ABS&Comment: Lee, A survey of reference accuracy in two Asian dermatologic journals

[Gretchen Whitney]

TITLE   :       A survey of reference accuracy in two Asian dermatologic
journals
AUTHOR  Lee SY, Lee JS
JOURNAL INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF DERMATOLOGY 38: (5) 357-360 MAY 1999

 Document type: Article    Language: English    Cited References: 7    Times
Cited: 0

Abstract:
Background The reference list is an important part of a scientific article.
To be useful, it must be accurate.

Methods: To evaluate the reference accuracy in the Journal of Dermatology
and the Korean Journal of Dermatology, we randomly selected 100 references
from each journal and checked them against the original articles.

Results:  The overall rate of citation errors was 24% in the Journal of
Dermatology and 33% in the Korean Journal of Dermatology. Errors in the
title and author names were common, each occurring in about half of the
citation errors. The overall rate of quotation errors was 14% in the Journal
of Dermatology and 27% in the Korean Journal of Dermatology.

Conclusions: This study shows that the rate of citation errors is
unacceptably high in the Journal of Dermatology and the Korean Journal of
Dermatology, which significantly diminishes the value of the reference list.
We would strongly urge that the peer review of citation and quotation
accuracy should be strengthened.

Addresses:
Lee SY, Soonchunhyang Univ, Chonan Hosp, Coll Med, Dept Dermatol, 23-20
Bongmyong-Dong Chonan, Chungnam, South Korea.
Soonchunhyang Univ, Chonan Hosp, Coll Med, Dept Dermatol, Chungnam, South
Korea.

Publisher:
BLACKWELL SCIENCE LTD, OXFORD

IDS Number:
202HY

ISSN:
0011-9059
Copyright © 1999 Institute for Scientific Information; Reprinted with
permission.
Please visit their website at www.isinet.com.


CITED REFERENCES:


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 *INT COMM MED J ED     NEW ENGL J MED               324       424      1991

 DELACEY G                      BRIT MED J                          291
884      1985
 DOMS CA                        J DENT RES                           68
442      1989
 EVANS JT                       JAMA-J AM MED ASSOC     263      1353
1990
 GEORGE PM                      J AM ACAD DERMATOL          31        61
1994
 KEY JD                                 ARCH PHYSICAL MED RE      58
136      1977
 MCLELLAN MF                    ANESTHESIOLOGY                77       185
1992

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COMMENT:
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You may also wish to see another paper on the subject of errors....

M.K. Taylor "The practical effects of errors in reference lists in nursing
research journals," Nursing Research, 47(5):300-303, September/October 1998



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