Skip to Main Content

Researcher Identifiers, Profiles and Networks: Researcher IDs & Profiles

Why Do I Need a Researcher ID & Profile?

Publishers and funding agencies increasingly require researcher/author identifiers, so sorting out your identifiers and getting on top of your online profile now will save you time later on. Maintaining your profile/s: 

  • Connects you to your research outputs and eliminates name ambiguity
  • Improves the discoverability of your work
  • Links your outputs across multiple platforms
  • Allows you to find collaborators
  • Gives you access to citation metrics

The tools on this page can be used to establish and boost your online profile. 

ORCID iD

ORCID logo

ORCID® (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) provides you with a unique 16-digit ID that you keep throughout your career to connect you with your research. Your ORCID iD can be integrated in key research workflows such as manuscript and grant submission, and supports automated linkages between you and your professional activities.

Your ORCID record (which is connected to your ORCID iD) can be populated with employment details, your education and qualifications, membership and service, publications as well as any funding you have received. You can also easily share data between your record and an increasing number of funding and publication platforms.


ORCID at Otago: Join the NZ ORCID Hub (staff only)

NZ ORCiD Hub logo

 

 

 

Otago academics can register for an ORCID iD through the NZ ORCID Hub, or link to the Hub using their existing ORCID iD. This authorises the university to verify your employment status in your ORCID record.

Scopus Author ID

Scopus logo

 

 

You do not have to sign up for a Scopus Author ID or Profile, as authors are automatically assigned an ID when they publish in a journal indexed by Scopus (Elsevier's abstract and citation database). Scopus Author ID:

  • helps distinguish between authors who share common names
  • standardises variations of your name across publications
  • tracks citations to your works in the Scopus database
  • enables your h-index to be displayed on your Scopus Author Profile

To check if you have a Scopus Author ID and Profile, login to Scopus via the Databases page and select "Author search". See the links below for help with Scopus Author ID and what to do if you need to make corrections to your profile. 

You can also easily connect to your ORCID iD, which means your works in Scopus will automatically appear in your ORCID record.

Learn more:

Web of Science ResearcherID

Web of Science logo

Web of Science, like Scopus, assigns a ResearcherID to authors who publish in journals that it indexes. Your ResearcherID connects you to your publications across the Web of Science ecosystem.

Web of Science's ResearcherID and Researcher Profiles have replaced Publons. A Web of Science Researcher Profile allows you to track your publications and citation metrics, as well as showcase your editing and peer review work. With a Researcher Profile you can also:

Learn more:

Google Scholar

Google Scholar logo

A Google Scholar Profile provides an easy way for others to find your research, and enables you to keep track of your publications and see the publications that cite your work. 

When you sign up, Google Scholar will generate a list of your publications from sources it indexes and also displays your h-index. Your list of publications can be updated automatically or be reviewed and manually updated. Co-authors can also be added to promote collaborations. And, if you set your profile to ‘public’, it will appear in Google Scholar search results.

You can also export publications from your Google Scholar Profile into your ORCID record using a BibTeX file (instructions here).

Sign up and learn MoreGoogle Scholar Profile Overview and Help Pages

Dimensions

 

 

 

Dimensions automatically aggregates information for your profile, primarily from your ORCiD record, but notes: “The information on this profile has been aggregated algorithmically from several different sources (including publication and public ORCiD data).”

You cannot edit your Dimensions profile directly or add a profile photo at this time. However, keeping your ORCiD profile updated, detailed, and accurate helps ensure that the correct information is pulled into Dimensions.

If you notice any errors, please contact Dimensions Support to request changes via their Google Form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSewyFXx7IHB5Lf7sxkIjqLeavfKJ1ijwGqGfG7Z6KJTO_EYfA/viewform

 

Learn more:

More information about Dimension profiles (from Dimensions) 

How to Find Researchers (and their Profiles) (from Dimensions)

Further Help

For further help with your online profiles please contact your Librarian at your campus library.