Accuracy of referencing in the ophthalmic literature.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the frequency of citation and quotation errors in the ophthalmic literature.


METHODS
Analysis of 200 references from 100 papers published in 10 ophthalmic journals.


METHODS
A sample of 20 references was randomly selected from each of the 10 journals and each reference was checked for accuracy. Quotations were categorized as totally, partially, or not accurate.


RESULTS
There were 35 citation errors in 32 references, only four of which were errors in PubMed. Thirty quotations of references were not accurate; 20 were partially accurate.


CONCLUSIONS
Citation and quotation errors are relatively common within the ophthalmic literature. This may be improved through technical editing.
Buchan
John C
JC
York District General Hospital, York, UK.
Norris
John
J
Kuper
Hannah
H
D004282:Documentation / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D009885:Ophthalmology / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011643:Publishing / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011786:Quality Control; D015203:Reproducibility of Results