ORCID

What is an ORCID iD?

An ORCID iD is a unique researcher identifier that can be added to your research outputs to ensure that your work is easily distinguished from that of other researchers. ORCID is integrated into many systems used by publishers, funders, institutions, and other research related services. It is becoming an international standard with over 2.9 million iDs registered by researchers.

Why should you get an ORCID iD?

Your ORCID iD:

• Distinguishes you from other researchers and ensures that your grants, publications and other academic achievements are correctly attributed to you
• Ensures that others viewing your research profile such as a potential employer or funding committee will get a comprehensive and accurate profile of all of your academic achievements
• Allows you to access citation profile and metrics in Web of Science and other databases
• Reduces form-filling (enter data once, re-use it often)
• Improves recognition and discoverability for you and your research outputs
• Is interoperable (works with many institutions, funders, and publishers)
• Is for life: if you change institution your ORCID iD follows you

It is also a requirement of many journal manuscript submission systems and grant application forms. You can add your ORCID iD when completing a Data Management Plan (DMP) using tools such as the Canadian DMP Assistant. If integrated into existing internal and external research management systems such as the Canadian Common CV (CCV) used by the Tri Agencies, ORCID can automate the movement of research information between systems reducing manual data entry, thus minimizing the administrative burden. Watch the Why ORCID? video to learn more.

How can you get an ORCID iD?

Register for an ORCID iD by completing the registration form. We recommend that you use your Guelph email address, but you can add other email addresses to your profile once registered.

ORCID FAQs

What information can I add to my ORCID profile?

Your publication list will grow as ORCID locates articles from the sources you identify. You can also create a manual record for anything that might not be imported automatically, for example from publishers that have not yet integrated with ORCID.

What kind of information does ORCID collect?

ORCID records hold information such as name, email, organization and research activities. According to the ORCID website, “ORCID understands the fundamental need for individuals to control how their data are shared, and provides tools to manage data privacy. We take steps to protect your information, consistent with the principles set forth in our Privacy Policy.”

For each research entry you can choose among three levels of security: public (anyone can see the entry); limited (you choose who can see the entry); private (entry can be seen only by you.) When the ORCID account is first created, the default security level is public.

When will I use my ORCID iD?

When applying for a grant or submitting an article for publication. You can also add it to your web profile, your CV, or any other place you list your research.

What happens to my ORCID iD when I leave the University of Guelph?

Your ORCID iD is portable; it is not tied to a particular institution.

Learn more about ORCID at Welcome to ORCID.

Feel free to book an appointment with us if you'd like more information.