Free Tool
AI Reference Checker
Verify every reference in your bibliography against academic databases. Detect AI-hallucinated citations, incorrect DOIs, and fabricated references before you submit.
How it works
Paste your bibliography
Copy your reference list from your paper — any style (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.)
Run the check
CiteMe parses each reference and searches CrossRef, OpenAlex, Google Books, and Semantic Scholar
Review the report
See a scored integrity report with issues flagged for each reference
What we check
Each reference is verified against multiple academic databases for accuracy and existence.
AI Hallucination Detection
Catches fabricated references generated by ChatGPT, Gemini, and other AI tools by verifying every citation against real academic databases.
DOI Verification
Resolves every DOI against CrossRef and OpenAlex to confirm it exists and matches the cited metadata.
Title & Author Matching
Fuzzy-matches titles and author names against OpenAlex, Semantic Scholar, and Google Books records.
Year Cross-Check
Detects mismatched publication years — a common hallmark of fabricated references.
Integrity Score
Each reference gets a verification status. The overall report score tells you if your bibliography is submission-ready.
Understanding your report
PASSED
Most references are confirmed against academic records. Your bibliography is submission-ready.
NEEDS REVIEW
Some references could not be fully verified. Review flagged items before submitting.
INCONCLUSIVE
Many references could not be verified. Check for typos, fabricated entries, or non-indexed sources.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the reference checker work?
CiteMe parses your bibliography into individual references, then verifies each one against academic databases including CrossRef, OpenAlex, Google Books, and Semantic Scholar. It checks DOIs, titles, authors, and years for accuracy.
Can it detect AI-generated fake references?
Yes. AI tools like ChatGPT often hallucinate citations — generating plausible-looking references that don't actually exist. CiteMe checks each reference through a multi-step pipeline against CrossRef, OpenAlex, Google Books, and Semantic Scholar, so fabricated or hallucinated citations are flagged immediately.
Is it free?
Yes. You can check up to 3 references with full details for free, no account needed. Pro users get unlimited checks with full details, export, and sharing.
What citation styles are supported?
All major styles: APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, Vancouver, IEEE, ABNT, and more. The parser handles any common bibliography format.
What does the score mean?
The integrity score (0-100) reflects the percentage of verifiable references. PASSED (≥80) means most references are confirmed. NEEDS REVIEW (≥50) means some need attention. INCONCLUSIVE (<50) means many could not be verified.
How is this different from plagiarism checkers?
Plagiarism checkers scan your text for copied content. CiteMe's reference checker verifies that the sources you cited actually exist and that the metadata (authors, year, title, DOI) is correct. They solve different problems — use both for a thorough submission check.
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Verify your bibliography now
Paste your references and get a scored integrity report in seconds. Free, no signup required.