Journal title management

Titles in the Crossref system are created from the metadata you submit when you first register your content. You determine the exact title and ISSN included in the deposit, and we add that title and ISSN to our database.  The title,  ISSN, and title-level persistent identifier supplied in your content registration files must be consistent across submissions.

You are strongly encouraged to create a title-level persistent identifier (DOI) for your journal. We also recognize the value of the ISSN as a unique identifier of key title information – accordingly, our title management policies  comply with the requirements provided by the ISSN centre regarding title management.   Practices that may directly impact registering your journal content include:

• All series (journal, book, conference proceedings) should have an ISSN.  The ISSN is crucial for identifying a serial. If you are supplying us with data for older titles that predate ISSN assignment, you should request ISSNs from your ISSN agency as they can be assigned retroactively.  This isn’t only for our convenience - libraries, database providers,  and other organizations using your data will welcome (and often require) an ISSN for anything defined as a journal.
  The exception: new journal titles are sometimes not assigned an ISSN until some content has been published.  Journal titles may be deposited with Crossref without ISSNs if a journal title-level persistent identifier is included in the deposit. The title-level identifier must be supplied with every deposit for the journal until an ISSN is assigned. 

• A distinct ISSN should be supplied for each distinct version of a title. If a title changes significantly the publisher should  obtain new ISSNs (both print and online).  This rule is established by the International ISSN Centre, not Crossref, but we support and enforce it. Minor title changes (such as changing ‘and’ to ‘&’) don’t require a new ISSN.

Original title: Journal of Crossref Metadata

Minor change (no new ISSN required): The Journal of Crossref Metadata

Major change (new ISSN required): Journal of Crossref Metadata Quality 

• Online versions of journals encompassing multiple historic print titles should each be assigned distinct print and online ISSNs. Some publishers consolidate all versions of a title under the most recent title.  This isn’t recommended practice as it causes a lot of linking and citing confusion – you’ve essentially created two (or more) versions of a title. This is particularly confusing when volume and issue numbers overlap between title iterations.

For recommendations on displaying information about journals, see ISSN Manual, Presentation & Identification of E-Journals (NISO recommended practice).