Persistent identifiers
Persistent identifiers - also known as PIDs - are an alpha-numeric character string that is assigned to a person or an object.
The identifier is available in digital form and leads to the associated person or object. PIDs enable unique identification (in the case of identical names or similar) and support permanent retrievability.
This can be seen, for example, in text publications. These are often given a Digital Object Identifier (DOI). This identifier links important bibliographic data and the publisher's website where the publication can be found. If the DOI is resolved via a so-called resolver, the user is redirected to the publisher's website. If the URL of the publishing platform changes, the DOI is updated in the background and the new URL is entered. The DOI itself remains unchanged and leads reliably to the new destination.
This ensures reliable citation of the publication. Links between individual application areas are also possible. This means that not only the publication itself can be provided with an identifier, but also the authors and the institutions associated with them.
The use of persistent identifiers is often recommended or specified by universities, research institutions and research funders.
Areas of Application for Persistent Identifiers
The project PID Network Germany - Network for the Promotion of Persistent Identifiers in Science and Culture provides an overview of the diverse areas of application of persistent identifiers. For some areas there are several identifiers that can be used, while in other areas there are initial efforts to develop persistent identifiers, but standards have not yet been established.
- Research data: DOI (Digital Object Identifier), ARK (Archival Resource Key), ePIC (European Persistent Identifier Consortium)
- Instruments: DOI (Digital Object Identifier), B2Inst
- Cultural objects: GND (Gemeinsame Normdatei), DOI (Digital Object Identifier), ARK (Archival Resource Key)
- Organisations and projects: ROR ID (Research Organization Registry), Ringgold Identifier, ISNI (International Standard Name Identifier), GND (Gemeinsame Normdatei)
- Persons: ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor iD), ISNI (International Standard Name Identifier), GND (Gemeinsame Normdatei)
- Physical objects: International Generic Sample Number (IGSN), Research Resource Identifier (RRID)
- Publication services and research information systems (RIS): in some cases, a DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is assigned for these services, but this practice has not yet become established
- Software: no standard has yet been established
- Text publications: DOI (Digital Object Identifier), ISBN (International Standard Book Number), URN (Uniform Resource Name)
- Events: the ConfIDent platform curates information on scientific events and assigns a DOI (Digital Object Identifier), but events have not yet been identified across the board
PID for Publishing
People
The affiliation policy (§ 9) of the University of Göttingen (including Göttingen University Medical Centre) recommends the use of ORCID (Open Researcher Contributor ID). When cataloguing media for the library catalogue, the GND (Gemeinsame Normdatei, Common Standard File) is also maintained.
Organizations and projects
The affiliation policy (§ 9) recommends the use of persistent identifiers for organisations if the publisher requests this during the submission process. Third-party funding bodies, on the other hand, should be acknowledged in the acknowledgements section of an article, taking into account the requirements of the research funding body.
Text publications
Text publications that are first published by the University of Göttingen Press or the repositories of the Göttingen State and University Library (e. g. GRO.publications or eDISS) are always assigned a DOI (Digital Object Identifier). In addition, ISBNs (International Standard Book Numbers) and URNs (Uniform Resource Names) can also be assigned. Series publications receive an ISSN (International Standard Serial Number).
Research data
Research data stored in the GRO.data repository receives a DOI (Digital Object Identifier).
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