Citely helps researchers quickly verify references and locate real sources in academic writing, including citations generated by humans or AI.
Citation checking and fake reference detection
Citely reviews bibliographies to identify missing, incorrect, or non-existent citations. You can paste or upload a reference list, and the system cross-checks entries against major academic databases to catch issues such as:
- Fabricated DOIs
- Incorrect journal titles
- Wrong publication years
Academic database matching
Citely connects to CrossRef, PubMed, arXiv, Google Scholar, and other sources. Using a citation or a partial bibliographic entry, it can surface the original publication or the closest matches, making it easier to:
- Find full-text versions
- Retrieve accurate metadata
Supporting academic integrity
Citely is useful for paper authors, journal editors, students, and academic supervisors. It reduces the risk of including unreliable references and supports responsible scholarship as generative AI becomes more common.

