Build a verifiable bibliography
Connect the question, document versions, identifiers and inclusion criteria without confusing discovery with reading.
Prepare the task
A useful bibliography lets a reader locate each work and understand its relevance. It should also identify documents you could not examine.
- Question and main concepts
- Period, language or population criteria
- Tracking table without invented references
Follow the method
- 1Define scope
Record concepts, synonyms and inclusion criteria before selecting works. Search for findings contrary to your hypothesis as well.
- 2Compare references
Record title, authors, date, identifier and version. A record, preprint and published article can represent different states.
- 3Connect reading and citation
State what part was consulted and which point it supports. Mark inaccessible text instead of claiming its method was checked.
- 4Keep the search log and status
Record queries, databases, filters and dates. Read correction notices linked to selected documents and keep their references in the file.
Two records look identical but the files differ: compare dates and versions before removing a supposed duplicate.
Choose the resource for the missing evidence
The directory records identify publishers and link to their official services. Choose by task; inclusion does not guarantee an outcome.
| Task | Resource | Check |
|---|---|---|
| Compare a reference and DOI | Crossref | Check authors, title and associated object. |
| Explore open journals | Directory of Open Access Journals | Check the particular journal and article. |
| Find a deposited version | HAL | Read the record and identify the available version. |
Compare these directory resources side by side →
A completed record to understand the method
Fictional example: values, times and situations below demonstrate how to document a decision. They do not describe an actual service or application.
| Element | Observation in the example | Next action |
|---|---|---|
| Record | Matching title and DOI | Keep the record link |
| Text read | Passage in version 1 | Record version and page marker |
| Later version | Table replaced | Re-read the passage before reusing the conclusion |
Identify the right publication
Read an ISBN or ISSN and examine its check character
A book edition and a serial title are different bibliographic objects. This workshop checks transcription arithmetic locally. It does not query a catalogue, identify a rights holder or establish that the number was assigned.
| Identifier | Structure | What to compare with the record |
|---|---|---|
| ISBN-10 | Legacy 10-character format; final key can be X. | Title, edition, language and format. |
| ISBN-13 | 13 digits; ISBN prefixes 978 or 979, excluding the ISMN prefix 979-0. | The particular edition and product form. |
| ISSN | 8 characters, conventionally shown as two groups of four; final key can be X. | Serial title and medium, rather than an individual article. |
Inspect the calculation
The last character is excluded from this sum. The expected key is the complement of the remainder, modulo 10 for ISBN-13 and modulo 11 for ISBN-10 and ISSN. In modulo 11, 10 is represented by X.
| Position | Digit | Weight | Product |
|---|
A matching check character detects some transcription errors; it does not validate publication quality, catalogue availability or reuse rights. A mismatch is a prompt to check the source, not permission to replace the last character.
Documented calculation examples: ISBN 978-92-95055-12-4 in the international manual; ISSN 0317-8471 in the Library of Congress method. The numbers illustrate arithmetic, not new records created here.
Sources consulted on 25 October 2026: International ISBN Agency · ISBN manual · ISBN.org · Library of Congress · ISSN · ISMN. No entries are sent or saved.
Read the direction of a publication relationship
Crossref relationships have a direction: described and linked objects play different roles. Read the relationship before replacing a reference.
- Identify the described object
- Read the relationship
- Compare the cited passage
| Situation | What changes | Useful check |
|---|---|---|
| isPreprintOf / hasPreprint | Links a preprint and associated publication in opposite directions. | Check which document was actually read. |
| isVersionOf / hasVersion | Declares a version relationship. | Compare tables and conclusions; the link does not mean identical text. |
| isReviewOf / hasReview | Links a review and its subject. | Read the review and its scope before concluding. |
A working DOI identifies a resource without awarding a quality label. A missing metadata relationship does not establish that works are unrelated. Retain the title, version and passage used.
Documentation : Crossref — Relationships ↗ · · Read the reference record →
Keep a useful record
Use these fields in your own notes. This page does not collect your documents or personal details.
- Reference and identifier
- Version and access actually consulted
- Inclusion or exclusion reason
- Relevant finding and limits
Read these points directly on this page.
A synthesis based only on abstracts must disclose that limit; some decisions need a fuller examination.
Common questions
Does a DOI prove study quality?
It helps identify and locate an object; methods and content still need appraisal.
Should I retain excluded works?
A list with reasons makes the selection easier to assess.
Two records share a title but have different page counts. Which should I cite?
Start with the copy actually read. Compare language, publisher, year, edition statement and ISBN before recording a page. Keep the matching edition record; a work-level grouping does not establish the pagination of your quotation.
A correction appears after drafting. Must I replace the entire reference?
Read the affected passages and compare them with the argument you use. Keep references to both the paper and the notice, then update the affected note or passage. Record what you checked instead of assuming the entire text is unchanged or unusable.