Question 1

How do I check if a paper's references have been retracted?

Accepted Answer

Enter a paper title or DOI into RefIntegrity. It fetches the paper's reference list and checks each one against the Retraction Watch database via OpenAlex. Results appear in seconds.

Question 2

Is RefIntegrity free?

Accepted Answer

Yes, RefIntegrity is completely free and open-source. No account or login required.

Question 3

What databases does RefIntegrity use?

Accepted Answer

RefIntegrity uses OpenAlex for scholarly metadata and retraction status (sourced from Retraction Watch), and Crossref for retraction notice details.

Question 4

What types of issues does RefIntegrity detect?

Accepted Answer

RefIntegrity detects retractions, expressions of concern, withdrawals, and removals in a paper's reference list.

Question 5

How does RefIntegrity compare to manually checking Retraction Watch?

Accepted Answer

Retraction Watch lets you look up individual papers one at a time. RefIntegrity automates this: paste a single DOI and it checks the entire reference list (often 30-150 citations) against the Retraction Watch database via OpenAlex in seconds.

Question 6

Can RefIntegrity check multiple papers at once?

Accepted Answer

Yes. Use the bulk mode to paste multiple DOIs (one per line) or upload a BibTeX or RIS file. RefIntegrity checks all papers and shows a summary table with flagged counts.

Question 7

What is the difference between a retraction and an expression of concern?

Accepted Answer

A retraction means the paper has been formally withdrawn by the journal or authors due to errors or misconduct. An expression of concern is a notice that the journal has serious doubts about the paper but has not yet retracted it. RefIntegrity detects both types, plus withdrawals and removals.

Question 8

Does RefIntegrity work with preprints or only published papers?

Accepted Answer

RefIntegrity works with any paper indexed in OpenAlex, which covers over 250 million scholarly works including most published journal articles and conference papers. Preprints may not have structured reference lists available for checking.

REST API

MCP Server

Don't let retracted citations undermine your paper

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