Persistent identifiers (PIDs) are long-lasting digital references that can be used to find and cite information online. Whereas web addresses can become broken or defunct over time, a PID is a unique string of characters designed to always point to the relevant resource, even if its location changes. PIDs are typically maintained by a central service that is responsible for allocating the PID and keeping it working.
Persistent identifiers are an important part of open research as they help ensure research and associated information remain accessible over a long period of time. They also make it easier for researchers to share and cite their work.
There are different types of PIDs depending on what they refer to, and they can be used for publications, datasets, people, grants and organisations.
- Object identifiers for research publications, datasets, grants or pieces of equipment. Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs - doi.org) are one of the most common PIDs used for these items, but there are other types of PIDs available that can be used in different contexts and systems.
- Researcher identifiers, such as ORCIDs, permanently link authors to their work and reduce confusion, for example, between researchers with the same name.
The links below provide more information about PIDs for you and your research, and how we can help you make the most of them: