SmartReferences
SmartReferences is an integrated bibliographic tool that consolidates parsing, styling, and multi-database validations into a single automated workflow. Leveraging Edifix eliminates the need to run separate tools for PubMed® or Crossref™ checking.
SmartReferences performs the following actions:
- Detects the reference type (for example, journal, book) and applies your organisation's house style
- Scans the bibliography for duplicate entries and flags them for editorial review
- Validates metadata entries against PubMed® and Crossref™ to correct typos and insert missing DOIs or PMIDs
- Flags citations appearing in the Cabells Predatory Reports or Retraction Watch database
Character styles
SmartReferences applies specific character styles to each identified reference element in a journal (also applicable to: a book, book chapter, and standard). Other reference types at minimum have these essential styles applied:
- author names
- publication year
- reference number
- URLs
The following table lists the common character styles applied. Each character style is coloured based on your organisation's configuration, allowing you to verify the metadata was parsed correctly.
| Reference element | Character style |
|---|---|
| Reference Number | bib_number |
| Author last name (surname) | bib_surname |
| Author first name (spelled out or initials) | bib_fname |
| Article title | bib_article |
| Journal name | bib_journal |
| Publication year | bib_year |
| Journal or publication volume | bib_volume |
| Journal issue number | bib_issue |
| Article or chapter first page | bib_fpage |
| Article or chapter last page | bib_lpage |
| Any URL (excluding DOI) included in the reference | bib_url |
| The publication's DOI (in any form; URL, etc.) | bib_doi |
Reference types
SmartReferences inserts a label to indicate the reference type at the start of each paragraph. These labels determine how the tool styles and restructures the entry.
Note
Only journal references are automatically restructured (re-punctuated). Other types receive character styling, but maintain their original formatting.
| Tag | Reference type |
|---|---|
<jrn> | Journal article |
<bok>, <edb> | Book or edited book or chapter |
<std> | Standard |
<conf> | Conference proceeding |
<prpt> | Preprint |
<data> | Data citation |
<eref> | Website or online article |
<lgl> | Legal case or statute |
<ths> | Thesis or dissertation |
<other> | Working paper, patent, map, or other document |
<unknown> | Unsupported or unidentified type |
Before you run SmartReferences
Before using SmartReferences, verify the following:
- Ensure that your Edifix reference style is set in Orion Compass.
- Run all preceding Orion processes, including SmartReplace.
Run SmartReferences
- In the Orion ribbon, navigate to the Edit group.
- Select the SmartReferences tool.
Reviewing and correcting errors
SmartReferences automatically repairs citations only when a high-confidence match is found in external databases. If there is conflicting information or a citation is incomplete, it leverages Edifix's sources and repairs the references automatically—flagging each entry with a Word Comment for manual review.
Automated repairs include:
- standardising journal abbreviations
- filling in missing volume and issue numbers
- repairing incomplete page ranges
Reprocessing references
To manually correct a reference (for example, to fix a typo that caused an <unknown> tag):
- Remove the existing reference labels before running the tool again.
- Correct the text in the bibliography.
- Delete the label (for example,
<unknown>...</unknown>or<jrn>...</jrn>) at the start and end of the paragraph. - Select the reference and run SmartReferences again.