Reference Checker

The problem

Sloppy references are the easiest thing for a reviewer to attack, and the easiest to fix. Citation mismatches, format errors, and retracted papers are among the most common avoidable reasons for desk rejection. This skill fixes them.

What it does

• Checks every citation appears in the reference list, and vice versa.
• Verifies format against the target venue's requirements.
• Flags missing citations, retracted or dubious references, and DOI issues.
• Reports self-citation balance and reference age distribution.

Why this beats prompting it yourself

General prompts skim the bibliography and miss systematic problems. This skill runs eight validation checks, produces a per-reference issue table, and gives a prioritized fix list so you can correct every problem before reviewers see it.

Use cases

• Running a final quality check before submission.
• Validating references after writing the related work section.
• Adapting a paper to a new venue with a different reference style.
• Preparing a camera-ready version after restructuring.

Known limitations

Missing-citation detection is limited to the literature you provide; it cannot search databases on its own. DOI resolution and retraction checks may require external lookup, so confirm critical cases manually.

Important

It validates references; it does not search for new literature or rewrite citations for you. Run it after all citations are in place, then pass the clean manuscript to journal-selector or reviewer.

Why buy it

Use it before submitting to avoid reference-related reviewer criticisms, one of the most common and avoidable rejections. It is the first step of the Polish Pack.