Researchers & academics

Your discovery has a date. Even before it's published.

Months — or years — can pass between the first analysis and publication. Along the way, manuscripts circulate among co-authors, reviewers and committees, and data sits on shared servers. Recording each stage creates independent proof that a result already existed, without revealing a single line of your work.

See how it works

The challenge

Where proof usually breaks down

Peer review leaves no trail

Your manuscript passes through many hands. If a similar idea is published first, showing you got there earlier is hard.

Disputed co-authorship

When a group splits, "who produced what and when" can block papers and patents.

Data that can be questioned

Allegations of data manipulation require showing the original dataset hasn't changed since collection.

How Docmint helps

Technical proof that's simple to create and easy to check

Priority without disclosure

Only the fingerprint is recorded. You prove you had the result without making it public.

Data integrity

Recording the dataset at collection shows it wasn't altered later — a boost to reproducibility.

A research timeline

Each recorded version builds a verifiable history, useful for committees, funders and co-authors.

Big files, nothing uploaded

Multi-gigabyte datasets are processed on your computer. Nothing leaves your machine.

What to record

Files worth recording

Raw and processed datasets
Manuscripts and submitted versions
Digitised lab notebooks
Research protocols and plans
Analysis scripts and notebooks
Theses and dissertations
Conference posters and talks
Technical reports and reviews

Any format works: Docmint records the file's fingerprint, not its content.

In practice: before submitting the paper

Your group has finished the analyses and is about to submit to a journal.

1
Gather the final dataset, analysis scripts and the manuscript PDF.
2
Record everything as a batch in Docmint, using the working title.
3
Share the receipts with your co-authors and keep them with the data.
4
If a priority or integrity dispute arises, the records show what existed and when.

Best practices

Record the dataset right after collection, before any processing.
Record every submitted version and every response to reviewers.
Don't describe the finding in the title or description — they are public.
Keep recorded files in an institutional repository with backups.
If there's patent potential, talk to your tech transfer office before disclosing.

What the law says

Copyright protects scientific texts but not ideas, methods or discoveries themselves. The record's value lies in proving the date and integrity of your files. Patentable inventions require a patent filing, which Docmint does not replace.

Frequently asked questions

Does recording count as publication or disclosure?

No. Only the hash, title and description are public; the content stays confidential. Still, avoid describing the result in the title.

Can I record a huge dataset?

Yes. Hashing happens on your computer and only the fingerprint is sent.

Does it replace a patent filing?

No. Protecting an invention requires a patent application. The record helps document your work's chronology.

Start with your next file.

Create your account in seconds and get 3 free records to try in your daily work.