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ORCID: ORCID Overview

ORCID is a tool for authors to disambiguate their works from other researchers

Notice: NIH Will Require ORCIDs in FY2020

The NIH, AHRQ, and CDC have recently announced that individuals supported by research training, fellowship, research education, and career development awards will be required to have ORCID iDs beginning in FY 2020.​ Read the full notice here.

What is ORCID?

ORCID Connecting Research and Researchers

ORCID provides a persistent digital identifier that distinguishes authors from other authors and through integration in key research workflows such as manuscript and grant submission, supports automated linkages between authors and their professional activities ensuring that their work is recognized.

ORCID is linked among other identifier systems such as the Scopus Author ID, ResearcherID and LinkedIn; publishers such as Nature and APS; and funding agencies such as NIH and the Wellcome Trust (see the SciENcv libguide page for more information about ORCID integration with NIH). This means that ORCID is not limited to a specific platform and is a non-proprietary means of establishing your author name.

Your name is key to establishing a unique public profile throughout your research and academic career for publications and research activities. But if your name is a common name or if you have changed your name, or if you are affiliated with several organizations over your career, there may be multiple name variants associated with your publications and research activities.

Registering for an ORCID identifier helps to promote discoverability among multiple information platforms and workflows as well as establishing a unique presence for researchers and scholars, regardless of name variants or affiliation history.

Registration for the ORCID iD is free and privacy settings are controlled by the individual. To register, complete a short registration form and select Register.

See the ORCID materials for more information:

Why Bother With an ORCID iD?

  • Establish a unique presence for yourself, regardless of name variants or affiliation history.
  • Distinguish yourself from other authors especially if you have a common name.
  • Ensure that you receive credit for your research activities and outputs throughout your research career.
  • Use your ORCID profile page to share information about your research activities and outputs.
  • Some publishers require ORCID iDs for authors before submitting a manuscript for peer review.
  • Some publishers require ORCID iDs of reviewers.
  • Some funding agencies embed ORCID iDs in funding workflows.
  • Auto-populate a NIH Biosketch with information in your ORCID profile via SciENcv in your My NCBI account.
  • Some professional societies and organizations integrate ORCID iDs as part of membership and meeting workflows.  
  • Some databases embed ORCID iDs in author profiles.

What is ORCID?

Add an Additional Email to Your ORCID Record

ORCID recommends that authors add at least one back-up email address in the event you lose access to another email address. See ORCID guidance on adding email addresses.