OSTI actively supports the practice of Reference Linking. Also referred to as citation linking, reference linking adds value to technical reports and journal articles by hyperlinking the references at the end of the document. Authors frequently cite numerous supporting reports and articles. However, locating these cited works can be difficult. If these references can be hyperlinked to online full text, or availability information, that opens up all kinds of possibilities for the discovery and reuse of related research.

When authors submit technical reports to OSTI, they can request that their references be hyperlinked. We will identify hyperlinks for as many of the references as possible, and create an enhanced file. The authors review the new document, and once approved it is made available per their specifications. This greatly enhances the technical report and the accessibility of the references.  This service is provided at no cost to the author or their organization.

Another great benefit for the author is that DOE technical reports referenced in journal articles can also be hyperlinked. In 2005, OSTI entered into an agreement with CrossRef, a nationally recognized reference-linking service. Now OSTI and CrossRef use Digital Object Idenitifers (DOIs) to facilitate access to DOE's vast collection of science research reports. DOIs are persistent links, meaning they are permanent and reliable, unlike typical URLs. Technical reports are assigned a DOI, and when specific reports are referenced in an article, journal publishers can easily link to it using that DOI. 

 Reference Linking benefits everyone involved, is a great way to encourage the exchange of ideas, and ensures that more research information is just a click away. In essence, reference linking is a research networking tool, and leads to knowledge sharing of all kinds.

Daphne Evans

OSTI