Verify each reference against its original source and its Crossmark record, identify any retraction or correction, then cite the retracted work with a clear annotation and log the status in a disclosure file. The ICMJE Recommendations ask authors to verify references against original sources, cite direct sources where possible, identify retractions, and follow the journal's reference style.
Step-by-step check
- Retrieve the original article for each reference and confirm the citation details match the source. Record the result as verified or unresolved in your disclosure log.
- Open the publisher-maintained Crossmark record for the work and check for updates such as corrections, retractions, or other changes. Crossmark exists so readers can check a publisher-maintained record for these updates.
- Where Crossmark shows a change, read the retraction or correction notice itself. COPE's retraction guidance describes the purposes, grounds, notices, and responsibilities involved in correcting the research literature, which helps you interpret what the notice states.
- Apply ICMJE guidance by identifying the retraction in the reference and following the journal's reference style for how the annotation appears.
- Write the status and any required annotation into the disclosure log, then confirm each entry appears in the manuscript reference list.
What the disclosure log should record
For each reference, log the citation, the verification result, the Crossmark status, the notice type and date if one exists, and the annotation you added. This gives reviewers and editors a traceable record of how each reference was checked and how retractions were disclosed.
Boundary to keep in mind
A missing Crossmark update leaves the status unresolved; check the publisher's site and the notice directly before deciding how to cite the work.