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Do we need a Unique Scientist ID for publications in biomedicine?

Do we need a Unique Scientist ID for publications in biomedicine? Background: The PubMed database contains nearly 15 million references from more than 4,800 biomedical journals. In general, authors of scientific articles are addressed by their last name and forename initial. Discussion: In general, names can be too common and not unique enough to be search criteria. Today, Ph.D. students, other researchers and women publish scientific work. A person may not only have one name but several names and publish under each name. A Unique Scientist ID could help to address people in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. As a starting point, perhaps PubMed could generate and manage such a scientist ID. Summary: A Unique Scientist ID would improve knowledge management in science. Unfortunately in some of the publications, and then within the online databases, only one letter abbreviates the author's forename. A common name with only one initial could retrieve pertinent citations, but include many false drops (retrieval matching searched criteria but indisputably irrelevant). fessors in universities and academic health sciences cent- Background The National Library of Medicine (NLM) created PubMed, ers, published scientific results of their work under their which is one of the largest literature databases in biomed- names. Most scientists were men. Their names were con- icine. The database contains nearly 15 million references sistent and did not change by marriage. Today, Ph.D. stu- from more than 4,800 biomedical journals. In general, dents, other researchers and women publish scientific authors of scientific articles are addressed by their last work. Women may be using a married name, which may name and forename initial. For example, a search for "Lee be a compound name for authorship. Thus a person may C", a common Chinese name, would retrieve over 9000 not only have one name but several names and publish hits (Fig 1). under each name. In Germany, there can be nameconfu- sion for titles of nobility from former times or for com- Discussion posed names. Claus-Wilhelm von der Lieth (with 'Claus- In general, names can be too common and not unique Wilhelm' as forename and 'von der Lieth' as surname) is enough to be search criteria. Modern life advances this cited in several mutations, such as 'Vonderlieth CW', point. In former times only a few scientists, normally pro- 'Lieth von der CW' or only 'Lieth CW'. Page 1 of 2 (page number not for citation purposes) Biomedical Digital Libraries 2005, 2:1 http://www.bio-diglib.com/content/2/1/1 PubMed search f Figure 1 or 'Lee C' PubMed search for 'Lee C'. A simple search for 'Lee C' results over 9000 articles from PubMed. Especially with a view to the future, such a Unique Scien- Authors' contributions tist ID could help to address people in peer-to-peer (P2P) Both authors contributed equally. networks. One such network based article reference P2P network is Bibster [1]. Bibster is a Java-based system Competing interests which assists researchers in managing, searching and shar- The author(s) declare that they have no competing ing bibliographic metadata in a peer-to-peer network. interests. How can one easily find articles written by a particular References 1. Haase P, Broekstra J, Ehrig M, Menken M, Mika P, Plechawski M, Pys- person? A Unique Scientist ID could help to address per- zlak P, Schnizler B, Siebes R, Staab S, Tempich C: Bibster – A sons. A Unique Scientist ID should contain all the ver- Semantics-Based Bibliographic Peer-to-Peer System. Pro- sions of a scientist's name. As a starting point, perhaps ceedings of the International Semantic Web Conference (ISWC2004), November 9–11, Hiroshima Japan 2004 in press. http://bibster.seman PubMed could generate and manage such a scientist ID. ticweb.org/publications/haase_04_bibster.pdf Adding the Scientist ID should become as routine as add- ing an email address to the article's citation. Conclusion Publish with Bio Med Central and every A Unique Scientist ID would improve knowledge manage- scientist can read your work free of charge ment in science. At the moment authors of publications "BioMed Central will be the most significant development for are only addressed in most online databases by name, ini- disseminating the results of biomedical researc h in our lifetime." tials and address. Unfortunately in some of the publica- Sir Paul Nurse, Cancer Research UK tions, and then within the online databases, only one Your research papers will be: letter abbreviates the author's forename. A search for a available free of charge to the entire biomedical community special author is successful if the name is quite unique or peer reviewed and published immediately upon acceptance a combination of authors is used for the search. In such a cited in PubMed and archived on PubMed Central case, a common name with only one initial could retrieve yours — you keep the copyright pertinent citations, but include many false drops (retrieval matching searched criteria but indisputably irrelevant). BioMedcentral Submit your manuscript here: http://www.biomedcentral.com/info/publishing_adv.asp Page 2 of 2 (page number not for citation purposes) http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Biomedical Digital Libraries Springer Journals

Do we need a Unique Scientist ID for publications in biomedicine?

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References (3)

Publisher
Springer Journals
Copyright
Copyright © 2005 by Bohne-Lang and Lang; licensee BioMed Central Ltd.
Subject
Biomedicine; Biomedicine, general
eISSN
1742-5581
DOI
10.1186/1742-5581-2-1
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Background: The PubMed database contains nearly 15 million references from more than 4,800 biomedical journals. In general, authors of scientific articles are addressed by their last name and forename initial. Discussion: In general, names can be too common and not unique enough to be search criteria. Today, Ph.D. students, other researchers and women publish scientific work. A person may not only have one name but several names and publish under each name. A Unique Scientist ID could help to address people in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. As a starting point, perhaps PubMed could generate and manage such a scientist ID. Summary: A Unique Scientist ID would improve knowledge management in science. Unfortunately in some of the publications, and then within the online databases, only one letter abbreviates the author's forename. A common name with only one initial could retrieve pertinent citations, but include many false drops (retrieval matching searched criteria but indisputably irrelevant). fessors in universities and academic health sciences cent- Background The National Library of Medicine (NLM) created PubMed, ers, published scientific results of their work under their which is one of the largest literature databases in biomed- names. Most scientists were men. Their names were con- icine. The database contains nearly 15 million references sistent and did not change by marriage. Today, Ph.D. stu- from more than 4,800 biomedical journals. In general, dents, other researchers and women publish scientific authors of scientific articles are addressed by their last work. Women may be using a married name, which may name and forename initial. For example, a search for "Lee be a compound name for authorship. Thus a person may C", a common Chinese name, would retrieve over 9000 not only have one name but several names and publish hits (Fig 1). under each name. In Germany, there can be nameconfu- sion for titles of nobility from former times or for com- Discussion posed names. Claus-Wilhelm von der Lieth (with 'Claus- In general, names can be too common and not unique Wilhelm' as forename and 'von der Lieth' as surname) is enough to be search criteria. Modern life advances this cited in several mutations, such as 'Vonderlieth CW', point. In former times only a few scientists, normally pro- 'Lieth von der CW' or only 'Lieth CW'. Page 1 of 2 (page number not for citation purposes) Biomedical Digital Libraries 2005, 2:1 http://www.bio-diglib.com/content/2/1/1 PubMed search f Figure 1 or 'Lee C' PubMed search for 'Lee C'. A simple search for 'Lee C' results over 9000 articles from PubMed. Especially with a view to the future, such a Unique Scien- Authors' contributions tist ID could help to address people in peer-to-peer (P2P) Both authors contributed equally. networks. One such network based article reference P2P network is Bibster [1]. Bibster is a Java-based system Competing interests which assists researchers in managing, searching and shar- The author(s) declare that they have no competing ing bibliographic metadata in a peer-to-peer network. interests. How can one easily find articles written by a particular References 1. Haase P, Broekstra J, Ehrig M, Menken M, Mika P, Plechawski M, Pys- person? A Unique Scientist ID could help to address per- zlak P, Schnizler B, Siebes R, Staab S, Tempich C: Bibster – A sons. A Unique Scientist ID should contain all the ver- Semantics-Based Bibliographic Peer-to-Peer System. Pro- sions of a scientist's name. As a starting point, perhaps ceedings of the International Semantic Web Conference (ISWC2004), November 9–11, Hiroshima Japan 2004 in press. http://bibster.seman PubMed could generate and manage such a scientist ID. ticweb.org/publications/haase_04_bibster.pdf Adding the Scientist ID should become as routine as add- ing an email address to the article's citation. Conclusion Publish with Bio Med Central and every A Unique Scientist ID would improve knowledge manage- scientist can read your work free of charge ment in science. At the moment authors of publications "BioMed Central will be the most significant development for are only addressed in most online databases by name, ini- disseminating the results of biomedical researc h in our lifetime." tials and address. Unfortunately in some of the publica- Sir Paul Nurse, Cancer Research UK tions, and then within the online databases, only one Your research papers will be: letter abbreviates the author's forename. A search for a available free of charge to the entire biomedical community special author is successful if the name is quite unique or peer reviewed and published immediately upon acceptance a combination of authors is used for the search. In such a cited in PubMed and archived on PubMed Central case, a common name with only one initial could retrieve yours — you keep the copyright pertinent citations, but include many false drops (retrieval matching searched criteria but indisputably irrelevant). BioMedcentral Submit your manuscript here: http://www.biomedcentral.com/info/publishing_adv.asp Page 2 of 2 (page number not for citation purposes)

Journal

Biomedical Digital Libraries – Springer Journals

Published: Mar 22, 2005

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