FAQ: Data DOIs
Q: What is a DOI?
DOI stands for Digital Object Identifier. It is a uniquely-assigned internationally-recognized text code that is already widely-used within the scientific community to identify published research articles. The use of DOIs has recently been expanded to include data sets. Here is an example of a DOI: 10.1594/IEDA/100001
Q: What data sets are appropriate for a DOI?
Derived data sets that support a publication. Examples: The data tables, grids and maps that appear in a jorunal article.
Q: I have a data set DOI. How do I find the data?
Append the data set DOI to this base URL: http://dx.doi.org/ For example, for the DOI "10.1594/IEDA/100001", the URL that links to the data is: http://dx.doi.org/10.1594/IEDA/100001
Q: When registered with a DOI, is a data set considered "published"?
Yes. The data set becomes citable as a stand-alone entity, according to international standards, just like a published paper.
Q: What is the difference between data publication and citation?
Publication makes the data formally available and, following the definition of Mooney and Newton (2012 - see citation below), citation provides the "tool for scholarly acknowledgement" of that publication.
Q: Who is listed as the author of the data set?
The investigator who contributed the data.
Q: What are the benefits of registering data with a DOI?
- Provides a simple, effective method for data citation.
- Promotes a scholarly framework that recognises and rewards data producers.
- Endorses data sets generated from research as legitimate, citable contributions to the scientific record.
- DOI-tagged data sets have their own identity that is no longer associated only with specific publications.
- Assigns a permanent, citable URL to the data set.
- Facilitates data visibility, access, re-use and tracking.
- Helps assess the impact of data.
- Mooney, H, Newton, MP. (2012). The Anatomy of a Data Citation: Discovery, Reuse, and Credit. Journal of Librarianship and Scholarly Communication 1(1):eP1035. http://dx.doi.org/10.7710/2162-3309.1035