Linkouts

Linkouts are a feature commonly found in online content, particularly in databases, digital libraries, and academic journals. They function as external hyperlinks that direct users from a specific piece of content, such as a citation or a reference, to a related resource elsewhere on the web. For example, a linkout in a scholarly article might lead to the full text of a cited paper, a dataset referenced in the research, or a profile of the author.

The primary purpose of linkouts is to enhance user experience by providing seamless access to supplementary information. They save users the time and effort of manually searching for related resources, thereby streamlining research workflows. Linkouts are typically implemented by content providers or database aggregators who have established relationships with other content holders. The technology behind linkouts often involves standardized metadata and APIs that allow for automatic linking between different platforms.

These links can connect to a wide variety of resources, including publisher websites, open access repositories, institutional repositories, and other specialized databases. The effectiveness of linkouts relies on the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the underlying data, ensuring that the linked resources are indeed relevant and accessible. While beneficial, it's important for users to be aware that linkouts lead to external content, which may be subject to different access policies or subscription requirements.