Open Researcher and Contributor ID (ORCID): ORCID

ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) allows researchers to create a unique, persistent profile that identifies their work and distinguishes them from other scholars with similar or identical names. Essentially, ORCID allows scholars to create a digital CV for themselves which they can access and maintain throughout their careers, regardless of institutional affiliation.

Why was ORCID created?

It can be difficult to attribute a scholarly work to its creator when there are several individuals with similar or identical names, especially when there are multiple scholars with similar or identical names working within the same discipline. ORCID was created to allow researchers to identify and claim their works.  ORCID's vision statement reads:

"ORCID’s vision is a world where all who participate in research, scholarship, and innovation are uniquely identified and connected to their contributions across disciplines, borders, and time."

Many different stakeholders, including funders, publishers, and researchers themselves, benefit from being able to identify a scholar's works and other contributions to their field.

Why should I create an ORCID profile?

Having an ORCID profile offers several key benefits:

1. Identify and claim your scholarly work: Having a complete, authoritative list of your scholarly works is incredibly helpful if there are other scholars working in your field with similar or identical names or if you have published using different versions of your name (e.g. some of your publications include your middle initial while others don't, some include your first name written out while others include only your initials, you previously published under your maiden name, etc.).
2. Retain access across time and institutions: Your ORCID profile is yours throughout your career. You can continue to access and update your ORCID profile throughout your career, regardless of your institutional affiliation.
3. Comply with funder and publisher requirements: As ORCID increasingly becomes part of the scholarly communications workflow, publishers and funders are increasingly requesting or requiring an ORCID with manuscript and grant submissions.

What information can I include on my ORCID?

ORCID contains fields for the following types of information:

1. Employment history
2. Education and qualifications (such as training or certificate program)
3. Invited positions and distinctions, including honorary fellowships, guest lectures, awards and prizes
4. Membership and service
5. Funding history
6. Scholarly works

Do I have to manually enter the information for all my publications on my ORCID?

No. You can add works to your ORCID using a PMID or a DOI.  In addition, you can use the search and link wizard features to automatically identify and add publications from a variety of sources. Here's ORCID's video tutorial on how to use the search and link wizard features.

The ORCID community includes researchers, publishers, and funders. Learn more about why each of these constituencies uses ORCID.

• Researchers
• Publishers
• Funding organizations

As of fiscal year (FY) 2020, the NIH, AHRQ, and CDC has required that individuals supported by research training, fellowship, research education, and career development awards have an ORCID ID. Read the full announcement.

CITI Program Learners can now associate their ORCID to their account profiles. Follow the link below for step-by-step instructions on how to link the accounts.