It is a string of numbers, letters, and symbols that is assigned to an article or document to provide it with a permanent web address (URL) . DOIs are standardized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and are an implementation of the Handle System. They are widely used in academic, professional, and government information.
DOIs are important in academic citation because they are more permanent than URLs, ensuring that readers can reliably locate the source. While a web address (URL) might change, the DOI will never change. DOIs make it easier to retrieve works, which is why citation styles, like APA and MLA Style, recommend including them in citations.
The DOI system is implemented through a federation of registration agencies coordinated by the International DOI Foundation (IDF), which introduced it in 2000. Organizations that meet the contractual obligations of the DOI system and are willing to pay to become a member of the system can assign DOIs. The DOI syntax is a unique identifier for a digital document.
To find a DOI, it is usually printed with the article itself, usually on the first page somewhere: below the title or in the header or footer. If the DOI isnt included in the article, it can be looked up on the website CrossRef.org (use the "Search Metadata" option) to check for an assigned DOI. The DOI will usually be clearly visible when you open a journal article on an academic database.
In summary, a DOI is a unique and persistent identifier used to identify various objects, such as journal articles, research reports, data sets, and official publications. It is more reliable and permanent than a URL and is widely used in academic, professional, and government information. The DOI system is implemented through a federation of registration agencies coordinated by the International DOI Foundation (IDF), which introduced it in 2000.
