Keep a per-reference verification log with one row for each entry and four fixed fields—identifier checked, database consulted, match or mismatch found, and unresolved status—so each submission decision traces back to a recorded check. ICMJE advises authors to verify references against original sources, cite direct sources where possible, identify retractions, and follow journal reference style, and a log built around those checks makes that advice auditable.
Log structure
Use one row per reference and record these fields:
- Identifier checked — the DOI, PMID, ISBN, or full citation string you looked up. Record the exact string so a later reviewer can repeat the same lookup.
- Database consulted — the specific source you queried, such as a DOI lookup through the Crossref REST API, a publisher page, or a library catalog. Crossref's DOI lookup returns the metadata deposited for that DOI, so note that the result reflects deposited metadata.
- Match or mismatch found — record what agreed and what did not: title, author list, year, journal, volume, pages. A partial match gets its own entry and does not count as a pass.
- Unresolved status — mark each row as confirmed, mismatch, or unresolved, with a one-line note on what remains open (for example, a page range not visible in the retrieved metadata).
Using the log to decide
Sort rows by status before submission. Confirmed rows are safe to submit as recorded. Mismatch rows need correction against the source before the reference stays in the manuscript. Unresolved rows need a decision: keep the reference with a caveat noted in your own tracking, or flag it for follow-up after the deadline. Record the decision and its date in the same row so the choice is auditable.
Repeatable checks
Run the same lookup order for every entry: identifier, database, comparison fields, status. When a DOI lookup returns metadata that differs from your citation, treat the discrepancy as unresolved and check the publisher record next instead of assuming either version is correct. TrueCite checks BibTeX against real academic databases to flag references that need verification, which can populate the identifier and status fields before you complete the comparison.
Deadline handling
For entries still unresolved at the deadline, note the specific open field and the database already consulted. That record lets a co-author or editor see exactly which references received a check and which remain open, and it keeps the submission decision tied to evidence.