Prevalence and Consequences of Anomalous Citation Styles in Ethiopian Academic Journals

Abstract Background Study investigating the prevalence of citation inaccuracies occurring due to intentional misuse or failed quality control has been growing, but citation inaccuracies driven by inappropriate journal policies have not been specifically addressed. The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of journals’ policies requesting inconsistent citation formats between Ethiopian authors and non-Ethiopian authors for in-text citations and reference listings, and to evaluate consequences of inconsistent citation policy on publication practices and parties involved in publication. Methods We collected data on citation formats (author’s first, last, or full name) requested by 60 journals’ policies for citing Ethiopian authors and non-Ethiopian authors in the in-text and reference listing, and the number of references cited using each citation format type in 225 published articles published in 50 journals. We also conducted a survey of 18 Ethiopian scholars engaged in publication processes of Ethiopian journals to assess their experiences about the consequences of using inconsistent citation styles. We calculated frequencies and percentages to summarize data. We applied chi-square test and risk ratios, where appropriate, to examine the statistical significance of the prevalence of inconsistency between comparison groups and its effects on compliance with policy. We used thematic content analysis analyze the survey data. Results We found 19(32%) and 18(30%) citation inconsistencies between Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian authors requested by policies for in-text citation and reference listing, respectively. The corresponding inconsistencies in the published articles were 36% and 46%, respectively. In contrast, we did not find any such inconsistency for non-Ethiopian authors. Journals with inconsistent citation policies had 1.5–2.1 times risk of experiencing incompliance with policies for Ethiopian authors in the published articles than journals with consistent citation policies. Survey participants indicated that inconsistent citation formats requested and used for Ethipian authors can lead to loss of credit to cited authors and breaching scientific ethics. Conclusions Our study reveals a concerning inconsistency in citation styles within Ethiopian journals, sometimes deviating from established international standards. This is, to our knowledge, the first study on policy-driven citation inaccuracies that can inform national and international publishers and editors to review and amend their citation policies.