Reference evidence
Hallucinated Reference Checker
Paste references from ChatGPT, Gemini, or another AI tool and compare each one with academic source records. Review the match method, returned metadata, and provenance before deciding whether a citation is usable.
What to do next
How to read the result
Match method
An exact DOI match is stronger evidence than a title or broad web search match.
Record differences
Compare title, authors, year, journal, volume, pages, and identifier with the reference as written.
No match
No result is not proof of fabrication. Check the original work and a discipline-specific or regional catalog.
How it works
- 1
Paste your AI-generated bibliography
Copy the references from ChatGPT, Gemini, or any AI assistant and paste them above.
- 2
CiteMe searches real databases
Each reference is checked against OpenAlex, Semantic Scholar, PubMed, CrossRef, and other academic databases.
- 3
Review verification results
Each citation gets a status: Verified (found in databases), Partial Match (some fields match), or Not Found (likely hallucinated).
- 4
Replace fake references
Use the Citation Generator to find real papers on the same topic and replace any hallucinated references.
Frequently asked questions
Why can AI tools produce unsupported citations?
Large language models can produce plausible author names, journal titles, and DOIs without retrieving a corresponding publication record. The risk varies by model, prompt, and subject, so every AI-generated reference should be checked against the original work or a trusted catalog.
How does CiteMe verify AI-generated references?
CiteMe compares each reference with records returned by sources such as OpenAlex, Semantic Scholar, PubMed, and CrossRef. It reports the match method and the metadata that was found. A missing match is inconclusive and should be investigated in the original work or another relevant catalog.
Can any AI assistant return incorrect references?
General-purpose assistants may return references with an unsupported work or mixed metadata, regardless of vendor. Even when the paper exists, the year, volume, pages, or DOI may belong to a different record. Review AI-generated bibliographies before using them.
Can I verify my entire bibliography at once?
Yes. Paste your full bibliography and the tool processes each reference individually. The results separate exact identifier matches, metadata matches, broad search results, and references for which no record was found.
Is this the same as the Reference Checker?
Yes. The AI Reference Verifier uses the same record-matching engine as the Reference Checker. This page provides guidance for reviewing AI-generated bibliographies; the underlying evidence and source provenance are the same.
What should I do when no match is found?
Do not remove a reference solely because no match was found. Check the original work, search by title or identifier, and review whether it is grey literature, regional research, or a metadata error. If it cannot be substantiated, replace it with a source record you have inspected.