Citation using DOI
A data citation using a DOI takes the form of:
The Creator may be a person or organization. The Publication Date is when the dataset was first available through the Publisher. The Title is free-form name of the dataset and may include other qualifying information such as processing level, resolution or version. The Publisher is the distributing organization. The Access Date is when the data was obtained from the Publisher.
Through the DOI system, the identifier will always resolve to the location of the data (i.e., to the URL where the data can be found).
Below is an example of the EOSDIS citation guidelines for GESDISC MEaSURE data using a doi:
There is an online tool that can generate a citation by entering the doi and selecting the appropriate journal and language.
http://crosscite.org/citeproc/
For example, the doi:10.3334/ORNLDAAC/1099 for the American Geological Union in American English:
DOI Structure
A DOI consists of two part alphanumeric string: doi:[prefix]/[suffix] which can serve as a permanent data identifier for citation in publications. In the hypothetical DOI: ‘10.5067/123’, the prefix ‘10’ identifies the DOI registry and is followed by ‘5067’, which identifies the Registrant Agent. The number ‘5067’ has been assigned for NASA ESDIS. The suffix alphanumeric string ‘123’ uniquely identifies the data item, and is otherwise free for the RA to assign and manage. DOIs are case insensitive, generally coded in all capital letters.
DOI Suffix Model
The following are models for a standard DOI suffix string vocabulary; they will be used as guidance in assigning DOIs. Forward slash is used to represent containment. The purpose is to characterize the data product.
[mission]/[instrument]/data[m][n]
[campaign]/[platform group]/data[m][n]
[campaign]/[measurement group]/data[n]
[program]/[measurement group]/data[n]
[measurement group]/[data[n]
[instrument]/[shortname.version]
In the above syntax, the processing level of the product is depicted by [m] where ‘m’ ranges from 1 through 3 for products from satellite instruments. (i.e., NASA satellite products are generally depicted as belonging to a Level of processing, Level 1 being calibrated/geolocated radiances through Level 3 being global grids of derived geophysical values). When a Level designation isn’t appropriate [m] is dropped from the syntax.
Keyword "DATA" is placed in the DOI to distinguish raw and processed data collections from research papers.
A sequence number is assigned on a first-come-first-serve basis, represented by [n].
DOIs have additional value when stored in product metadata. Researchers that acquire product data files should be able use the DOI to find the definitive documentation from NASA’s Scientific and Technical Information archives. Adding DOIs to product metadata will also enable tools for provenance tracking – help find more information about the creation of the data product. This link takes you to a page that explains the conventions we want to use and evaluate: DOIs in the Metadata
