Citation Policy

Home » Citation Policy

Introduction
Citations are essential for academic integrity and the advancement of science. The Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science (CRNFS) upholds ethical citation practices to ensure proper credit, intellectual transparency, and scholarly growth. This policy outlines responsibilities for authors, editors, and reviewers, emphasizing ethical practices and the importance of diverse, accurate, and relevant citations.

Data Citation
Proper citation of datasets is critical for ensuring research transparency and reproducibility. CRNFS encourages authors to:

• Cite datasets that have contributed to the research using persistent identifiers, such as DOIs.
• Provide complete details, including authorship, title, version, publisher, year, and DOI.
• Verify that the dataset referenced aligns with the claims or findings discussed in the manuscript.

General Citation Policy
Any statement in a manuscript that relies on external sources of information—whether data, theories, or findings—must be properly cited. Adherence to the following principles is expected:

1. Cite Original Work:

• Authors must avoid citing derivations or secondary sources where the original work is accessible. For example, cite the original study instead of a review article summarizing it.
• Ensure all citations are accurate and relevant to the claims in the manuscript. Misrepresentation of sources is strictly prohibited.
• Authors should cite only works they have read personally.

2. Diverse and Balanced Citations:

• Avoid biased citations that favor personal, institutional, or national affiliations.
• Diversify sources to include relevant works from various regions and perspectives.
• Use peer-reviewed publications wherever possible.

3. Prohibited Practices:

• Avoid citing advertisements, promotional content, or materials lacking scholarly review.
• Refrain from including excessive citations for a single point unless necessary for context.

4. Ethical Citation Practices:
To avoid bias or unethical behavior, authors should adhere to these practices:

• Avoid preferential citation of their own publications or those of friends, colleagues, or their institution.
• Do not over-rely on work from a single country or region to ensure diverse perspectives are included.
• Avoid citing an excessive number of sources to support a single point unless necessary.
• Whenever possible, prioritize citing peer-reviewed publications over non-peer-reviewed content.
• Do not cite advertisements or promotional materials.

5. Citation Manipulation:
CRNFS strictly opposes any form of citation manipulation, including:

• Coercive citation requests by editors or reviewers.
• Self-serving citation stacking to inflate the citation metrics of specific authors, institutions, or journals.
• Unnecessary citations introduced for personal or institutional gain.

All contributors must follow the COPE Guidelines on Citation Manipulation

6. Figures, Tables, and References:
Visual and tabular materials sourced externally must be cited appropriately:

• Acknowledge the original source of all figures and tables used.
• References should conform to the AMA style, with citations appearing in superscript numerical sequence throughout the text.
• Ensure clarity and consistency in citations for visual elements.

Responsibilities and Guidelines

For Authors

• Provide full and accurate citations that directly support the manuscript’s claims.
• Avoid misrepresenting cited works or relying excessively on self-citation.
• Diversify citations and prioritize peer-reviewed sources.
• Refrain from citing material that has not been read in full.

For Editors

• Recommend citations only based on relevance and academic merit.
• Avoid suggesting citations for personal gain or journal metric enhancement.
• Monitor manuscripts for patterns of citation manipulation and address concerns following COPE standards.
• Support authors in ensuring balanced and unbiased citation practices.

For Reviewers

• Evaluate the relevance and accuracy of citations in the manuscript under review.
• Suggest additional references only if they strengthen the manuscript’s content.
• Avoid recommending citations to enhance personal or journal metrics.
• Flag potential citation manipulation issues during the review process.

Promoting Ethical Citations

The ethical use of citations enhances scholarly discourse and ensures that research contributions are properly acknowledged. At CRNFS, we are committed to upholding citation integrity and expect all contributors to adhere to these standards.