Healthy Skepticism Library item: 20513

Warning: This library includes all items relevant to health product marketing that we are aware of regardless of quality. Often we do not agree with all or part of the contents.

Publication type: Journal Article

Eichorn P, Yankauer A
Do authors check their references? A survey of accuracy of references in three public health journals.
Am J Public Health 1987 Aug; 77:(8):1011
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1647239/

Abstract:

We verified a random sample of 50 references in the May 1986 issue of each of three public health journals. Thirty-one per cent of the 150 references had citation errors, one out of 10 being a major error (reference not locatable). Thirty per cent of the references differed from authors’ use of them with half being a major error (cited paper not related to author’s contention).