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

Andreas Bohne-Lang,Elke Lang

doi:10.1186/1742-5581-2-1

Abstract

BackgroundThe 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.DiscussionIn 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.SummaryA 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).

Highlights

The PubMed database contains nearly 15 million references from more than 4,800 biomedical journals
Authors of scientific articles are addressed by their last name and forename initial
Publish with Bio Med Central and every scientist can read your work free of charge "BioMed Central will be the most significant development for disseminating the results of biomedical researc h in our lifetime."

Summary

Discussion

Names can be too common and not unique enough to be search criteria. In former times only a few scientists, normally professors in universities and academic health sciences centers, published scientific results of their work under their names. A simple search for 'Lee C' results over 9000 articles from PubMed. Especially with a view to the future, such a Unique Scientist ID could help to address people in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks. With a view to the future, such a Unique Scientist ID could help to address people in peer-to-peer (P2P) networks One such network based article reference P2P network is Bibster [1].

Background

Conclusion