Publishing Partner Guide to DOIs
From MPublishing
MPublishing is a member of CrossRef, which allows us to create Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) of our publications. These DOIs provide a stable identifier for a work which redirects to the URL of the definitive version online. Besides providing a stable identifier for the work, CrossRef members are required to link to each other's works using DOIs—that is, to insert DOIs into bibliographic references appearing within articles—which can make citation trails easier to follow. That is, there are two different types of DOIs "added":
- Type A: a DOI created for each article published online by MPublishing
- Type B: a DOI inserted into each bibliographic reference in an article for which a DOI exists (in cases where the author neglected to provide this DOI)
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Journals
CrossRef members are required to create both types of DOIs for journal articles. Therefore, if a publishing partner for a journal creates a PDF version of the work (for distribution in print or online by MPublishing or through other channels) and if the publishing partner agrees to allow MPublishing to create DOIs for works distributed online by MPublishing, the publishing partner will need to insert DOIs into all files for content published since May 2011 (when MPublishing joined CrossRef). Which type(s) of DOI needs to be inserted into the PDF varies as described below. Note that if MPublishing does the typesetting for a publication, MPublishing staff will handle insertion of both types of DOIs into the PDFs.
If the journal is made available online as soon as possible
We recommend that the person creating the PDF insert the article's DOI (Type A) into the article, either on the first page or in a running header or footer. Type A DOIs have the form:
http://dx.doi.org/10.3998/<collid>.<idno>
where <collid> is whatever appears after c= in URLs for your publication and <idno> is whatever appears after idno= when viewing a particular article. Your contact at MPublishing can help you determine what the value of <idno> will be for a future issue or volume of your publication.
In addition, we recommend that the typeset version include the Type B DOIs directly in the text (preferably as clickable links in the PDF version published online). This ensures that the print version includes all of the information included in the web version of the article. In order to insert the DOIs, the publishing partner should check each bibliograhic reference against the CrossRef database using the Simple Text Query form provided by CrossRef or the Guest Query form.
If the journal is made available only after an "embargo period" (a delay for the free online version)
We recommend against inserting a DOI for the article (Type A) since that DOI will not function during the embargo period.
In addition, we recommend that the typeset version include the Type B DOIs directly in the text (preferably as clickable links in the PDF version published online). This ensures that the print version includes all of the information included in the web version of the article. In order to insert the DOIs, the publishing partner should check each bibliograhic reference against the CrossRef database using the Simple Text Query form provided by CrossRef or the Guest Query form.
Monographs and other non-journal content
For monographs and other non-journal content, CrossRef currently allows members to create only Type A DOIs. Since there is no convention for inserting DOIs into PDF versions of monographs, we do not recommend inserting Type A DOIs into the PDF at this time.
Since Type B DOIs are not required for monographs, you are not required to insert DOIs in bibliographic references. However, we encourage you to check each bibliograhic reference against the CrossRef database using the Simple Text Query form provided by CrossRef or the Guest Query form and insert them when applicable. Doing so makes it easier for readers to find source online.
