A research team should keep one shared source-recovery log in which every incomplete reference gets a row with fixed fields, a named owner, and a status that ends in resolved, rejected with a reason, or assigned for follow-up. The log turns scattered coauthor fragments into a single queue, so two people do not chase the same citation.
Fields to capture for each fragment
- Fragment as supplied, verbatim, plus who supplied it and when.
- Search routes tried: which database or index, which query terms, and which filters were applied.
- Candidate identifiers: DOI, PMID, ISBN, or other record numbers for each candidate match.
- Field mismatches: which supplied details disagree with the candidate record, such as year, author order, title wording, or journal.
- Verification status: unresolved, candidate found, verified against the original source, or rejected.
- Owner and next action with a date.
Working the queue
- Enter the fragment verbatim and assign one owner; the expected result is a single row that no other coauthor needs to duplicate.
- Run a bibliographic query and record the route and filters used; Crossref documents queries, filters, result selection, and cursor paging for narrowing scholarly metadata, so note which combination you tried before changing it.
- Record each candidate identifier and the specific field mismatches; the decision point is whether a candidate matches enough supplied details to verify or must stay unresolved.
- Verify the match against the original source, as ICMJE advises authors to verify references against original sources and cite direct sources where possible; the expected result is a status change to verified or a documented rejection reason.
- Close the row as resolved, rejected with a reason, or assigned with a next action and owner.
Preventing duplicate work
Check the log for an existing row before starting a search, and merge duplicate candidate records where your reference manager supports it; Zotero identifies potential duplicate items and provides a merge interface that preserves collections and tags while combining records. When a candidate remains unresolved, keep the row open with the routes already tried so the next searcher starts from the recorded evidence rather than repeating it.