Distinguish researchers with the same name
Compare ORCID identifiers, attributed works and affiliations; use ROR to identify organisations.
Documents to open in this workflow
This order suggests a starting point; revisit a step if identifiers, dates or versions disagree. Access and reuse terms depend on each service.
ORCID
Find a researcher identifier and the contributions or affiliations made public in their record.
What to record
ORCID, cited contribution, field provenance, affiliation and access date.
Source-specific check
Check who added the item; a past affiliation does not prove a current position.
Open source portalOpenAlex
Explore open metadata for scholarly works, authors, institutions and citation links.
What to record
Work identifier, available DOI, type, authors, affiliations and access date.
Source-specific check
Check author matches against the publication; namesakes may distort a works list.
Open source portalResearch Organization Registry · ROR
Distinguish research organisations through persistent identifiers, names and documented relationships.
What to record
ROR, chosen name, aliases, country, status and record relationships.
Source-specific check
Separate parent and linked organisation; the same acronym is not enough to merge records.
Open source portal
Matching condition
Compare person identifier, works and dated affiliation; use ROR for the organisation.
If results disagree
For incompatible works, keep assignments separate until documentary linkage is sufficient.
Output to produce
Dated graph of authors, works and organisations.
Separate documentary evidence, demonstrated links between documents and remaining inference. State the owner and review trigger.
Supporting methods
Producer references
Matching table to complete
This is a blank template, not a research result. Record the exact item and observation for each source before making the decision.
| Source | Document or exact URL | Date and version | Observation and passage | Scope and limit | Link established or unestablished |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ORCID | To record | To record | To record | To record | To record |
| OpenAlex | To record | To record | To record | To record | To record |
| Research Organization Registry · ROR | To record | To record | To record | To record | To record |
Frequently asked questions
What link should be checked before matching results?
Compare person identifier, works and dated affiliation; use ROR for the organisation.
What if sources appear to contradict each other?
For incompatible works, keep assignments separate until documentary linkage is sufficient.
Do the listed portals provide independent confirmation?
Not necessarily. Identify the producer and underlying document. Two interfaces distributing one item can check transcription but do not establish a fact independently twice.