Citing and Using a Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
What is a Digital Object Identifier?
A DOI is a method of identifying digital objects, including electronic papers and articles. The identifier can be used to cite a document and to locate it on the Internet. A DOI is guaranteed never to change, so you can use it as a permanent way to locate an electronic document even if the document is moved.
Citing an article with a DOI
An example of a citation using DOI is the following:
Fring, A., and N. Manojlovic. 2006. G2-Calogero-Moser Lax operators from reduction. Journal of Nonlinear Mathematical Physics 13:467-478. doi:10.2991/jnmp.2006.13.4.1
To find an article using a DOI
When you see a DOI reference to an article on the Internet, usually you can click on the DOI in order to access the article (provided you have the needed access rights to the site where the article is located).
If you see a DOI in a print document, or when the online DOI is not clickable, and you want to access the article, please do the following:
- Copy the DOI of the document you want to open (e.g., doi:10.2991/jnmp.2006.13.4.1).
- Go to http://dx.doi.org.
- Enter the entire DOI in the text box provided, and then click Go.
- The document that matches the DOI citation will display in your browser window.
The DOI scheme is administered by the International DOI Foundation, and is based on a linking scheme known as CrossRef. For more information on the DOI system, please visit the Welcome to the DOI System Web page.
