Frequently Asked Questions

What is a digital object identifier (DOI) and how do I find it?

A DOI is a digital object identifier – a unique alphanumeric code that gives a persistent link to the web location for an electronic item. DOIs are commonly seen on current electronic journal articles, but are also often included in the print version of the article.

All DOIs should be presented as hyperlinks, as in the example below. Old versions of DOIs should be updated to hyperlinks. If the work is to be published or read online, the hyperlinks should be live.

Example: https://doi.org/10.1080/14622200410001676305

Remember:

• Use a DOI (if assigned to the article) in citing articles whether accessed in the print or electronic form.
• A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is preferable to a URL when citing an online resource.

If you are not able to locate the DOI right on the article itself or from the database, you can use one of these two options to search to see if an article has a DOI.

• Crossref Metadata Search - Search using the metadata option and copy/paste your article title into the search box. If there is one assigned to the article, it should be displayed.
• Go to the journal's website and search for the article. Most journals will at least have the basic citation information on their website including the DOI if they have one assigned to it.

You can also use DOI.org to find the article title if all you have is a DOI without the full link or any other information.