Q. What is a DOI number?

What is a DOI Number?  

DOIs are a sort of ID number assigned to articles and other items to tell them apart. This means that two articles could have the same title or the same author, but they will never share the same DOI. Similarly, an item DOI will always refer to the same article over time.  

What does a DOI look like? 

DOI numbers can look like a string of digits separated with slashes and periods: 

Example: 10.1007/s13592-016-0439-5

Occasionally, DOIs will begin with http:// or https:// : 

Example: https://doi.org/10.1177/08912432211046988

These DOIs can be pasted into a browser like a url and will direct you to the article on the publisher’s website.

Note: the article may still be behind a paywall. If this is the case, search for the article by title in Search@UW to verify it is a resource the Library licenses or owns. If you cannot find the article in Search@UW, you can request it through Interlibrary Loan.

Where do I find DOIs? 

If you’re unsure of an article’s DOI, you can look it up using the source’s title or author information on the site Crossref.org. You can also find article DOIs in several places: 

1. Printed or listed on the first page of scholarly articles, usually in the heading or below the title  
    
2.  In Search@UW records, DOIs are sometimes listed under the “Identifier” section towards the bottom of page

How can I use DOIs as a researcher? 

Citing sources-

If the article you’re citing has a DOI number, the citation style you’re using may require that you include the DOI. Visit the Citation Styles Guide to learn more about if and where to include a DOIs in your citations.  

Searching for articles by DOI using Libkey.io-

1. On the Libraries homepage, open the "Search and Find" drop down menu.
2. Select "Search by DOI/PMID" from the menu (the third option from the bottom)
3. Paste the DOI number of the article in the search bar and click on "Find an article by DOI or PMID"

Requesting articles through InterLibrary Loan 

You can use a DOI number to fill in an interlibrary loan request form. Paste the full DOI into the top box in the Interlibrary loan article request form, and then click “Resolve DOI." This will auto-fill the form with the details for the item you’re requesting.