As a referee, is it ok to aks for removal of references?

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Say I received a paper for review. Afterwards I discover that there are cited references that are not related to the discussed subject, or there are elements in the bibliography that are not referenced in the manuscript.



As a referee, is it ok to ask for the removal of such references?



I ask because I have never heard of someone suggesting the removal of references, but on the contrary, I have many times heard of researchers self citing or citing friends just to enhance their numbers.










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  • It would also help if you can identify whether these spurious references are an attempt to boost citation count through self citation or if they're just plain mistakes. The first one hints to an ethical issue. If it's too blatant, my opinion is that it should be brought to the editor's attention.
    – Miguel
    56 mins ago











  • I wonder if a journal's production office has means to detect these "orphan references" automatically, and what happens when they find one. Anyone more expert than me with the journal toolchain knows?
    – Federico Poloni
    5 mins ago















up vote
6
down vote

favorite












Say I received a paper for review. Afterwards I discover that there are cited references that are not related to the discussed subject, or there are elements in the bibliography that are not referenced in the manuscript.



As a referee, is it ok to ask for the removal of such references?



I ask because I have never heard of someone suggesting the removal of references, but on the contrary, I have many times heard of researchers self citing or citing friends just to enhance their numbers.










share|improve this question





















  • It would also help if you can identify whether these spurious references are an attempt to boost citation count through self citation or if they're just plain mistakes. The first one hints to an ethical issue. If it's too blatant, my opinion is that it should be brought to the editor's attention.
    – Miguel
    56 mins ago











  • I wonder if a journal's production office has means to detect these "orphan references" automatically, and what happens when they find one. Anyone more expert than me with the journal toolchain knows?
    – Federico Poloni
    5 mins ago













up vote
6
down vote

favorite









up vote
6
down vote

favorite











Say I received a paper for review. Afterwards I discover that there are cited references that are not related to the discussed subject, or there are elements in the bibliography that are not referenced in the manuscript.



As a referee, is it ok to ask for the removal of such references?



I ask because I have never heard of someone suggesting the removal of references, but on the contrary, I have many times heard of researchers self citing or citing friends just to enhance their numbers.










share|improve this question













Say I received a paper for review. Afterwards I discover that there are cited references that are not related to the discussed subject, or there are elements in the bibliography that are not referenced in the manuscript.



As a referee, is it ok to ask for the removal of such references?



I ask because I have never heard of someone suggesting the removal of references, but on the contrary, I have many times heard of researchers self citing or citing friends just to enhance their numbers.







citations peer-review






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asked 1 hour ago









pancho

276110




276110











  • It would also help if you can identify whether these spurious references are an attempt to boost citation count through self citation or if they're just plain mistakes. The first one hints to an ethical issue. If it's too blatant, my opinion is that it should be brought to the editor's attention.
    – Miguel
    56 mins ago











  • I wonder if a journal's production office has means to detect these "orphan references" automatically, and what happens when they find one. Anyone more expert than me with the journal toolchain knows?
    – Federico Poloni
    5 mins ago

















  • It would also help if you can identify whether these spurious references are an attempt to boost citation count through self citation or if they're just plain mistakes. The first one hints to an ethical issue. If it's too blatant, my opinion is that it should be brought to the editor's attention.
    – Miguel
    56 mins ago











  • I wonder if a journal's production office has means to detect these "orphan references" automatically, and what happens when they find one. Anyone more expert than me with the journal toolchain knows?
    – Federico Poloni
    5 mins ago
















It would also help if you can identify whether these spurious references are an attempt to boost citation count through self citation or if they're just plain mistakes. The first one hints to an ethical issue. If it's too blatant, my opinion is that it should be brought to the editor's attention.
– Miguel
56 mins ago





It would also help if you can identify whether these spurious references are an attempt to boost citation count through self citation or if they're just plain mistakes. The first one hints to an ethical issue. If it's too blatant, my opinion is that it should be brought to the editor's attention.
– Miguel
56 mins ago













I wonder if a journal's production office has means to detect these "orphan references" automatically, and what happens when they find one. Anyone more expert than me with the journal toolchain knows?
– Federico Poloni
5 mins ago





I wonder if a journal's production office has means to detect these "orphan references" automatically, and what happens when they find one. Anyone more expert than me with the journal toolchain knows?
– Federico Poloni
5 mins ago











2 Answers
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I think that you should get erroneous references removed, the ones listed should be the ones used in the paper, no more, no less.






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    Yes, the spurious references should be removed as stated by @Solar Mike. There is a diplomatic way to accomplish this without making any assumptions or accusing anyone of anything. Write something along the lines of



    "The current bibliography contains a number of references which are not explicitly cited in the main text. They are: (insert complete list of numbers). The main text should either be extended to include a discussion of these references or the references should be deleted".



    You compile the list by ticking of all explicitly cited references as you read through the main text. Any entries left are spurious.



    A tool like LaTeX typically has a command which is used to print the entire bibliography. Spurious references are often generated by forgetting to disable this command when the final draft is compiled. If you can identify the tool, then you can insert a helpful statement to that effect, i.e., "As you are using LaTeX, please check if manuscript contains a nocite* command."






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      2 Answers
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      2 Answers
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      up vote
      3
      down vote













      I think that you should get erroneous references removed, the ones listed should be the ones used in the paper, no more, no less.






      share|improve this answer
























        up vote
        3
        down vote













        I think that you should get erroneous references removed, the ones listed should be the ones used in the paper, no more, no less.






        share|improve this answer






















          up vote
          3
          down vote










          up vote
          3
          down vote









          I think that you should get erroneous references removed, the ones listed should be the ones used in the paper, no more, no less.






          share|improve this answer












          I think that you should get erroneous references removed, the ones listed should be the ones used in the paper, no more, no less.







          share|improve this answer












          share|improve this answer



          share|improve this answer










          answered 1 hour ago









          Solar Mike

          8,89632038




          8,89632038




















              up vote
              0
              down vote













              Yes, the spurious references should be removed as stated by @Solar Mike. There is a diplomatic way to accomplish this without making any assumptions or accusing anyone of anything. Write something along the lines of



              "The current bibliography contains a number of references which are not explicitly cited in the main text. They are: (insert complete list of numbers). The main text should either be extended to include a discussion of these references or the references should be deleted".



              You compile the list by ticking of all explicitly cited references as you read through the main text. Any entries left are spurious.



              A tool like LaTeX typically has a command which is used to print the entire bibliography. Spurious references are often generated by forgetting to disable this command when the final draft is compiled. If you can identify the tool, then you can insert a helpful statement to that effect, i.e., "As you are using LaTeX, please check if manuscript contains a nocite* command."






              share|improve this answer
























                up vote
                0
                down vote













                Yes, the spurious references should be removed as stated by @Solar Mike. There is a diplomatic way to accomplish this without making any assumptions or accusing anyone of anything. Write something along the lines of



                "The current bibliography contains a number of references which are not explicitly cited in the main text. They are: (insert complete list of numbers). The main text should either be extended to include a discussion of these references or the references should be deleted".



                You compile the list by ticking of all explicitly cited references as you read through the main text. Any entries left are spurious.



                A tool like LaTeX typically has a command which is used to print the entire bibliography. Spurious references are often generated by forgetting to disable this command when the final draft is compiled. If you can identify the tool, then you can insert a helpful statement to that effect, i.e., "As you are using LaTeX, please check if manuscript contains a nocite* command."






                share|improve this answer






















                  up vote
                  0
                  down vote










                  up vote
                  0
                  down vote









                  Yes, the spurious references should be removed as stated by @Solar Mike. There is a diplomatic way to accomplish this without making any assumptions or accusing anyone of anything. Write something along the lines of



                  "The current bibliography contains a number of references which are not explicitly cited in the main text. They are: (insert complete list of numbers). The main text should either be extended to include a discussion of these references or the references should be deleted".



                  You compile the list by ticking of all explicitly cited references as you read through the main text. Any entries left are spurious.



                  A tool like LaTeX typically has a command which is used to print the entire bibliography. Spurious references are often generated by forgetting to disable this command when the final draft is compiled. If you can identify the tool, then you can insert a helpful statement to that effect, i.e., "As you are using LaTeX, please check if manuscript contains a nocite* command."






                  share|improve this answer












                  Yes, the spurious references should be removed as stated by @Solar Mike. There is a diplomatic way to accomplish this without making any assumptions or accusing anyone of anything. Write something along the lines of



                  "The current bibliography contains a number of references which are not explicitly cited in the main text. They are: (insert complete list of numbers). The main text should either be extended to include a discussion of these references or the references should be deleted".



                  You compile the list by ticking of all explicitly cited references as you read through the main text. Any entries left are spurious.



                  A tool like LaTeX typically has a command which is used to print the entire bibliography. Spurious references are often generated by forgetting to disable this command when the final draft is compiled. If you can identify the tool, then you can insert a helpful statement to that effect, i.e., "As you are using LaTeX, please check if manuscript contains a nocite* command."







                  share|improve this answer












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                  share|improve this answer










                  answered 24 mins ago









                  Carl Christian

                  73127




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