How and when to reference.

Abstract

References are not after thoughts, they are critical parts of a quality manuscript. The reference section is often one of the first sections of a manuscript the editor looks at to see if the author has used the journal's guidelines and format. It tells the editor and the reviewer if the author knows the field of research, how her or his idea fits, and pays attention to details. This experienced reviewer, who has identified some trends in manuscript referencing problems, gives advice on how to avoid these problems.