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wiki:m4.0 [2025/05/28 08:09] – [3. Consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of implementing the recommendation] esoedingwiki:m4.0 [2025/06/17 08:44] (current) – [4. The Recommendation and possible Consequences] esoeding
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 ======Recommendation to use IGSN as the standard reference in technical infrastructures to samples where appropriate====== ======Recommendation to use IGSN as the standard reference in technical infrastructures to samples where appropriate======
  
-=====Description=====+=====Summary=====
  
-Status: Draft 20.5.2025+====Description====
  
-=====Motivation for this Recommendation: =====+Status: V1.0 28.5.2025 
 + 
 +====Motivation for this Recommendation: ====
  
 The International Generic Sample Number (IGSN) is a globally unique and persistent identifier designed specifically for physical samples and related objects. At Helmholtz, we recommend the use of IGSNs to ensure that samples—and other tangible sources from which data are derived—can be reliably identified, referenced, and linked across research workflows. The motivation to use IGSNs lies in their ability to improve traceability, reproducibility, and data integration across disciplines. By assigning a persistent identifier to a sample, researchers can unambiguously connect it to associated datasets, publications, instruments, and collection metadata, supporting FAIR principles and enabling long-term reuse and verification of research outcomes. The International Generic Sample Number (IGSN) is a globally unique and persistent identifier designed specifically for physical samples and related objects. At Helmholtz, we recommend the use of IGSNs to ensure that samples—and other tangible sources from which data are derived—can be reliably identified, referenced, and linked across research workflows. The motivation to use IGSNs lies in their ability to improve traceability, reproducibility, and data integration across disciplines. By assigning a persistent identifier to a sample, researchers can unambiguously connect it to associated datasets, publications, instruments, and collection metadata, supporting FAIR principles and enabling long-term reuse and verification of research outcomes.
  
-=====Recommendation ====+====Recommendation ====
  
 It is recommended to use IGSN to identify samples in data infrastructures where appropriate.  It is recommended to use IGSN to identify samples in data infrastructures where appropriate. 
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    * record a IGSN to identify samples and parent samples and make this data part of the metadata available for harvesting.    * record a IGSN to identify samples and parent samples and make this data part of the metadata available for harvesting.
    * treat IGSN metadata as the primary source of truth and update your own metadata accordingly.    * treat IGSN metadata as the primary source of truth and update your own metadata accordingly.
 +
 +Also see [3] Baldewein et al. (2023). FAIR WISH D7 -Standard Operating Procedure for automatic IGSN registration. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10401380
  
  
  
-=====Binding Convention: =====+====Binding Convention: ====
  
  
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 ^ Helmholtz FAIR Principle|            |  X    |          | ^ Helmholtz FAIR Principle|            |  X    |          |
  
-=====Precondition for Implementation: =====+====Precondition for Implementation: ====
  
 The institution needs to be a member of Data Cite or needs to partner with a member to be able to register IGSNs.  The institution needs to be a member of Data Cite or needs to partner with a member to be able to register IGSNs. 
-=====Related Recommendations =====+====Related Recommendations ====
  
  
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 Other: none Other: none
  
-=====Contributors===== +====Contributors====
- +
-Names of contributors to this recommendation +
- +
-Manu+
  
 +Emanuel Soeding (lead)
 =====Content===== =====Content=====
  
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 Cons: Not globally unique, not resolvable, hard to track across systems or publications. Cons: Not globally unique, not resolvable, hard to track across systems or publications.
- 
-  * Accession Numbers in Domain Repositories 
-What: Identifiers assigned by domain-specific repositories or museums (e.g., GenBank accession numbers, museum catalog numbers). 
- 
-Pros: Well-integrated in their domains. 
- 
-Cons: Often not globally unique, not persistent outside their system, not interoperable across disciplines. 
  
   * Handle System / Custom DOIs   * Handle System / Custom DOIs
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 ====3. Consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of implementing the recommendation==== ====3. Consideration of the advantages and disadvantages of implementing the recommendation====
  
-Implementing IGSN across data infrastructures, research workflows, and organizational practices significantly improves the quality, traceability, and usability of sample-related metadata. By assigning persistent identifiers to physical samples and linking subsamples to their parents, institutions can ensure that metadata is more accurate, complete, and standardized. This enhances provenance tracking, minimizes errors, and supports reproducible research.+Advantages 
  
-From an interoperability perspective, IGSNs are globally resolvable and widely supported, enabling seamless linking between samples, datasets, publications, instruments, and other research outputs. This allows infrastructures to integrate more easily with external systems such as DataCite, ORCID, and disciplinary repositories, fostering a more connected and machine-actionable research ecosystem.+Implementing IGSN across data infrastructures, research workflows, and organizational practices significantly improves the quality, traceability, and usability of sample-related metadata. 
  
-In terms of sustainability and FAIR data principles, IGSNs help make samples findable and reusable in the long term. Even when personnel or institutions change, IGSNs preserve the identity and context of physical samples. This also supports consistent discovery and attribution of samples used across multiple studies, which is increasingly important for collaborative and longitudinal research.+From an interoperability perspective, IGSNs enable seamless linking between samples, datasets, publications, instruments, and other research outputs. This allows infrastructures to integrate more easily with external systems such as DataCite, ORCID, and disciplinary repositories, fostering a more connected and machine-actionable research ecosystem. 
 + 
 +Even when personnel or institutions change, IGSNs preserve the identity and context of physical samples. This also supports consistent discovery and attribution of samples used across multiple studies, which is increasingly important for collaborative and longitudinal research.
  
-Moreover, IGSNs enhance institutional visibility and alignment with international standards. Organizations that adopt and promote the use of IGSNs demonstrate leadership in research stewardship, transparency, and open science. As IGSNs become more integrated into harvesting and indexing services, they will further contribute to the discoverability and impact of institutional research outputs. 
 Disadvantages and Limitations Disadvantages and Limitations
  
-Despite the clear benefits, implementing IGSN recommendations can present certain challenges. One of the main barriers is the initial technical and organizational overhead. Integrating IGSN registration and resolution into local systems may require custom development, workflow redesign, and coordination with external allocating agents. Establishing clear responsibilities—such as assigning a person or unit to manage IGSNs—also requires dedicated resources and long-term commitment.+One of the main barriers is the initial technical and organizational overhead. Integrating IGSN registration and resolution into local systems may require custom development, workflow redesign, and coordination with external allocating agents. Establishing clear responsibilities—such as assigning a person or unit to manage IGSNs—also requires dedicated resources and long-term commitment.
  
 Another challenge is training and awareness. Researchers and technicians may not be familiar with IGSN or may view it as an extra administrative step. Sustained training efforts, user support, and institutional incentives are needed to ensure consistent and correct usage. Another challenge is training and awareness. Researchers and technicians may not be familiar with IGSN or may view it as an extra administrative step. Sustained training efforts, user support, and institutional incentives are needed to ensure consistent and correct usage.
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 Not all research fields have mature practices around sample identification, meaning that IGSN may not yet be a natural fit for every domain. In such cases, complementary identifiers or interim solutions might still be needed. Additionally, keeping local metadata synchronized with authoritative IGSN records can introduce technical complexity, especially if metadata schemas evolve differently. Not all research fields have mature practices around sample identification, meaning that IGSN may not yet be a natural fit for every domain. In such cases, complementary identifiers or interim solutions might still be needed. Additionally, keeping local metadata synchronized with authoritative IGSN records can introduce technical complexity, especially if metadata schemas evolve differently.
  
-====4. The Recommendation==== +====4. The Recommendation and possible consequences====
- +
-IGSN  is used to identify samples in data infrastructures.+
  
 +It is recommended to use IGSN to identify samples in data infrastructures where appropriate. 
  
 For organizations this means: For organizations this means:
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 Also see [3] Baldewein et al. (2023). FAIR WISH D7 -Standard Operating Procedure for automatic IGSN registration. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10401380 Also see [3] Baldewein et al. (2023). FAIR WISH D7 -Standard Operating Procedure for automatic IGSN registration. Zenodo. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.10401380
 +
  
 ====5. Naming of communities that have already implemented the recommendation==== ====5. Naming of communities that have already implemented the recommendation====
wiki/m4.0.1748419791.txt.gz · Last modified: by esoeding