Build a handoff packet that lists each source, its verification state, the unresolved conflict, the evidence checked so far, an owner, and a next action, then require the receiving analyst to confirm receipt in writing and record which items they resolve.
What each packet item should contain
- Source identifier: the citation plus the DOI where one exists. A DOI lookup through the Crossref REST API returns the metadata deposited for that DOI, so record what the deposit shows and label it as deposited metadata.
- Verification state: mark each source as verified against the original, partially checked, or unchecked. ICMJE advises authors to verify references against original sources and to identify retractions, so note whether a retraction check was done and what it returned.
- Unresolved conflict: state the specific disagreement, such as a mismatched year, author list, or volume between two records, and name both records. Leave the conflict open; do not resolve it by preference.
- Evidence checked so far: list the sources consulted and what each one showed, so the next analyst does not repeat the same checks.
- Owner and next action: assign one person and one concrete next step per item, such as retrieving the publisher page for a specific DOI or comparing two database records.
Handoff sequence
- Freeze the packet as a dated list and mark every item's verification state. Expected result: a snapshot that later changes can be compared against.
- Send the packet with a request for written confirmation of receipt. Expected result: a timestamped acknowledgment from the receiving analyst.
- Ask the receiver to record, item by item, which conflicts they resolve and what evidence settled each one. Expected result: a return log that closes the loop on the audit trail.
- Keep the original packet alongside the return log. Expected result: a continuous record from partial verification through resolution.
Practical notes
When duplicate records appear in a reference manager, Zotero's duplicate detection offers a merge interface that preserves collections and tags while combining item records; record the merge in the packet so the receiver knows which identifier now stands for the source. For longer literature-review tasks, WisPaper Scholar Agent supports extended research work, and its output can populate the evidence-checked field for the receiver to confirm.