In the electronic world, the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) plays the role of the ISBN or ISSN.

### Why this is right A **Digital Object Identifier (DOI)** is a persistent identifier used to identify a digital work, such as a journal article, even if its online address changes. In that broad identifying role, it is comparable to an **International Standard Book Number (ISBN)** for books and an **International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)** for serial publications. ### The concept A DOI is a unique label assigned to a digital object, often a research article or dataset. Entering it into a DOI resolver, a service that looks up the identifier, directs you to the object’s current online location. An ISBN identifies a particular book or edition, while an ISSN identifies a continuing publication such as a journal or magazine. These identifiers help people distinguish and cite publications reliably, but they are not interchangeable: each is designed for a different kind of object. | Identifier | What it identifies | |---|---| | DOI | A digital work or other digital object | | ISBN | A book or a specific edition | | ISSN | A continuing publication, such as a journal | ### Terms - **DOI**: Digital Object Identifier. A persistent identifier for a digital work or object. - **ISBN**: International Standard Book Number. An identifier for a book or book edition. - **ISSN**: International Standard Serial Number. An identifier for a continuing publication, such as a journal. - **DOI resolver**: A service that uses a DOI to direct a reader to the object’s current online location. - **Persistent identifier**: An identifier intended to keep identifying the same object even if its location or other details change. ### Remember A DOI identifies a digital object, an ISBN identifies a book, and an ISSN identifies a continuing publication.