Rethinking Inline Citation Verification in Scholarly Communication
Abstract
Inline citations are central to scholarly communication, yet verifying their use is becoming increasingly challenging because of growing review pressures. We conducted a mixed-methods exploratory study to investigate how reviewers verify inline citations, the factors shaping their verification practices, and how they envision GenAI supporting this process. Across interviews (n=12) and a survey (n=203) of reviewers from HCI and AI venues, we found that reviewers'perceptions of citation importance, verification practices, and desired AI autonomy varied across citation types, reviewer characteristics, and research backgrounds. These findings highlight the need for adaptive support tailored to different citation types and reviewer practices, while revealing diverse preferences regarding the use of GenAI for this process. Moreover, effective citation verification should involve collaboration among reviewers, authors, and the broader research community, rather than relying solely on individual reviewers.
