How accurate are cited references in Iranian peer-reviewed journals?

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Science Citation Index Expanded and SciFinder corrected 46% and 16% of author errors, respectively, when they index them.

“Buchanan (2006) showed that indexes such as Science Citation Index Expanded and SciFinder corrected 46% and 16% of author errors, respectively, when they index them.”

• cites Buchanan, 2006 sourceSupported

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable). May combine two claims.

Inaccurate references affect the intellectual impact of scientists, journals and disciplines and may hinder individual development.

“Thus, inaccurate references affect the intellectual impact of scientists, journals and disciplines and may hinder individual development”

• cites Meho & Rogers, 2008 sourceSupported

May combine two claims.

The 97 journals in the final sample published 2,980 articles during 2012, with 74,577 cited references and 108,151 in-text citations.

“The 97 journals in the final sample published a total of 2,980 articles during 2012 with 74,577 cited references and 108,151 in-text citations (Table 2).”

May combine two claims.

NLM/ICMJE (Vancouver) style was used by 9.3% (eight) of journals, APA style by 6.2% (five), and Harvard style by 4.1% (three).

“NLM/ICMJE (Vancouver) style was used by 9.3% (eight), APA style by 6.2% (five) and Harvard style by 4.1% (three).”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

Despite careful peer-review processes, errors of all kinds creep into the journals.

“Ultimately, my findings show that despite careful peer-review processes, 'errors of all kinds creep into the journals' (Garfield, 1990)”

• cites Garfield, 1990Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The sample of 97 journals is representative of the 519 accredited Iranian peer-reviewed journals.

May combine two claims.

The largest percentage of errors occurred in the humanities and arts (33,104 errors, 49.5%), followed by medical sciences (13,104, 19.6%), agriculture and veterinary (8,990, 13.4%), engineering (8,276, 12.4%), and basic sciences (3,448, 5.1%).

“Frequency counts of the errors showed that the largest percentage of errors occurred in the humanities and arts (33,104 errors, 49.5%) followed in decreasing order by medical sciences (13,104, 19.6%), agriculture and veterinary (8,990, 13.4%), engineering (8,276, 12.4%), and basic sciences (3,448, 5.1%) (Fig. 1).”

May combine two claims.

Absence of an in-text citation of a reference, or vice versa, occurred 3,486 times and comprised 8.8% of all in-text citation errors.

“These errors occurred 3,486 times and comprised 8.8% of all in-text citation errors.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing). May combine two claims.

Web of Science contained 0.3% incorrect citation, PsycINFO 1.1% and Google Scholar 16.5%.

“García-Pérez showed that Web of Science contained 0.3% incorrect citation, PsycINFO 1.1% and Google Scholar 16.5%”

• cites García-PérezNot matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S4 (based).

This study is the first to survey reference accuracy in Iranian peer-reviewed journals across all subject disciplines.

“This study is the first to survey reference accuracy in Iranian peer-reviewed journals across all subject disciplines.”

May combine two claims.

Many of the journals analysed did not follow standard reference or citation styles, and one consequence was the appearance of types of errors not commonly seen in other international studies.

“Many of the journals I analysed did not follow standard reference or citation styles, and one of the consequences of this was the appearance of types of errors not commonly seen in other international studies.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Stratified sampling was used for the five main categories of journals to obtain a sample of 97 peer-reviewed journals.

“I then used stratified sampling for the five main categories of journals to obtain a sample of 97 peer-reviewed journals.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The sample of 97 journals is representative of the 519 accredited Iranian peer-reviewed journals.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

The lack of instructions, guidelines or advice for authors in peer-reviewed journals reflects the editor's failure, at least in Iran, to devote enough attention to his or her responsibilities.

“The lack of instructions, guidelines or advice for authors in peerreviewed journals reflects the editor's failure, at least in Iran, to devote enough attention to his or her responsibilities”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

Studies have shown that reference and citation errors are often neglected in different specialty journals.

“Studies have shown that reference and citation errors are often neglected in different specialty journals”

• cites Parashar et al., 2007 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source
• cites Siedlecki et al., 2008 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source
• cites García-Pérez, 2010 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

Inaccuracies in references and citations fail researchers as they prevent them from being able to identify and trace the genealogy of knowledge.

“Thus, inaccuracies in references and citations fail researchers as they prevent them from being able to identify and trace the genealogy of knowledge.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The higher the impact factor for the journal, the lower the number of errors.

“An interesting study by Fenton, Brazier, De Souza, Hughes, and McShane (2000) showed that 'the higher the impact factor for the journal, the lower the number of errors'.”

• cites Fenton et al., 2000 sourceNot checked — no full text of the source

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The incidence rate of citation errors in the analysed articles (5.6% to 61.3%) is consistent with the results of other surveys in the Introduction.

“In the articles I analysed, the incidence rate of citation errors varied between 5.6% and 61.3%, which is consistent with the results of other surveys in the Introduction.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

Many journal editors pay little attention to authors' noncompliance with journal-specific format and style rules.

“Apparently, many journal editors pay little attention to authors' noncompliance with journal-specific format and style rules.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing), S4 (based).

The arbitrary style was the reason for the most frequent in-text citation errors listed in Table 3.

“I suggest that this arbitrary style was the reason for the most frequent in-text citation errors listed in Table 3.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The journals studied were all accredited by the Commission.

“The journals I studied were all accredited by the Commission.”

May combine two claims.

Incorrect or incomplete URLs are a major problem because they impede readers' access to original documents and undermine citing authors' credibility.

“The former is a major problem because it not only impedes the readers' access to the original documents but also undermines the citing authors' credibility.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

The potential cause for mismatches between in-text citations and references is that the original source is cited in another source (indirect citation) that was not read by the citing author.

“The potential cause for these mismatches is that the original source is cited in another source (indirect citation) that was not read by the citing author.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

Failure to cite colleagues correctly (or even not to cite them) causes them to be 'excluded from the fellowship of their peers'.

“Failure to cite colleagues correctly (or even not to cite them) causes them to be 'excluded from the fellowship of their peers' (The National Academies Press, 1995).”

• cites The National Academies Press, 1995Not matched

  Couldn’t be matched to a paper in Crossref, so it can’t be checked.

Classified as probably not a substantial claim. May combine two claims.

The references were checked against publications in the Iran Journal Database, and if not there, other online search tools were used to find the original article.

“The references were first checked against publications in the Iran Journal Database, and if not there, then other online search tools were used to find the original article.”

• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The Iran Journal Database comprises all Iranian peer-reviewed journals.
• AssumptionRests on an assumption: The Iran Journal Database is accurate for checking references.

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable), S3 (load-bearing).

The result of editors' failure may be a proliferation of mistakes in submitted manuscripts.

“and the result may be a proliferation of mistakes in submitted manuscripts.”

Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S2 (checkable).

The findings suggest a lack of awareness by authors of their responsibility in ensuring accurate citation.

“and suggest a lack of awareness by authors of their responsibility in ensuring accurate citation.”