Demonstrate Your Contributions with ORCID

FAQs

What is an ORCID iD?

An ORCID iD is an alphanumeric code, kind of like a social security number, that links you to your professional activities and distinguishes you from other researchers. 

Examples of Stanford Medicine ORCID records:

Name ORCID iD
John Borghi https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9570-4163
Sam Wilairat https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5836-4523
Chris Stave https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8232-3994
Connie Wong https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7069-8761
Amanda Woodward https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8815-1369
Mark Musen https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3325-793X
Am I required to have an ORCID iD?

Most likely. There are converging ORCID-related requirements from funding agencies, scholarly publishers, and other entities. For example, NIH, AHRQ, and CDC currently require that anyone supported by research training, fellowship, research education, and career development awards have an ORCID iD. Similarly, ORCID iDs are part of Stanford's proposed open access policy. Because ORCID-related requirements continue to evolve, Lane Library and the other libraries at Stanford recommend that every Stanford-affiliated researcher claim their ORCID.

What should I do if I have multiple ORCID iDs?

When you are setting up an ORCID iD, ORCID will automatically check to ensure that you aren't unintentionally creating a duplicate iD. We strongly advise against creating duplicate iDs, even if you've forgotten your previous login information or changed institutions. Instead, we recommend that you associate all of your e-mail addresses with a single ORCID iD.

ORCID relies on users to report duplicated iDs. So, in the event that you have unintentionally created more than one ORCID iD, contact the ORCID Support team. Because ORCIDs are designed to be persistent, they will not delete your old accounts, 

Can somebody else edit my ORCID record?

Yes, you can grant one or more "trusted individuals" to update and manage your ORCID record on your behalf. Other ORCID users can also grant permission for you to update their records. A "trusted individual" does not need to be another researcher, but must have an ORCID iD.

To grant access to a trusted individual, log into your ORCID account, go to Account settings, then Trusted individuals. In the search box, enter the ORCID iD, email address, or name of the person you want to make a trusted individual, then click search. When you've found the person you are looking for, click Add.

How can I find ORCID iDs?

The ORCID Registry allows you to search for public ORCID records by name, institution, and ORCID iDs. Used the search bar on the top right of the ORCID homepage or Advanced Search

How can I change my name on my ORCID record?

To update how your name appears in your ORCID record, login to your ORCID record and click on the pencil icon on the left hand side of your name. You can enter your First Name (i.e. your given name or the name you most commonly go by), Last Name (i.e your family name, surname, or last name), and Published Name (i.e. how you prefer your name to appear when credited). You can also include additional names you may be known by adding variations to "Also known as." Add each name as a single item. For more information, watch this video

How can Lane Library help me with ORCID?

Reach out to your liaison librarian to schedule a 1-1 consultation or ORCID-related workshop. Liaison librarians can help you set up your ORCID iD, troubleshoot importing works to your ORCID record, help you link your ORCID iD and myNCBI profile, and help you understand how your ORCID fits into broader efforts to highlight your scholarly contributions. In general, liaison librarians do not have the bandwidth to manage your ORCID record, however, we can help train other "trusted individuals" to do so on your behalf.

Where can I find more information about ORCID and other ways of tracking my scholarly contributions?

In addition to the ORCID guide created by Stanford University Libraries, we maintain a research impact guide that discusses both ORCID and similar tools like ResearcherID. ORCID itself has an extremely useful help page that answers common questions and links to an extensive set of video tutorials.

Lane Library also regularly offers ORCID classes and workshops, see our upcoming events page or contact your liaison librarian to request a session.