Abstract This brief editorial tries to make known the main research records and repositories, with the aim of being known and used early on by PhD students. It raises the importance of using the ORCID author’s ID and knowledge of other key records of the editorial process among which are the ISSN, the DOI and the ROR, referring to the journal, the document and the institution, respectively. Subsequently, the main databases whose primary function is as an academic search engine (Scopus, Web of Science, Dimensions and Google Scholar) are described. The main academic social networking sites are then described (ResearchGate and Academia.edu), finishing with the main characteristics of the Sci-Hub case. It concludes by mentioning the relevance of integrating all these digital platforms to open PhD students up to the digital world and with it a series of possibilities for exchanges.Keywords: PhD Students, records, repositories, ORCID, ISSN, DOI, ROR, Scopus, WoS, Dimensions, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, Academia.edu, ASNS, Sci-Hub.