Mixing
As a referee, is it okay to ask for references to be removed?
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
up vote
10
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.
citations peer-review
edited 12 mins ago
Nat
5,22931338
asked 3 hours ago
pancho
296111
add a comment |Â
up vote
10
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.
citations peer-review
edited 12 mins ago
Nat
5,22931338
asked 3 hours ago
pancho
296111
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
2 hours ago
1
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
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
10
down vote
favorite
up vote
10
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.
citations peer-review
edited 12 mins ago
Nat
5,22931338
asked 3 hours ago
pancho
296111
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
citations peer-review
edited 12 mins ago
Nat
5,22931338
asked 3 hours ago
pancho
296111
edited 12 mins ago
Nat
5,22931338
asked 3 hours ago
pancho
296111
edited 12 mins ago
Nat
5,22931338
edited 12 mins ago
Nat
5,22931338
edited 12 mins ago
Nat
5,22931338
5,22931338
asked 3 hours ago
pancho
296111
asked 3 hours ago
pancho
296111
asked 3 hours ago
pancho
296111
296111
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
2 hours ago
1
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
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
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
2 hours ago
1
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
1 hour 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
2 hours 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
2 hours ago
1
1
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
1 hour 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
1 hour ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
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."
answered 2 hours ago
Carl Christian
79127
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
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.
answered 2 hours ago
Solar Mike
8,91632038
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
6
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."
answered 2 hours ago
Carl Christian
79127
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
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."
answered 2 hours ago
Carl Christian
79127
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
up vote
6
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."
answered 2 hours ago
Carl Christian
79127
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."
answered 2 hours ago
Carl Christian
79127
answered 2 hours ago
Carl Christian
79127
answered 2 hours ago
Carl Christian
79127
answered 2 hours ago
Carl Christian
79127
79127
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
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.
answered 2 hours ago
Solar Mike
8,91632038
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
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.
answered 2 hours ago
Solar Mike
8,91632038
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
up vote
5
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.
answered 2 hours ago
Solar Mike
8,91632038
I think that you should get erroneous references removed, the ones listed should be the ones used in the paper, no more, no less.
answered 2 hours ago
Solar Mike
8,91632038
answered 2 hours ago
Solar Mike
8,91632038
answered 2 hours ago
Solar Mike
8,91632038
answered 2 hours ago
Solar Mike
8,91632038
8,91632038
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
StackExchange.ready(
function ()
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2facademia.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f117597%2fas-a-referee-is-it-okay-to-ask-for-references-to-be-removed%23new-answer', 'question_page');
);
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function ()
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
);
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
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
2 hours ago
1
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
1 hour ago