🔗 Persistent Article Identifiers (DOI Policy)

1. Purpose of Persistent Identifiers

A Persistent Identifier (PID) is a unique, permanent reference to a digital object that remains valid regardless of changes to the location or URL of that object. Education Tomorrow uses Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs) to ensure that every published article can be reliably found, cited, and accessed for perpetuity.

2. DOI Registration Service

Education Tomorrow registers DOIs through two services, depending on when the volume was published:

Volumes 1-12 keep their existing Zenodo DOIs permanently — these are not reissued or duplicated under CrossRef. From Volume 13(1), 2026, the Foundation registers all new Education Tomorrow content directly with CrossRef, its own DOI registration agency membership, rather than through a third-party repository.

2.1 About Zenodo (Volumes 1-12)

• Provider: CERN
• Type: Open-access repository and DOI registration service
• Reliability: Institutional backing from one of the world's leading scientific organizations
• Integration: Full metadata support for academic articles
• Compliance: Meets FAIR data principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable)

2.2 About CrossRef (Volume 13 onward)

• Provider: Crossref, the scholarly-publishing DOI registration agency
• Foundation membership: Prefix 10.67344, member name Kipchumba Foundation, role kipf
• Why the change: Direct CrossRef membership gives the journal its own DOI namespace, deeper integration with citation-tracking and indexing tools (including Google Scholar's citation_* metadata), and independence from a third-party repository for new content
• Governance: DOI structure, assignment, and registration for all Foundation content — including Education Tomorrow — is governed by the Foundation's internal standard, KF-DOI-001

3. DOI Format and Structure

3.1 Zenodo DOI Format (Volumes 1-12)

Where:

• 10.5281 = Zenodo's DOI prefix
• zenodo = Repository identifier
• [unique number] = Unique identifier for the specific article

Example DOI (Volume 12)

This DOI links to the article: "Integrating Preventive Health Insurance to Accelerate Universal Healthcare Coverage in Kenya" by Mary Nyachae, published in Volume 12, Issue 1 (2025).

3.2 CrossRef DOI Format (Volume 13 onward)

Where:

• 10.67344 = the Foundation's CrossRef DOI prefix
• et = the Education Tomorrow namespace
• v{volume} = the volume number
• {sequence} = the three-digit, zero-padded article sequence number within the volume (pub and edi are used for Publication Information and the Editorial Introduction)

Example DOI (Volume 13)

This DOI links to the article: "From Survival to Systems: Policy Pathways for Sustainable Peace, Recovery and State Reconstruction in Sudan" by Kuku Okothera Challo, published in Volume 13, Issue 1 (2026).

4. DOI Assignment Process

Step 1: Upon Acceptance

Once a manuscript is accepted for publication, the editorial team prepares the article for DOI assignment.

Step 2: Metadata Preparation

Complete article metadata is compiled, including:

• Article title
• Author names and ORCID iDs (if available)
• Author affiliations
• Abstract and keywords
• Publication date
• Volume, issue, and page numbers
• License information (CC BY 4.0)
• References

Step 3: Register with the Volume's Registrar

For Volumes 1-12, the article and metadata are uploaded to the Education Tomorrow community on Zenodo:

For Volume 13(1), 2026 onward, a CrossRef XML deposit is built for the article and submitted through the Foundation's CrossRef membership (prefix 10.67344).

Step 4: DOI Generation

Zenodo automatically generates and registers a unique DOI, typically within 24-48 hours. CrossRef deposits are typically processed within minutes, with resolution confirmed within about 10 minutes of upload.

Step 5: Publication

The DOI is included in the published article (HTML and PDF versions) and displayed prominently on the journal website.

5. Where DOIs Are Displayed

Each article's DOI is displayed in multiple locations to ensure visibility and proper citation:

• Article Header: At the top of the HTML and PDF versions
• Journal Website: In the table of contents and article metadata
• Citation Information: In recommended citation formats
• Indexing Databases: Submitted to DOAJ, Google Scholar, and other indexes
• Registrar Record: As part of the archived record at Zenodo (Volumes 1-12) or CrossRef (Volume 13 onward)

6. How to Use DOIs

6.1 Accessing Articles via DOI

To access an article using its DOI:

1. Go to: https://doi.org
2. Enter the DOI (e.g., 10.67344/et.v13.001 or, for older volumes, 10.5281/zenodo.17282562)
3. You will be automatically redirected to the article's permanent location

Alternatively, use the direct URL format:

6.2 Citing Articles with DOIs

When citing articles from Education Tomorrow, always include the DOI. Here is the APA 7th edition format for an example from each registrar era:

7. Benefits of DOIs

7.1 For Authors

• Permanent citation: Your work can always be found and cited accurately
• Increased visibility: DOIs are indexed by Google Scholar, DOAJ, and other databases
• Professional credibility: DOI assignment is a mark of legitimate scholarly publishing
• Tracking metrics: DOIs enable citation tracking and impact measurement

7.2 For Readers

• Reliable access: Links never break, even if the journal website changes
• Verified authenticity: DOIs confirm the article is a legitimate publication
• Easy sharing: Simple, stable link to share with colleagues

7.3 For the Journal

• Credibility: DOI assignment demonstrates professional publishing standards
• Discoverability: Easier for researchers to find journal content
• Compliance: Meets requirements for indexing in DOAJ and other databases
• Long-term preservation: Ensures permanent access through the relevant registrar's archive (Zenodo for Vols. 1-12, CrossRef for Vol. 13 onward)

8. DOI Permanence and Changes

8.1 DOI Permanence

Once assigned, a DOI is permanent and cannot be deleted. Even if:

• The journal website changes
• The article is moved to a different platform
• Education Tomorrow ceases publication

The DOI will continue to resolve to the article's current location. Switching registrars for new volumes does not affect the permanence of DOIs already assigned to earlier volumes — Zenodo DOIs for Volumes 1-12 remain unchanged and fully resolvable.

8.2 Article Corrections

If an article requires correction after publication:

• The original DOI remains unchanged
• A correction notice is added to the article
• The corrected version replaces the original at the same DOI
• Metadata is updated to reflect the correction

8.3 Article Retractions

If an article is retracted:

• The DOI remains active
• A retraction notice is prominently displayed
• The original article may be removed or replaced with the retraction notice
• Indexing databases are notified

9. Integration with Other Systems

9.1 ORCID Integration

DOIs are automatically linked to author ORCID profiles when authors provide their ORCID iD during submission. This ensures that publications are correctly attributed in the global ORCID system.

9.2 Google Scholar

Articles with DOIs are automatically indexed by Google Scholar, increasing discoverability and citation tracking. From Volume 13 onward, CrossRef-registered articles also carry citation_* meta tags and schema.org structured data directly in the page, which strengthens Scholar indexing further.

9.3 DOAJ (Directory of Open Access Journals)

DOI assignment is a requirement for DOAJ indexing, which enhances the journal's credibility and visibility.

9.4 Reference Managers

DOIs enable seamless import of citation information into reference management tools like Mendeley, Zotero, and EndNote.

10. Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When will my article receive a DOI?

A: DOIs are assigned immediately upon publication. You will receive the DOI link in your acceptance notification.

Q: Can I use the DOI before the article is published?

A: No. DOIs are activated only when the article is officially published and publicly available.

Q: Why did my article's DOI format change between volumes?

A: It didn't — each article keeps the DOI format of the registrar active when it was published. Volumes 1-12 use Zenodo DOIs (10.5281/zenodo.*); Volume 13(1), 2026 onward uses CrossRef DOIs (10.67344/et.v{vol}.{seq}). Both are permanent, standard, and fully citable.

Q: What if the DOI link is broken?

A: DOI links should never break. If you encounter a problem, contact us immediately at journal@kipchumbafoundation.org.

Q: Do DOIs cost money for authors?

A: No. DOI registration is included as part of our publication process at no additional cost to authors.

Q: Can I request a specific DOI?

A: No. DOIs are automatically generated by the registrar (Zenodo or CrossRef, depending on volume) following the Foundation's standard format and cannot be customized.

11. Contact Information

For questions about DOIs or persistent identifiers, contact:

Education Tomorrow
Kipchumba Foundation
Email: journal@kipchumbafoundation.org
Website: https://journal.kipchumbafoundation.org