Simple Text Query form

The Simple Text Query form allows users to retrieve DOIs for journal articles, books, and chapters by cutting and pasting a reference or reference list into the query box. References are input as a standard bibliographic entry, such as:

Clow GD, McKay CP, Simmons Jr. GM, and Wharton RA, Jr. 1988. Climatological observations and predicted sublimation rates at Lake Hoare, Antarctica. Journal of Climate 1:715-728.

For best results, each reference should appear on a single line. Separate individual references using a blank line.

Step-by-step

1. Go to the Simple Text Query form and enter a reference or list of references into the search box. (As of April 2019, users no longer need to register an email address simply to match references)
2. Optional:
   • select 'List all possible DOIs per reference^*' to return multiple results
   • select 'Include PubMed IDs in results' to include PubMed IDs
3. Select Submit.
4. Optional:
   • to deposit the references previously matched, select 'deposit' on the returned reference list screen (those wishing to deposit references will be asked for an email address for the delivery of a submission log)

Usage restrictions

We previously limited the number of monthly reference links to 5,000 per email address. We want our members to match and register as many references as possible, so we have removed the monthly limit. Additionally, we provide space for 1,000 references per submission (increased in April 2019 from 30,000 characters per submission).

For publishers participating in cited-by linking, the SimpleText Query form may also be used to deposit references.

Crossref attempts to find exactly one DOI for each reference. For some citations, multiple DOIs may be deposited for an item, or the metadata in either the reference or record registered with Crossref is not sufficient to make a single match. Selecting List All Possible DOIs will return multiple results which will need to be evaluated to select the appropriate DOI.