Tech Tip: How to Find DOIs for Multiple Articles at One Time

This tech tip will teach you how to find the DOI for multiple articles at one time using CrossRef. I shared this trick at a recent virtual residency, and it was a big hit with students. Who doesn’t like to save a little time?

First, prepare your reference list.

Create an APA-formatted reference list with your electronic journal article entries. Do not use hanging indents, though. You’ll need to eventually, but CrossRef won’t accept that formatting.

Next, visit CrossRef

1. Go to https://doi.crossref.org/simpleTextQuery

2. If you haven’t done so already, click the link near the top of the page to sign up for a free CrossRefaccount, which will register your email address in the CrossRef system.

4. On the Simple Text Query page, enter your registered email.

5. Copy and paste the reference entries you created into the text box.

6. Click Submit.

Then, format the entry

After submitting your reference entries, CrossRef will return your list with any DOIs it has found in red text, as in the following example:

Clark, D., & Roayer, H. (2013). The effect of education on adult mortality and health: Evidence from Britain. The American Economic Review, 103(6), 2087-2120. http://dx.doi.org/10.1257/aer.103.6.2087

CrossRef recommends using the doi as it is returned, with the http:// opening. However, in APA style, using either the full http:// address or removing the "http://dx.doi.org" and starting it off with doi: is acceptable. If you use the http:// version of the doi, remember to deactivate the hyperlink in Word. 

Copying the CrossRef returns into your reference list is fine, but note that the formatting will change. To put the above example entry into APA style, you would need to:

• Deactivate the hyperlink
• Double space the lines
• Create a hanging indent
• Italicize the journal title and volume number

So, your final reference entry would look like this:

Clark, D., & Roayer, H. (2013). The effect of education on adult mortality and health: Evidence from Britain. The American Economic Review, 103(6), 2087-2120. http://dx.doi.org/10.1257/aer.103.6.2087

That's it! Now when your reference list contains multiple electronic journal articles, you can search for all the DOIs at one time.

Anne Shiell is a writing instructor and the coordinator of social media resources at the Walden Writing Center. She also produces WriteCast, the Writing Center's podcast.

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