References and citations

The citation section of a paper is important for giving credit to the ideas and work of other scientists. In finding the references that you need, you can use the web to search MEDLINE® via PubMed® (www3) or you can use other websites to find links to further references and to netprints (www4–8). If you are quoting a method, a sentence, an idea, or some results published by another researcher, then you must cite the original source. Using other researchers’ ideas or any parts of their writing as your own is a serious offence known as plagiarism. When you are writing a journal article, you need to cite only the most valid, most important, and most recent literature. Ideally, you conducted a full literature search when the study was planned and you have updated it as the study progressed. If you are organised, you will have your references stored in an electronic database such as Endnote® or Reference Manager® (www9). This will allow you to format a bibliography in a fraction of the time that it takes to do it manually. In addition, your paper copies will be filed in alphabetical order or in an indexed or linked file so that they are readily retrieved. Even better, you will have read all of the original journal articles that you plan to cite. Before you submit your paper with a
reference list created using a computer package, check with your editor that the format is acceptable. Some journals prefer to use their own templates.