How to audit a bibliography (pre-submission checklist)

Step 1: Normalize inputs (make them checkable)

The fastest audits start by extracting stable identifiers. If you can get one DOI/PMID/ISBN per reference, everything else becomes easier.

• Prefer DOI for most scholarly articles.
• Use PMID for biomedical papers when DOI is missing.
• Use ISBN for books (edition matters).
• If you only have a URL, keep it, but treat it as higher risk.

Step 2: Run a conservative batch check

Use a tool as a first-pass filter, then spend human time only where it matters.

• Use Citation Verification to resolve identifiers and flag items as VERIFIED / RETRACTED / NEEDS REVIEW.
• If you’re auditing a whole reference list, Bibliography Health Check is optimized for batch triage.

Step 3: Check duplicates and near-duplicates

Duplicates are common when you merge reference lists or import from multiple sources.

• Same DOI cited twice with different formatting.
• Same title/year but different URL (publisher vs aggregator vs PDF).
• Same work with two years (online-first vs print year).

Keep one canonical record and ensure it matches the paper you actually intend to cite.

Step 4: Resolve “Needs review” with a repeatable rule

“Needs review” is not a failure—it’s a signal that the evidence is incomplete or ambiguous. Use a consistent decision rule:

1. Open the publisher record (not only an aggregator page).
2. Compare title, authors, year, venue.
3. If multiple candidates exist, add an identifier (DOI/PMID/ISBN) and re-check.
4. If nothing credible resolves, replace the reference or mark it as unverifiable.

Step 5: Retractions and corrections

A reference can be real and still be inappropriate evidence. For high-stakes claims, confirm retraction/correction status on the publisher page.

Related: Retractions and corrections: how to check responsibly.

Final step: Format only after verification

Formatting hides errors. Do verification first, then generate citations from resolvable identifiers.

Use Citation Generator to export BibTeX/RIS/CSL-JSON (when available) after you’ve confirmed the record is the correct work.