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A study of referencing changes in preprint-publication pairs across multiple fields

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  • Akbaritabar, Aliakbar
  • Stephen, Dimity
  • Squazzoni, Flaminio

Abstract

Manuscripts have a complex development process with multiple influencing factors. Reconstructing this process is difficult without large-scale, comparable data on different versions of manuscripts. Preprints are increasingly available and may provide access to the earliest manuscript versions. Here, we matched 6024 preprint-publication pairs across multiple fields and examined changes in their reference lists between the manuscript versions as one aspect of manuscripts’ development. We also qualitatively analysed the context of references to investigate the potential reasons for changes. We found that 90% of references were unchanged between versions and 8% were newly added. We found that manuscripts in the natural and medical sciences undergo more extensive reframing of the literature while changes in engineering mostly focused on methodological details. Our qualitative analysis suggests that peer review increases the methodological soundness of scientific claims, improves the communication of findings, and ensures appropriate credit for previous research.

Suggested Citation

  • Akbaritabar, Aliakbar & Stephen, Dimity & Squazzoni, Flaminio, 2022. "A study of referencing changes in preprint-publication pairs across multiple fields," Journal of Informetrics, Elsevier, vol. 16(2).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:infome:v:16:y:2022:i:2:s1751157722000104
    DOI: 10.1016/j.joi.2022.101258
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dimity Stephen, 2022. "Peer reviewers equally critique theory, method, and writing, with limited effect on the final content of accepted manuscripts," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(6), pages 3413-3435, June.
    2. Andrijana Perković Paloš & Antonija Mijatović & Ivan Buljan & Daniel Garcia-Costa & Elena Álvarez-García & Francisco Grimaldo & Ana Marušić, 2023. "Linguistic and semantic characteristics of articles and peer review reports in Social Sciences and Medical and Health Sciences: analysis of articles published in Open Research Central," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 128(8), pages 4707-4729, August.

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