ACCURACY OF REFERENCES IN DIFFERENT SPECIALITY MEDICAL JOURNALS OF NEPAL

Abstract

Objective:

This study was undertaken to find out the accuracy of references in different speciality medical journals of Nepal.

Materials and methods:

Out of 7 speciality journals of Nepal, 90 references were randomly selected from Journal of Nepal Paediatric Society, Nepal Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Nepalese Journal of Ophthalmology. Thirty  references were chosen from volume 30, number 1 and 2, 2010 issue of Journal of Nepal Paediatric Society; volume 4, number 1, 2009 issue of Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology; Volume 2, issue 4, Number 2, 2010 issue of Nepalese Journal of Ophthalmology. References were examined in details and checked with the original for accuracy, using six elements. Statistical analysis was done by using frequency and percentage.

Results:

Results shows that 33.3% references in Journal of Nepal Paediatric Society, 43.3% references in Nepal Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, and 50.0% references in Nepalese Journal of Ophthalmology (in sample journal issues) were incorrect. Most common errors in all these three journals were the name of the journal name and author’s name. Errors in one element of references were found in 90.0%, 76.9% and 66.7% in the randomly collected issues of Journal of Nepal Paediatric Society, Nepal Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Nepalese Journal of Ophthalmology respectively.

Conclusion:

Errors in citing the references are found in different speciality medical journals of Nepal. The majority of errors are can be avoided if the authors, editors and the reviewers become cautious about it before publication.

Keywords: accuracy, References, speciality medical journals