ORCID (Open Researcher Contributor Identifier) iDs: Why Use an ORCID?

ORCID is a not-for-profit organization, sustained by fees from their member organizations. They do not sell researchers' information. ORCID is governed by a Board of Directors representative of their membership, with wide stakeholder representation. They are committed to advancing the research ecosystem through better outcomes which focuses on four priorities:  

• Researchers

  • Position the researcher at the center of all that they do

• Trusted Assertions

  • Enable a wide range of verified iD to ID connections

• Infrastructure

  • Invest in developing a robust information infrastructure

• Strategic relationships

  • Develop sustainability through strategic relationships

I. An ORCID record is like a CV, but rather than a static document the data within it is interoperable with other systems that are ORCID enabled. Types of Data that your ORCID record can include:

• Biographical information

• Employment

• Education and qualifications

• Memberships and service

• Invited positions and distinctions

• Funding

• Works

• Peer review activity

• Research resources

II. You can have the organizations that you work with (research institutions, publishers, and funders) write data to your ORCID record for you if their systems are ORCID-enabled. The UC Publication Management System (UCPMS) is ORCID enabled. For more information see the UC & ORCID tab on this page.

• Benefit: save time, improve accuracy and metadata integrity, make sure your you get credit for your contributions and affiliations

You can transfer data from your ORCID record to organizations that you work with by clicking a button rather than filling out forms over and over again.

• Benefit: save time and reduce administrative burden

III. ORCID is not "just one more thing" that you have to do on top of everything else. It can be used to replace outdated workflows like keeping a static Word document CV up to date and filling out your information and activities on forms over and over again for different organizations and systems.  Any time you would have spent updating your static CV can be spent instead on making sure your ORCID record is up to date.

IV. If you do need a CV document, you can use the "public print view" option on your ORCID record to generate a PDF version of your record that is formatted like a CV. You can access the print view by adding /print to your ORCID iD url. 

V. ORCID works like an ecosystem: the more people and organizations using ORCID, the more everyone benefits. ORCID is used across the globe by major research institutions, publishers and funders:

• Publishers requiring ORCID

• Funders requiring ORCID

• U.S. Research Organizations using ORCID

The ORCID iD icon identifies interoperable systems where you can use your ORCID iD: