Guide
Guides · Retracted papers
Check whether a cited paper was retracted
A retracted paper often still looks like a normal citation: real authors, a real journal, a DOI that opens. The retraction is a separate fact. This page is about catching that fact before you rely on the paper.
Where the retraction flag comes from
RefCheck does not keep its own retraction database. When a reference matches a record, it reads retraction signals that Crossref already carries from Retraction Watch, and retraction flags from PubMed and Europe PMC. If the match was made in another database but the work has a Crossref DOI, RefCheck looks that DOI up for a notice.
The result names which of those sources raised the flag and links the notice when a DOI for it is present. Read the notice. A retraction, an expression of concern, and a correction are not the same kind of problem, and the databases do not always describe them in the same way.
A real paper can still be the wrong paper to cite
The existence check and the retraction check answer different questions. “Real” means the bibliographic record matches. It does not mean the findings are safe to use. If a notice is attached, RefCheck says the paper has been retracted and that it should not be cited as support.
The opposite miss also happens. A paper can be retracted in a venue these databases have not ingested yet. No flag is not a promise that no notice exists. For a high-stakes citation, open the DOI and the journal page yourself.
How to run the check
Paste the reference with its DOI if you have one. The retraction lookup runs after a work has been matched, so a DOI or a distinctive title helps. You still get the usual verdict on whether the citation details match, plus the retraction line when one is found.
The Chinese page for the same job is 撤稿论文查询. It is separate from the hallucinated citation checker, which is about references to works that were never published.
Typical cases
The DOI still opens the article
Publishers often leave the PDF online with a retraction banner. A working DOI is not evidence that the paper is in good standing. Check the notice.
You only have the title and year
RefCheck can still match the work and then look up a retraction. A thin match, with no DOI and a weak title, may stay unconfirmed rather than assert a retraction.
A review cites the paper as established fact
Secondary citations hide retractions. Check the reference you are about to copy, not only the sentence that quoted it.
How it works
Three steps for this kind of reference
01PasteOne reference per line, or a numbered list. Keep the authors, title, year, and the DOI or arXiv id if you have them.
02Cross-checkAfter a match, retraction signals are read from Crossref (Retraction Watch), PubMed, and Europe PMC.
03Read the verdictReal, real with errors, likely fabricated, or unconfirmed. A corrected citation is shown when the record disagrees, and a retraction is flagged when one is on record.
Frequently asked questions
Does RefCheck include every Retraction Watch entry?
It reads the Retraction Watch data that Crossref distributes with work records, plus retraction flags from PubMed and Europe PMC. It does not query a separate Retraction Watch website, and a missing flag is not proof that no notice exists.
What is the difference between a retraction and a fake citation?
A fake or hallucinated citation points at a work the databases cannot find. A retracted paper is a real work with a notice attached. RefCheck reports those outcomes separately.
Can I check a list, or only one paper?
Paste a list, one reference per line. Each matched reference is checked for a retraction signal. 3 free reference checks without an account, plus 5 more free after you sign in.
Will it explain why the paper was retracted?
It points at the notice when it has a DOI for one. The reason is in the notice, not in a summary written by RefCheck.
What does a check cost?
3 free reference checks without an account, plus 5 more free after you sign in. Then each reference costs 1 AILatest credit. Failed lookups are refunded. Credits last 1 year and the expiry extends on every top-up. Packs are $1.99 for 200, $4.99 for 600, and $9.99 for 1,500. There is no subscription.
Cite only what's real.
3 free reference checks without an account, plus 5 more free after you sign in. Then 1 credit each.