ORCID Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is an ORCID iD, and do I need one?
An ORCID iD is a unique, persistent identifier assigned to scholars to distinguish them from others with similar names. It ensures that work is correctly attributed to the researcher throughout the researcher's academic career. Some publishers, funders, and institutions now require ORCID iDs to streamline research tracking and eliminate name ambiguities.
2. How do I register for an ORCID iD, and is it free?
Yes, registering for an ORCID iD is free. You can sign up at https://orcid.org/register. Once registered, you’ll receive a 16-digit ORCID identifier (e.g., 0000-0001-2345-6789) that can be used in publications, grant applications, and academic profiles.
3. Can I link my ORCID iD to my publications and other research outputs?
Yes, ORCID allows you to connect your iD to your research outputs, including but not limited to:
Journal articles
Conference papers
Datasets
Books & chapters
Grants & funding records
Many publishers also allow you to link your ORCID iD when submitting manuscripts. In addition, you may add your ORCID iD to your profile in Pivot, the university's funding and research networking platform.
4. How might ORCID help with grant applications and academic profiles?
ORCID aims to simplify the grant application process by allowing funders (e.g., NIH, NSF, etc.) to access a researcher's verified research history. Many institutions and funding bodies integrate ORCID into their systems, reducing redundant data entry. Additionally, you may link your ORCID iD to other profiles (e.g., Google Scholar) for automatic updates.
5. I've heard that ORCID is primarily for scholars in STEM disciplines. How does ORCID support scholars in arts and humanities disciplines?
In January 2025, ORCID announced that it had expanded its work types to better support scholars in the arts and humanities. Previously, many non-STEM researchers had to classify their outputs as “Other,” which did not accurately reflect their contributions. Now, ORCID allows researchers to claim credit for a wider variety of work types, including musical compositions, moving images, sound recordings, conference presentations, public speeches, and teaching materials. These new categories align with the Controlled Vocabularies for Repositories (COAR) to ensure better integration with other academic systems. Scholars can add these works manually to their ORCID records or have them imported via the ORCID Member API. For more information, see https://info.orcid.org/new-work-types/.
6. Can App State faculty add their ORCID iDs to works they deposit into App State's institutional repository, Open AIR?
While ORCID iDs are not required, App State faculty, staff, and students who have ORCID iDs will have their ORCID iDs automatically associated with any works they deposit into the institutional repository. ORCID iDs will be automatically matched to users' App State credentials when they log into the repository. This guide provides more information about the repository.
7. While ORCID seems to offer many benefits, are there any potential drawbacks or challenges associated with its use documented in the literature?
Although ORCID is widely adopted and promoted by some publishers, libraries, and funding agencies, several challenges and concerns have been identified in the literature. Baglioni et al. (2021) highlight misapplications that, though limited in scope, could undermine ORCID’s reliability, leading to skepticism about its infrastructure. Privacy and security concerns are also documented, as Choraś and Jaroszewska-Choraś (2020) warn that mandatory ORCID registration may threaten academic freedom, while Houghton and Foster (2024) find that faculty in Irish higher education may view ORCID as an imposed administrative burden. Additionally, Reuss et al. (2023) identify security vulnerabilities in ORCID’s trust markers, emphasizing possible risks associated with access token breaches that could enable academic fraud and misinformation.
See the complete citations for these and other articles about ORCID on the Additional Resources page.
8. What is App State's Research Organization Registry (ROR) ID?
Although the ROR is not necessary for setting up an ORCID profile, App State's ROR information can be found at https://ror.org/051m4vc48. In addition, the page displays information regarding the university's ISNI, GRID, CrossRef Funder ID, and Wikidata identifiers.
9. What are trust markers in ORCID, and why do they matter?
Trust markers in ORCID are verified metadata elements that confirm the authenticity of a researcher’s profile. These markers, added by trusted organizations (such as universities, publishers, and funders), help establish credibility by ensuring that affiliations, publications, funding, and peer reviews are accurate and validated. In this regard, trust markers in ORCID can play a crucial role in preventing the misrepresentation of credentials in scholarly communication by ensuring that affiliations, publications, and contributions are verified by trusted organizations.
The ORCID US Community offers a list of member organizations, such as universities, publishers, professional organizations, and funders, that are part of the consortium. Membership in ORCID enables these institutions to serve as trust markers by verifying affiliations and contributions, thereby enhancing the credibility of researchers' profiles.
10. Is an ORCID iD required for federal research grants?
ORCID is increasingly becoming a requirement for U.S. federal research grants due to its role in research security and transparency.
The National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33), issued in 2021, directed major federal funding agencies to implement persistent identifiers (PIDs)* to improve transparency in research while reducing administrative burdens. Additionally, in August 2022, the OSTP Public Access Memo (viz., Nelson Memo) reinforced the importance of PIDs such as ORCID in making federally funded research freely available without delay. As a result, some U.S. funding agencies are expected to implement ORCID as part of their grant application and reporting processes (ORCID, 2023, ORCID Poised to Support Research Institutions in New Era of Public Access and Research Security).
*In some contexts, PIDs (e.g., ORCID iDs, DOIs) may also be referred to as "DPIs" (Digital Persistent Identifiers) which the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) defines as "a digital identifier that is globally unique, persistent, machine resolvable and processable, and has an associated metadata schema. Consistent with NSPM-33, digital persistent identifiers for individuals are used to disambiguate and identify an individual person.” (OSTP, 2022, Guidance for Implementing National Security Presidential Memorandum 33 (NSPM-33) on National Security Strategy for United States Government-Supported Research and Development, p. 22)
