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citeguard

by wedo911
OverviewSchemaSourceRelated ServersDiscussionsAdmin
Python
Remote

Check a Citation for Retraction

check_citation
Read-onlyIdempotent

Verify a DOI against Crossref for retraction, correction, or concern status before citing it in papers, summaries, or literature reviews.

Instructions

Check a single DOI against Crossref for retraction, correction, or expression-of-concern status. Use this before citing a paper in a document, summary, or literature review -- retracted papers (including fraudulent or debunked ones) continue to be cited for years after retraction, often because whoever is citing them has no easy way to check. This tool checks three independent signal sources: publisher-asserted updates, Crossref's ingested Retraction Watch data (which catches many retractions the publisher's own metadata misses), and a title-prefix fallback ("RETRACTED:", etc.) for older or unlinked cases.

Args:

Returns: For JSON format: { "doi": string, "verdict": "retracted" | "concern" | "corrected" | "clean" | "not_found" | "error", "title": string | null, "signals": [ { "type": string, "source": string, "label": string | null, "noticeDoi": string | null, "date": string | null } ], "error": string | null }

Examples:

  • Use when: about to cite a paper in a summary, report, or literature review -- check it first

  • Use when: reviewing someone else's bibliography for outdated or unreliable sources

  • Don't use when: you need to verify a claim's accuracy generally -- this only checks retraction status, not whether the paper's content is correct

Error Handling:

  • A DOI Crossref doesn't recognize returns verdict "not_found", not an error -- it may still be a real paper Crossref just doesn't index (e.g. some preprints), not necessarily an invalid citation.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
doiYesA DOI, e.g. "10.1016/S0140-6736(97)11096-0" (with or without a "https://doi.org/" prefix).

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. First observedv0.1.2

TDQS

A4.4/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already cover read-only, open-world, idempotent, and non-destructive behavior, and the description adds substantial context beyond that: three independent signal sources, Retraction Watch ingestion, title-prefix fallback, and the important distinction that an unrecognized DOI returns 'not_found' rather than 'error'.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Front-loaded with the tool's purpose and well-organized into usage, signal sources, arguments, returns, examples, and error handling. The message is somewhat long for a one-parameter tool, with mild motivational padding about retracted papers continuing to be cited, but the structure is clear and every section is operationally useful.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness5/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Complete given the tool's complexity and missing output schema: it documents the return shape, verdict enum values, signal structure, and key error-handling behavior. Annotations cover the safety profile, so no critical behavioral or call-routing information is missing.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100% for the single DOI parameter, and the description repeats the same prefix flexibility already documented in the schema. No additional syntax, constraints, or examples beyond what the schema provides.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

State a specific verb and resource ('Check a single DOI against Crossref') and names the exact statuses checked. The word 'single' distinguishes it from the sibling batch tool check_citations without needing to open either schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Provides explicit when-to-use guidance ('before citing a paper') and a clear when-not-to-use case ('verify a claim's accuracy generally'). It does not explicitly name the sibling check_citations as the alternative for multiple DOIs, so the alternative routing is only implied by the singular scope.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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