Accuracy of references in the Kenya Eye Health Journal Volume 1 Number 1

Abstract

Background:  Accurate referencing is essential in academic and research publications, ensuring objectivity, rigor, and credibility. Such referencing provides context, builds on existing work, strengthens the reliability of articles, and guides readers to relevant sources. Errors in referencing pose a challenge in information retrieval and reduce access to information.  This study aimed to evaluate the accuracy of references in articles published in Issue 1 of the Kenya Eye Health Journal (KEHJ).

Methods: References from articles published in KEHJ Issue 1, were extracted and analyzed for accuracy of bibliographic elements such as author, title, publisher, place of publication, year of publication, volume, issue, and page number, along with adherence to the Vancouver referencing format. Descriptive analysis was used to quantify the frequency and distribution of errors. 

Result: All the 89 references from 7 articles were analyzed. Journal articles 69(78%) were the most frequently referenced. Two of the seven articles contributing 25/89 (28%) references did not use the Vancouver referencing style. Among the 50(56%) references which followed the recommended referencing style, 15(30%) were incorrectly formatted. The most common errors were author list (26%), omissions of DOI (45%), and errors in year of publication (15%).

Conclusion: The findings revealed gaps in adherence to journal author guidelines and errors in referencing accuracy. These inaccuracies highlight the need for training among authors, peer reviewers, and editorial teams to improve referencing consistency. Implementing strict verification measures and providing clear referencing support such as engaging information scientist and embedded video tutorials can help mitigate these errors.