On the cavalier attitude towards referencing

This short note concerns the cavalier attitude that seems to be prevalent now with regard to checking the accuracy of the references that are provided in research publications. Daunting difficulties confront, at times, those trying to check a source, especially when the source is several centuries old and/or in a language that the researcher is not conversant with. Compounding the problem further, at times, are insuperable difficulties with regard to deciding whom or what to accept as proper authority in the attribution of citations, nudging those that are not of sterner stuff to take the easy way out and conform to popular opinion that might be incorrect. In this short note I discuss the difficulties that a researcher might face with regard to proper attribution of ideas.

► The paper discusses the difficulties with regard to tracking sources for references. ► The paper discusses the appropriateness of the appellation “Deborah number”. ► The paper shows that authoritative articles might be misleading.