Citelle · Library
DOI and URL in a reference
Put a DOI identifier and a source URL in their own fields, see which link the reference shows, and why a full DOI link or javascript: URL is rejected.
Identifier in one field, address in another
The DOI field takes only the identifier, such as 10.1234/example.2024.1, and the workbench labels it DOI, without the https://doi.org/ prefix. The page address goes in Source URL. The example DOI is invented and has not been resolved; a value that passes the format check, which looks for 10., four to nine digits, a slash and a suffix, still says nothing about which work it identifies.
The table above compares four records. With both fields filled, the APA article entry links to https://doi.org/10.1234/example.2024.1. With only a URL, the URL is used. A full https://doi.org/ link typed into the DOI field is rejected with DOI: review this source detail instead of being trimmed for you.
How each style shows the DOI
When the journal-article example carries this DOI, the workbench prints it differently by style. APA, MLA and both Chicago forms end with the full https://doi.org/ link. IEEE adds doi: 10.1234/example.2024.1. at the end, and the NLM form adds doi:10.1234/example.2024.1 with no space. The source URL stays among the details you entered even when the DOI is the one displayed.
What the URL field accepts
Source URL accepts only http and https addresses. The javascript: example in the table is rejected with Source URL: review this source detail, and so is an address that contains a user name or password. The workbench shows the URL as text, not as a clickable link. Passing this check does not mean a site is trustworthy, current or reachable.
The app treats the DOI field differently
In the Citelle app you can paste a whole doi.org link into the DOI field on the Edit source screen; the app keeps only the identifier when you save. Its entries also show the DOI link in preference to the URL, and the Open link button on a source card opens it. Check AI sources goes a step further and looks each reference up in the real record, flagging DOI doesn't resolve or DOI leads to another paper when the identifier does not match.
Confirm the identity behind the link
- Compare the title, authors and year at the DOI target with the work you read.
- Keep the URL of the version you consulted if it differs from the DOI target.
- Check the displayed link after you choose the style.
- A passing field check is not proof of full style compliance.
Compare four supplied link records
| Example | DOI field | URL field | Accepted | Selected link or review field |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| doi-and-url | 10.1234/example.2024.1 | https://example.org/source-copy | true | https://doi.org/10.1234/example.2024.1 |
| doi-url-in-wrong-field | https://doi.org/10.1234/example.2024.1 | false | doi | |
| url-only | https://example.org/source-copy | true | https://example.org/source-copy | |
| unsafe-url | javascript:alert(1) | false | url |
For the reviewed APA article form, a supplied DOI takes precedence in the rendered link. When the DOI is empty, the supplied source URL is used. Entering the whole DOI URL into this implementation’s DOI-identifier field is rejected rather than silently corrected.
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Next guide: Save reference text together with its source details