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Citation Style: DOI Information

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DOI Overview

What does it mean?

DOI is an acronym for Digital Object Identifier. It is a unique string of numbers and letters to identify a digital object like an electronic journal article, online report, or dataset.

What does it do?

A DOI provides a stable and persistent link to the object on the Internet. It can be expressed as either an alphanumeric string or a URL.

Where do you find it?

The DOI is typically located on the first page of an electronic journal article near the copyright information.

Why is it important?

A DOI remains fixed over the lifetime of a document. If a digital document changes location, you should still be able to find it using the correct DOI. This is unlike a URL (Uniform Resource Locator), which changes if a document is moved to a new location.

Using DOI to cite sources in APA

When citing sources, you should use the DOI (Digital Object Identifier) instead of the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) if a DOI is available. This flowchart from APA can help you determine when to use the DOI and when to use a URL.

In the printed sixth edition of Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, DOIs are formatted as alphanumeric strings. However, there is a new recommendation in the APA Style Guide to Electronic References to format DOIs as permanent URLs. This is thought to be more user-friendly.

  • Original format recommendation

                                      doi:10.1038/nature21028

  • New format recommendation

                                      http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature21028

You will find both formats on articles you are using for your research. APA recommends that you use the format that appears on the source you are citing.

Electronic Journal article citation when DOI is available in original format (APA 6th):

Podsakoff, N. P., Whiting, S. W., Podsakoff, P. M., & Mishra, P. (2011). Effects of organizational        citizenship behaviors on selection decisions in employment interviews. Journal of Applied        Psychology, 96, 310–326. doi:10.1037/a0020948

Electronic Journal article citation when DOI is available in new format (APA 6th):

Podsakoff, N. P., Whiting, S. W., Podsakoff, P. M., & Mishra, P. (2011). Effects of organizational        citizenship behaviors on selection decisions in employment interviews. Journal of Applied        Psychology, 96, 310–326. http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0020948

Remember to always verify that the DOI is correctly linking to the digital document. You also want to check to see if a DOI is available, even if it is not visible on the digital document. Use the resources in the "Check Your DOI" box below to assist you. If a DOI is not available, APA recommends that you use the URL in your citation.

Electronic Journal article citation when DOI is NOT available (APA 6th).

Sillick, T. J., & Schutte, N. S. (2006). Emotional intelligence and self-esteem mediate between        perceived early parental love and adult happiness. E-Journal of Applied Psychology, 2(2),        38–48. Retrieved from http://ojs.lib.swin.edu.au /index.php/ejap

 

If you have further questions regarding APA format, please consult the resources below or ask a librarian.

Check Your DOI

Do you have the right DOI? Check here:

If you encounter a DOI string (e.g., doi:10.1038/nature21028) that is not hyperlinked, you can enter it in the box below:
TIP: You can turn a DOI string into a URL by adding the DOI string to http://dx.doi.org/

 

Additional resources for locating and verifying DOI numbers:

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  • Last Updated: Oct 21, 2023 4:28 PM