ORCID Researcher Identifier
Open Researcher and Contributor ID · Also known as: ORCID, researcher identifier, ORCID iD
ORCID (Open Researcher and Contributor ID) is a free, unique, persistent 16-digit identifier assigned to researchers that distinguishes them from others with the same or similar names. Launched in 2012 by ORCID Inc., a non-profit organization, the ORCID system addresses a critical problem in scholarly communication: name ambiguity. Millions of researchers worldwide share names (e.g., 'Smith, J.'). Without a unique identifier, citations and publications are difficult to attribute correctly, author H-indices are miscalculated, and researchers are credit for work they did not do. An ORCID iD is free, permanent, and owned by the researcher; it persists regardless of affiliation changes or career transitions.
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When to use it
Create an ORCID iD immediately when you begin publishing research (as a graduate student, postdoc, or early-career researcher). It is free and takes 5 minutes. Use your ORCID in: (1) journal submissions (now required or encouraged by Nature, PLOS, Springer, Wiley, others), (2) grant applications (required by NIH, NSF, EU, and most major funders), (3) institutional profiles (universities, research institutes), (4) resumes and CVs, (5) researcher databases (Scopus Author ID, ResearchGate), (6) any system that asks for a researcher identifier. Even if your current field does not mandate ORCID, it is increasingly expected and will benefit your career.
Strengths & limitations
- Solves the name ambiguity problem: your ORCID distinguishes you from other researchers with the same name, ensuring accurate citation attribution.
- Persistent across career transitions: your ORCID follows you if you change institutions, funding agencies, or even careers; it does not depend on institutional affiliation.
- Free and non-proprietary: ORCID is maintained by a non-profit organization; you own your identifier, which is not controlled by a for-profit company.
- Integration with major systems: ORCID is now linked with journal submission systems, funder databases, institutional repositories, and researcher profiles (Scopus, ResearchGate).
- Enables accurate research assessment: by maintaining an accurate publication record linked to your ORCID, funders and institutions can better assess research impact and appropriately allocate resources.
- Adoption is uneven globally: researchers in some countries and fields are less likely to use ORCID; mandatory adoption has not reached all journals or institutions.
- Profile completeness is voluntary: incomplete or outdated ORCID profiles can be as problematic as no ORCID. You must actively maintain your profile.
- Integration with publishers is incomplete: not all publishers automatically link articles to ORCID profiles; some require manual import or linking.
- Does not solve all disambiguation problems: ORCID eliminates name-based ambiguity, but researchers may be confused with others due to similar research interests or institutional affiliation.
- Reliance on researcher active maintenance: if you do not update your ORCID for years, it becomes outdated, which can cause missed publication attributions.
Frequently asked
Is ORCID the same as my Scopus Author ID?
No. ORCID and Scopus Author ID are two different systems. ORCID is a non-profit, researcher-owned identifier; Scopus Author ID is assigned by Elsevier's Scopus database. You can have both and should link them. ORCID is more broadly recognized by publishers and funders. Scopus Author ID is useful within the Scopus ecosystem (searching author profiles, tracking citations). Include ORCID in journal submissions; include Scopus Author ID in your institutional profile or CV if you use Scopus.
What should I do if my name changes (marriage, transition, etc.)?
ORCID allows you to update your name on your profile at any time. You can also add previous names as 'alternate names' or 'formerly known as' so that people searching your old name find your profile. Your ORCID iD itself never changes; only the name associated with it updates. Contact ORCID support if you need to update your legal name permanently.
Can I delete my ORCID iD?
ORCID iDs cannot be deleted, but you can make your profile private (not discoverable in searches) or remove all information from it, leaving only your name and iD. This is rarely necessary unless you are leaving research entirely. In most cases, maintaining an accurate, updated ORCID profile is beneficial even if you transition to non-research careers.
How do I link my ORCID to my publisher account or journal submission?
During journal submission, the platform will ask for your ORCID (or offer an option to add it). Click the link to ORCID, log in to your ORCID account, authorize the journal to access your profile, and you are done. The journal will then populate submission forms with your information and may auto-sync future publications to your ORCID. Many publishers (Nature, PLOS, Springer) support this integration; if your target journal does not, manually add your ORCID to your manuscript byline or author information.
Sources
- Haak, L. L., Fenner, M., Paglione, L., Pentz, E., & Ratner, H. (2012). ORCID: A system to uniquely identify researchers. Learn. Publ., 25(4), 259–264. DOI: 10.1087/20120404 ↗
- ORCID Inc. (2024). About ORCID. https://orcid.org link ↗
- Wolf, T., & Delgado, L. (2020). ORCID for research libraries: A collection of resources and research. First Monday, 25(5). link ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Open Researcher and Contributor ID. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/research-skills/orcid-researcher-id
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