Metroline Step: Select identifier scheme
- Sander de Ridder
- Jolanda Strubel
Status: Future work
Short description
FAIR (meta)data requires globally unique and persistent identifiers (principle F1). Such identifiers remove ambiguity in the meaning of your data by assigning a unique identifier to every element of metadata and every concept/measurement in your dataset [GOFAIR_F1]. In this context, an identifier consists of an internet link, such as a URL, which can be resolved. Identifiers can help both humans and computers interpreting your data.
Existing identifiers can be reused, or new identifiers can be created (minted) if necessary. Often locally unique identifiers are used, which can be transformed into globally unique identifiers using namespaces [FCB016].
Equivalence between identifiers are presented in mappings. Such a mapping can, for example, be a tsv file with two columns, one per dataset, with each row representing two equivalent concepts, or can adhere to the Simple Standard for Sharing Ontology Mapping standard [SSSOM].
Furthermore, many specialised identifier services exist, which can help map from one identifier to another. BridgeDB, for example, is a framework to map identifiers between various biological databases and related resources [BRIDGEDB]. It provides mappings for genes, proteins, metabolites, metabolic reactions, diseases, complexes and publications.
How to
[FAIRInAction]: Select the identifier scheme
Identifier Minting: How to create unique, persistent and resolvable identifiers
Reusing community identifiers: How to reuse existing identifiers in a dataset
BridgeDB (API, Tutorials and Workflows, Documentation): https://www.bridgedb.org/
[GOFAIR_F1] Example services that supply globally unique and persistent identifiers:
Identifiers.org provides resolvable identifiers in the form of URIs and CURIEs: http://identifiers.org
Universally unique identifier: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Universally_unique_identifier
Persistent URLs: http://www.purlz.org
Digital Object Identifier: http://www.doi.org
Archival Resource Key: https://escholarship.org/uc/item/9p9863nc
Research Resource Identifiers: https://scicrunch.org/resources
Identifiers for funding organisations (see F3 & R1): https://www.crossref.org/services/funder-registry/
Identifiers for the world’s research organisations (see F3 & R1): https://www.grid.ac
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