What a DOI Is
A DOI (Digital Object Identifier) is a permanent identifier for a published work. Unlike a web address, which breaks when a site is reorganised, a DOI stays attached to the article: the publisher updates where it points, and every citation of it keeps working. CrossRef is the registration agency that most scholarly publishers use to mint and maintain DOIs.
The problem a DOI solves is link rot. A plain URL records where a file happened to sit on a particular day; when the journal redesigns its site, moves host or reorganises its archive, every citation pointing at that URL silently breaks. A DOI records what the article is rather than where it lives, and the publisher keeps the pointer up to date, so a citation written today still resolves years later.
A plain web address
- Records where a file sat on one day
- Breaks when a site is redesigned or moves host
- Carries no author, issue or licence information
- Citations to it cannot be counted reliably
A Crossref DOI
- Records what the article is, permanently
- Updated by the publisher, so it keeps resolving
- Linked to a full metadata record in Crossref
- Lets databases link citations in both directions
Anatomy of a DOI
A real IJCRT DOI, registered with Crossref: https://doi.org/10.56975/ijcrt.v14i9.400073
| Part | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Resolver | https://doi.org/ | The service that redirects a DOI to the current article location |
| Prefix | 10.56975 | Identifies the registering publisher — always begins with "10." |
| Suffix | ijcrt.v14i9.400073 | Identifies the individual article within that publisher |
Written in full, a DOI link looks like https://doi.org/10.xxxxx/suffix. Anything that does not begin with "10." after the resolver is not a DOI.
Why It Matters
A DOI is more than a short link. Because it is backed by a metadata record held outside the journal’s own website, it does five jobs at once:
DOIs at IJCRT
| Registration agency | CrossRef |
|---|---|
| DOI prefix | 10.56975 |
| Applies to | Articles published in IJCRT, ISSN 2320-2882 |
| Included in publication charge | Optional add-on Click Here for Charges |
| When assigned | On request — registered after publication, when the article is published in an issue |
| Optional charge | ₹300 (Indian authors) / $20 (foreign authors) — request a DOI |
| Check any IJCRT DOI | Crossref Search · Crossref journal record (API) |
Want a DOI for your paper?
A Crossref DOI is optional and registered on request, after acceptance. Request it online with your paper ID; the DOI appears on your article page once Crossref has registered it.
Reviewed Before a DOI Is Registered
A DOI is registered only for an article IJCRT has accepted and published — and every research article reaches that point through transparent, double-blind peer review. The identifier points to work that has already been checked.
Double-blind
Reviewers do not see who wrote the paper, and authors do not see who reviewed it.
- Similarity checked first (below 15%)
- Reviewed by subject experts
- Decision sent by email & SMS
Transparent
The review is recorded, so anyone can check that it really took place.
- Review record on Scholar9
- Public reviewer list
- Formal report on request
So a reader who follows an IJCRT DOI can trace the article back in both directions: forward to the citation record in Crossref, and back to the review record on Scholar9. The full review workflow is on the Peer Review Process page.
Registration Process
From acceptance to a working link, each DOI passes through six steps. Steps 1–2 happen for every published article; steps 3–6 follow once a DOI has been requested.
- AcceptedCopy edited and given its final camera-ready form
- PublishedAssigned to an issue with a permanent article page
- Record preparedDOI suffix generated and full metadata assembled
- DepositedSent to Crossref, which registers the DOI against the article URL
- ResolvingUsually shortly after deposit; shown on the article page
- MaintainedIf the URL ever changes, the deposit is updated
Metadata Deposited
The deposited record typically includes these fields:
- Article title
- Authors, in order
- Affiliations
- Abstract
- Journal title & ISSN 2320-2882
- Volume · issue · pages
- Publication date
- Licence (CC BY 4.0)
- Article URL
- Reference list
Because this record feeds indexing services, citation databases and author profiles, errors in it propagate widely: a misspelt name can attach the article to the wrong researcher, and a missing reference list means outgoing citations are never linked.
Citing a DOI Correctly
Crossref recommends showing a DOI as a full, clickable link. A complete reference to an IJCRT article follows this pattern:
Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Year). Title of the article. International Journal of Creative Research Thoughts, Volume(Issue), pages. https://doi.org/10.56975/…
Do
- Give the DOI as a full link:
https://doi.org/10.xxxxx/suffix - Share the DOI link rather than a PDF file, so views and citations attach to the article record
- Include the DOI in your CV, thesis and funding reports as the pointer to the published version
- Click the link once before submitting a thesis or report, to confirm it resolves
Avoid
- Writing “DOI:” before the full URL form — choose one style and use it consistently
- Citing the PDF address or a search-result page instead of the DOI
- Passing the DOI through a link shortener, which hides the identifier
- Retyping the suffix by hand — copy it, because one wrong character breaks it
If a DOI Does Not Resolve
Work through these checks in order; most problems are solved by the first two.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a DOI the same as being indexed?
No. A DOI is a permanent identifier for one article; indexing is coverage of the journal's content by a search or abstracting service. See Indexing & Abstracting.
Can a DOI be changed or removed after publication?
A registered DOI is intended to be permanent. Where an article is corrected or retracted, the DOI continues to resolve and the record is updated to reflect what happened, rather than being deleted.
Does a DOI prove a journal is reputable?
No. It proves an article has a registered, resolving identifier. Assess a journal on its peer review, ethics policies and editorial practice as well.
What is IJCRT’s DOI prefix?
10.56975, registered with Crossref for ISSN 2320-2882. Every IJCRT DOI begins https://doi.org/10.56975/ and can be checked in Crossref Search.
Is a DOI included in the publication fee?
No, it is optional. The publication fee is ₹1501 (Indian authors) or $59 (foreign authors); a Crossref DOI is an add-on of ₹300 / $20, requested after acceptance on the DOI & Hard Copy page.
Is an article peer reviewed before it gets a DOI?
Yes. A DOI is registered only for an accepted, published article, and every research article goes through transparent, double-blind peer review first. The review is recorded on Scholar9, and the formal Transparent Peer Review Report is available on request.
Checked at the source
Live Figures You Can Verify
Each number links to the service that publishes it. Figures read on 30 Sep 2026; they change as the services update.
Related Pages
More on ijcrt.org
Policies, records and author services on the main journal site.
Journal & indexing
UGC & recognition
Peer review & ethics
For authors
Ready to publish?
Publish With a Journal You Can Verify
Transparent, double-blind peer review, similarity screening, Crossref DOIs on request under 10.56975, open access under CC BY 4.0 and alignment with UGC’s Suggested Parameters — with a fee of ₹1501 (Indian authors) or $59 (foreign authors), charged only after acceptance.