A quick explanation of how having an ORCID iD can help researchers
It is important for your research career to make sure that all your outputs are correctly attributed to you and not to a researcher with a similar name.
You can help with the aggregation of your works in bibliographic databases by always using the same version of your last name and initials when you publish. Signing up for an ORCID identifier will also help with this process. Several funders and publishers insist that authors have an ORCID iD.
You should also check that your outputs are correctly attributed to you in bibliographic databases such as Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar.
To get help in setting up and maintaining your digital researcher identity, contact the Research Publications Adviser.
If you are involved in research and are publishing the outputs research of your research, you should register for an ORCID iD. You might also think about registering if you are a postgraduate student who may be publishing as part of your PhD research.
ORCID iDs are increasingly being used by publishers, funders and other organisations to confirm identity and improve their workflows.
Their use has been compulsory since 2016 for some funders and publishers.
ORCIDs can be particularly useful if you have changed your name through marriage/divorce or gender reassignment.
If you’ve published a research output in a book, in a conference proceedings or journal, you may have an online identity that you are not aware of and it might not be accurate.
Why do I need to check my profile?
If your details in Scopus are incorrect, your publication record will be incomplete and possibly confusing to those interested in reading or citing your research. It will also mean that the bibliometric information that you can access via your Scopus Author Profile will be inaccurate.
Data from Scopus are also used in some of the University rankings (for example, the QS University Rankings) - If your publications are attributed to the wrong institution, your publication record and citation metrics will not be included in your actual institution's score.
For Reading research staff: It is also worth checking out your Scopus Author ID to make sure that the articles attributed to you are correct because the bibliometric data used in the University of Reading’s Research Outputs Support System (ROSS) dashboards are taken from the Scopus database via SciVal If your details are wrong, unreliable data will be pulled through into the University’s reporting process.
You can set up a Google Scholar profile to capture your outputs and record citations to them. This service is free and easy to set up.
ResearcherID
This is a feature on Web of Science. It allows an author to set up a unique personal identifier which can be linked with their publications within Web of Science, regardless of any variations in the use of their name and regardless of their affiliation when a particular paper was published.