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Various numbers to identify published documents in EndNote

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There are different ways to identify a published document (such as an article). Some ID numbers are

  • Record Number (EndNote internal ID)
  • PMID
  • PMCID
  • DOI
  • Accession number
  • etc.

So, what do they mean and how do I use them in EndNote?

PMID number (PubMed)

PMID (PubMed identifier or PubMed unique identifier) is a unique number assigned to each PubMed document by (and this is important) PubMed. It is important here to distinguish between PMID and PMCID, where PMCID is the ID number of all documents published in free-to-access PubMed Central.

The assignment of PMID and PMCID reveals nothing about the type, or quality, of the document. The existence of PMID is not proof that the paper is not withdrawn for fraud, incompetence, or negligence. The notice of corrections to original works may or may not be assigned to a PMID.

You can use PMID to search for a document in PubMed via EndNote, on the PubMed website or directly in your browser.

When you import an item from PubMed to EndNote, the PMID number is placed in the Accession field of EndNote. This placement also means that you can search for PMID among the references in your library.

Accession number

An accession number is a unique number assigned to each entry in a database (the information provider’s database, not the EndNote database). The provider does not always call it accession numbers, for example, PubMed uses PMID and some systems use other unique identifiers.

In libraries and archives, for example, initial control of an acquisition usually takes place through the assignment of a unique identifier. When used for this purpose, such an identifier is referred to as an accession number. Accession numbers are typically assigned at the point of cataloguing. The term is somewhat of a misnomer, as the form of the accession numbers is often alphanumeric.

It is important to note that the accession number is unique for the individual database.

DOI number

A Digital Object Identifier (DOI) is a unique alphanumeric string assigned by a registration agency (the International DOI Foundation) to identify content and provide a permanent link to the content’s place on the Internet. The publisher assigns a DOI number when, for example, your article is published and made available electronically.

All DOI numbers begin with ten and contain a prefix and a suffix separated by a slash. The prefix is a unique number of four, or more digits, assigned to organizations; the suffix is assigned by the publisher and is designed to be flexible with the publishers’ identification standards.

We recommend that when a DOI number is available, you should include DOI for both printed and electronic sources. The DOI number is typically located on the first page of the electronic journal article, close to the copyright notice. The DOI number can commonly also be found in the database’s landing page for the article.

DOI is like a digital fingerprint: Each article receives a unique DOI at birth, and this DOI number can be used to identify the article throughout its life, regardless of where it moves.

Tip

Record Number (EndNote)

The EndNote Record number is a unique number assigned to each reference in your EndNote library when you add the reference. The number is specific to this reference in this particular library. If you collaborate with other authors, it may be easier to replace the Record Number in the document with something that identifies the reference but is not specific to your particular EndNote library.
To do this, select “Use field instead of Record Number” in EndNote preferences and activate the field “Accession Number”. You can find the setting in EndNote under Edit> Preferences…> Temporary Citations
 
If you have selected the “Accession Number” field and this field is empty in a specific reference, the Record Number is used instead.

  • The Label field can be used to manually enter any unique code that you want to use for each entry
  • The Accession Number field is designed to contain the unique accession number assigned to a reference by an online database
  • The Pages field can contain a unique page number or another unique number for each reference

NIHMSID

The National Institutes of Health Manuscript Submission System reference number (NIHMSID) is a unique number assigned to a work submitted to the National Institutes of Health Manuscript Submission System (NIHMS) in preparation for posting to PubMed Central (PMC). This number (NIHMSID) is used for works published in Submission Methods C and D journals. It is a temporary form of documentation for compliance with the NIH Public Access Policy until a PMCID is assigned.

NIHMSID can be used for documentation of compliance with NIH Public Access Policy in NIH programs, applications, proposals, and status reports up to three months after the publication of the work.

ISBN

ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is a standard for identifying printed media. The system was created in the UK in the '60s and became standard in the '70s.
In Sweden, publishers (book publishers) can apply for an ISBN for their publications at the Swedish Central at the Royal Library.

ISSN

ISSN (International Standard Serial Number) system was created in the '70s and became a standard in 1975. ISSN is an eight-digit serial number. The number uniquely identify a serial publication, e.g. a magazine. ISSN numbers are used in ordering, cataloguing, interlibrary loans, etc. in connection with serial literature. The ISSN number can also distinguish between the same content published in different media types. For example, some serials are published in both print and electronic media. The ISSN system refers to these as electronic ISSN (e-ISSN) and prints ISSN (p-ISSN).