How to write and publish a scientific paper - Barbara Gastel, Robert A. Day 2022

Rules to follow
How to cite the references
Preparing the text

Manuscripts containing innumerable references are more likely a sign of insecurity than a mark of scholarship.

—William C. Roberts

Rules to follow

There are two rules to follow in the references section, just as in the acknowledgments section.

First, list only, or almost only, significant published references. References to unpublished data, abstracts, theses, and other secondary materials should not clutter up the references or literature-cited section. If such a reference seems essential, you may add it parenthetically or, in some journals, as a footnote in the text. A paper that has been accepted for publication can be listed in the literature cited, citing the name of the journal, followed by “in press” or “forthcoming.” Increasingly, journals have been allowing preprints to be cited. If, however, a published version of the paper exists, it should be cited instead.

Second, ensure that all parts of every reference are accurate. Doing so may entail checking every reference against the original publication before the manuscript is submitted, and perhaps again at the proof stage. Take it from an erstwhile librarian: There are far more mistakes in the references section of a paper than anywhere else.

Authors sometimes ask whether they can cite their own work. The answer: Yes, when relevant. Do not cite your own work, or that of friends and colleagues, to inflate your or others’ citation counts or egos. However, if the work is relevant, it should indeed be cited. A good guideline is as follows: If you would cite the paper if it had other authors, cite it; otherwise, don’t. Whether to cite a paper should be based on what the paper said, not who said it.

Don’t forget, as a final check, to ensure that all references cited in the text are indeed listed in the literature cited, and that all references listed in the literature cited are indeed cited somewhere in the text.