How accurate are references in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery?
BACKGROUND
The accuracy of reference citations in The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Surgery was evaluated. All of the references from 1995 (Volume 65) were included (n = 4092).


METHODS
A sample of 100 references was randomly selected and examined in detail by comparison with the original references.


RESULTS
Overall, 60% of citations contained errors. Errors were categorized by dividing references into six elements. A total of 38.8% of citations contained an error in one element, 15.6% contained errors in two elements, 4.4% contained errors in three elements, and 4.4% contained errors in four elements of the reference. The most common errors were errors of authors' names and errors in the title.


CONCLUSIONS
Contributors to this journal should take more care in checking references in the manuscripts before publication.
Ngan Kee
W D
WD
Department of Anaesthesia, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Shatin, New Territories, Hong Kong. warwick@cuhk.edu.hk
Roach
V J
VJ
Lau
T K
TK
D001315:Australia; D015982:Bias; D001634:Bibliographies as Topic; D013502:General Surgery; D006801:Humans; D009520:New Zealand; D010506:Periodicals as Topic; D011643:Publishing / Q000592:standards*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results