| What is ORCID | ORCID stands for Open Researcher and Contributor ID. The ORCID initiative focuses on solving the name ambiguity problem by creating persistent unique identifiers and linking mechanisms between different ID schemes and research objects. |
| What kind of information does ORCID have about me? | Per the orcid.org website, “ORCID records hold non-sensitive information such as name, email, organization and research activities. ORCID understands the fundamental need for individuals to control how their data are shared, and provides tools to manage data privacy. We take steps to protect your information, consistent with the principles set forth in our Privacy Policy, which are intended to comply with the Safe Harbor Principles issued by the U.S. Department of Commerce.” |
| How can I get an ORCID? | You can set up an ORCID yourself using the form on the ORCID website. |
| Will an ORCID be assigned to me? | Each author or researcher is responsible for creating or claiming their own ORCID. |
| What if I already have an ORCID? | If you have already created an ORCID, you're all set. Update your record at orcid.org to add your @caltech email address. If it was created for you, you will need to claim it. |
| There's already an ORCID record for me. How did it get there? | Some publishers, such as Nature, are creating basic ORCID records for their authors. You will need to claim the record as your own before you can update and populate it. |
| How do I claim a record? | If your name already exists in the ORCID database, you will see a screen asking if any of the other individuals with the same name are you. There could also be a message saying an "unclaimed profile already exists". If you see this message an institution has already created an ORCID record for you, and you just need to claim it. Check your email for a message with a link to claim the record. If you see this message but have not received an email contact ORCID support. |
| I just don't want an ORCID. Can I opt out? | Yes, you can simply delete your ORCID. We don't recommend this, since we foresee a time when ORCIDs will be required for grant applications and by publishers. An unused ORCID is not a problem, so we suggest keeping it until you need it. |
| Can someone else to claim my research, or can I claim research done by someone else? | Yes. Having an ORCID cannot prevent these problems, but it can make them easier to detect, since, unlike names, your ORCID is unique to you. ORCID is simply a registry of scholarship. You can clean up your profile by identifying your own research and deleting any entries that are not your work. |
| Who manages my profile? | You are responsible for it. You always have the choice of manually adding information to your ORCID profile. |
| Will my ORCID profile (at orcid.org) populate automatically with my research output? | Initially, you can populate your profile with articles in other databases such as Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed Central, CrossRef Metadata Search, and works already associated with an Thomson Reuters' ResearcherID. Select from these options under "For Researchers -> My ORCID Record" in the "Works" area. Click on "Import Works" to get started. Only articles with a DOI will appear automatically. Other research aggregators such as ADS, ArXiv, and ProQuest also plan to work with ORCID in the near future. |
| Can I add articles to make my record complete? | Yes. Your publication list at will grow automatically as more publishers come on board, but you may add to your profile immediately if you wish. Identifying your work with an ORCID may help to make it more visible on the web. |
| Is ORCID just for articles? | Right now an orcid.org profile will only populate automatically with texts, but ORCID can be used for any kind of work, including social sciences. |
| Do ORCID profiles support citations in non-Latin scripts? | Yes, non-Latin script character sets with Unicode encoding are supported for display and search of ORCID profiles and the ORCID registry. Such citations may be added to your profile manually, or imported (if the exporting database supports these characters). |
| I just don't want an ORCID. Can I opt out? | Yes, you can simply delete your ORCID. We don't recommend this, since we foresee a time when ORCIDs will be required for grant applications and by publishers. An unused ORCID is not a problem, so we suggest keeping it until you need it. |
| What if I leave Caltech? | Your ORCID goes with you. It is not tied to a particular institution. |
Credit is due to the University of Michigan Library's guide to ORCIDs, as they heavily influenced the contents of this one. Thank you for plowing the field for us!