Index Academic Repository may assign persistent digital identifiers DOI (Digital Object Identifier) to certain eligible materials for the purpose of stable identification, citation, and long-term discovery.

DOIs assigned through Index Academic use the DOI registration infrastructure managed by MultiMedia Publishing, with the prefix 10.58679.

Assignment of a DOI is not automatic for all deposited materials and does not constitute peer review, certification of scientific quality, or publication in the Index Academic journal.

The fundamental principle of this policy is:

A document that already has a valid DOI does not receive a second DOI solely because it is included in Index Academic Repository.

1. Purpose of DOI Assignment

A DOI provides an academic material with a persistent identifier that can be used for:

  • unique identification of the document;
  • academic citation;
  • maintaining a stable link to the material’s landing page;
  • interoperability with academic and bibliographic services;
  • associating the document with authors, institutions, publications, and other research outputs;
  • updating the document’s location without changing its identifier.

A DOI identifies the academic object or the specific version for which it was registered, not merely the web address where it is located.

2. Materials Eligible for a DOI

Index Academic Repository may consider DOI assignment for materials that:

  • do not already have a DOI;
  • have an academic, scientific, educational, or research character;
  • are sufficiently complete to constitute an identifiable academic object;
  • have a clearly identifiable author or intellectual responsibility;
  • have sufficient and verifiable metadata;
  • have a stable version;
  • can be preserved in the Repository over the long term;
  • comply with copyright and deposit policies;
  • meet the general criteria of Index Academic Repository.

Eligibility does not automatically create a right to receive a DOI. The decision to assign a DOI rests with the Repository administrator.

3. Examples of Materials That May Receive a DOI

Depending on their nature and stability, eligible materials may include:

  • original preprints;
  • working papers;
  • research reports;
  • conference papers not previously published with a DOI;
  • independent academic studies;
  • monographs or digital academic documents;
  • theses and dissertations, if they do not already have a DOI;
  • datasets;
  • methodological materials;
  • supplementary materials that constitute independent academic objects;
  • other original and stable research outputs.

A DOI is assigned only if the material does not already have a DOI corresponding to that version.

4. Materials That Do Not Receive a Second DOI

If a document was previously published and already has a DOI, the Repository retains and displays the original DOI.

This applies, for example, to an article published in a journal and later self-archived in Index Academic Repository.

In such a case:

  • the original DOI is entered in the metadata;
  • the Repository may provide its own record page;
  • a permitted copy of the document may be preserved;
  • but no new DOI is assigned to the same publication or the same version.

This rule helps prevent citation fragmentation and the creation of competing identifiers for the same work.

5. DOI for Different Versions of a Work

A preprint, Accepted Author Manuscript, and Version of Record may represent distinct versions of the same work.

Index Academic avoids unnecessary assignment of multiple DOIs to the same work, but certain versions may have separate DOIs where they constitute distinct academic objects and the circumstances justify it.

For example, a preprint may receive a DOI in the Repository, while the article later published by a journal may receive another DOI from the publisher.

In such a case, the two DOIs are not considered duplicates if they identify distinct versions, and the relationship between them should be recorded in the metadata.

Once the published version appears, the preprint record should clearly indicate:

  • that a published version exists;
  • the publication citation;
  • the DOI of the Version of Record;
  • the relationship between the two versions.

6. DOI and Version of Record

If the Version of Record has been published by a journal or publisher and already has a DOI, that DOI is the primary identifier of that publication.

The Repository will not assign a new DOI to a copy of the Version of Record.

If the Version of Record does not have a DOI, assignment through the Repository may be considered only if:

  • the depositor has the right to deposit and identify the material;
  • no other DOI has been assigned to the work;
  • the metadata are sufficient;
  • the assignment does not create confusion with the original publication.

7. DOI for Preprints

A preprint without a DOI may be eligible for DOI assignment.

If the preprint is later formally published in a journal, the preprint DOI remains valid and must not be deleted or reused.

The record should be updated to include the DOI of the published version and the bibliographic relationship between the two objects.

Thus, the preprint DOI identifies the preprint, while the DOI of the final publication identifies the Version of Record.

8. DOI for Datasets and Supplementary Materials

A dataset or supplementary material may receive a separate DOI when:

  • it constitutes an independent academic object;
  • it can be cited separately;
  • it has its own metadata;
  • it has a stable version;
  • it is preserved over the long term.

If the supplementary material is merely an inseparable part of the main document, it may be included in the same record without a separate DOI.

9. DOI, URL, and Internal Identifier

Index Academic Repository may use several types of identifiers, each with a different function.

DOI

A DOI is a persistent identifier registered within DOI infrastructure.

Example:

10.58679/xxxxxxxx

The DOI remains the same even if the web address of the document changes.

URL

A URL is the web address where a page or file can be accessed.

Example:

https://www.indexacademic.ro/repository/...

The URL may change if the website is reorganized or the infrastructure is migrated.

Internal Identifier

The Repository may use an internal identifier to manage records in the database.

This may be a number, code, or another value generated by the system.

The internal identifier:

  • facilitates technical administration;
  • is not equivalent to a DOI;
  • should not be presented as an external persistent identifier;
  • may be used independently of a DOI.

A material may have an internal identifier and a URL without having a DOI.

10. DOI and Landing Page

Each DOI assigned by Index Academic Repository should resolve to a stable landing page for the material.

Where possible, the page should provide:

  • title;
  • authors;
  • year;
  • document type;
  • abstract;
  • keywords;
  • version;
  • license;
  • information about the original publication, where applicable;
  • DOI;
  • access to the document or information about access.

A DOI should not point directly only to a PDF file where a stable bibliographic landing page exists for the material.

11. DOI Metadata

For a material assigned a DOI, sufficient and accurate metadata must be registered.

These may include:

  • title;
  • authors;
  • ORCID;
  • affiliation;
  • date;
  • material type;
  • language;
  • publisher or responsible institution;
  • destination URL;
  • license;
  • relationships with other versions;
  • related DOIs;
  • other relevant metadata.

Index Academic aims to update metadata when important new bibliographic information becomes available.

12. DOI and Citation of the Material

Materials with a DOI should be cited using their persistent DOI.

Where a material has both a URL and a DOI, the DOI is the recommended identifier for citation.

For a previously published work, the citation should use the DOI of the original publication and the corresponding bibliographic information, rather than presenting the Repository as the original publisher.

13. DOI and Original Publication

Depositing a copy in a Repository does not change the original place of publication.

An article published in a journal remains an article of that journal even if a copy is hosted in Index Academic Repository.

Where relevant, the Repository page should indicate:

Originally published in: [publication] Original DOI: [DOI]

The Repository does not claim the role of original publisher for a work that it only archives.

14. DOI and Copyright

Assignment of a DOI does not change the legal status of the material.

A DOI:

  • does not transfer copyright;
  • is not a license;
  • does not automatically confer Open Access status;
  • does not alter publisher restrictions;
  • does not grant users additional rights.

Copyright and licensing must be managed separately.

15. DOI and Peer Review

Assignment of a DOI does not mean that the material has undergone peer review.

A DOI persistently identifies a digital object; it is not a certificate of scientific quality.

Where a Repository material has not undergone peer review, it must not be presented in a manner that suggests otherwise.

16. DOI and Acceptance into the Repository

Acceptance of a material into the Repository does not guarantee DOI assignment.

Some materials may be published only with:

  • a stable URL;
  • an internal identifier;
  • the original DOI, where one exists;
  • other bibliographic identifiers.

The decision to assign a DOI takes into account the nature, stability, originality, and academic usefulness of the object.

17. DOI Persistence

Once assigned, a DOI is intended to remain persistent.

Therefore:

  • it must not be deleted in order to be assigned to another material;
  • it must not be reused;
  • it should not be changed merely because the URL changes;
  • it must remain associated with the object for which it was registered.

If the material’s page is moved, the URL associated with the DOI must be updated.

18. Correction of Metadata

Errors in DOI metadata may be corrected without assigning a new DOI when the academic object remains the same.

For example, the following may be updated:

  • spelling of an author’s name;
  • affiliation;
  • abstract;
  • keywords;
  • URL;
  • license information;
  • relationships with other objects.

A new DOI should not be assigned merely to correct a metadata error.

19. Revised Versions and New DOI

A revised version does not automatically receive a new DOI.

The decision depends on the nature of the changes.

Minor changes and corrections may remain associated with the same DOI if the object remains essentially the same work.

For a substantially different version designed as a new academic object and separately citable, a distinct DOI may be justified.

In such cases, the relationship between versions should be indicated in the metadata.

20. Withdrawal of a Material with a DOI

If a material with a DOI must be withdrawn, the DOI is not deleted and is not reused.

Where possible, the DOI should continue to resolve to a page indicating that the material has been withdrawn.

That page may retain essential bibliographic metadata and the reason for withdrawal, insofar as publication of that information is lawful and appropriate.

This practice helps preserve the integrity of the scholarly record and existing citations.

21. Duplicate DOIs

If it is discovered that a material already has a DOI that was not declared at the time of deposit, Index Academic will use the existing DOI and will not intentionally assign an additional DOI to the same version.

If a DOI was assigned in error to an object that already had another DOI, the situation should be reviewed and corrected at the metadata and identifier-relationship level, without reusing existing DOIs for other materials.

Preventing duplicate DOIs is one of the reasons deposits are checked before publication.

22. Depositor Responsibility

The depositor must declare:

  • any existing DOI;
  • the original publication;
  • the version of the document;
  • any previous versions;
  • other relevant identifiers.

Intentional concealment or omission of an existing DOI may result in refusal of a request for a new DOI.

23. Responsibility of Index Academic Repository

In managing DOIs, Index Academic Repository aims to:

  • avoid duplicate DOI assignment;
  • maintain DOI persistence;
  • update destination URLs;
  • provide accurate metadata;
  • identify relationships between versions;
  • preserve the original DOI of previously published materials;
  • clearly distinguish the Repository from the original publication;
  • avoid presenting a DOI as evidence of peer review or scientific quality.

24. Practical Rule for Each Material

For each deposit, before assigning a DOI, I would apply the following sequence:

1. Does the material already have a DOI?
→ Yes: retain the existing DOI. Do not assign another one.
→ No: continue the assessment.

2. Is the material an original, stable, and sufficiently complete academic object?
→ No: publish without a DOI.
→ Yes: it may be considered for DOI assignment.

3. Can it be preserved and identified over the long term?
→ No: do not assign a DOI.
→ Yes: it may be eligible.

4. Are the metadata and rights clear?
→ No: postpone DOI assignment until clarification.
→ Yes: a DOI may be assigned.

 

[Deposit Guidelines]
[Repository Policy]
[Copyright, Licenses and Deposit Rights]