Blog
Citation checks, Zotero & writing
Posts on AI citation verification, Zotero workflows, thesis writing, and academic integrity, from the Acurio team.
- PreprintsSource criticism
Citing preprints — arXiv, bioRxiv and SSRN in a thesis
Citing preprints in a bachelor's or master's thesis: when arXiv, bioRxiv or SSRN are acceptable sources, how to cite them correctly, and the mistakes that cost marks.
- Link rotWeb sources
Avoiding link rot — keep the URLs in your thesis alive
Dead URLs in the bibliography are a growing problem in academic theses. How to prevent link rot with DOIs, the Wayback Machine and Perma.cc — and salvage links that have already broken.
- AI detectorscitation checking
AI Cheating at University: Everyone Suspects It, Nobody Can Prove It
Swiss universities can't prove AI cheating — detectors are unreliable. The verifiable alternative: check the citations, not the intent.
- ResearchDatabases
Academic databases compared: Web of Science, Scopus & Google Scholar
Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar side by side: which database for which discipline, how to search effectively, and how to spot quality in your hits.
- Expert interviewsQualitative research
Citing expert interviews — from transcript to bibliography
Citing expert interviews is more than a formal question: transcripts, GDPR, anonymisation, and the precise reference format in APA, MLA, and Chicago — with examples.
- WikipediaSource criticism
Citing Wikipedia in your thesis — when it's allowed, when it isn't
Can you cite Wikipedia in a bachelor's or master's thesis? Clear rules on when it's legitimate, how to do it properly, and how to use Wikipedia as a stepping stone.
- CitationSocial media
Citing podcasts, videos, and social media — the 2026 rules
Podcasts, YouTube, TikTok, X posts, LinkedIn: when they count as a source, how to cite them in APA, MLA, and Chicago, and the mistakes that get noticed.
- Self-plagiarismPlagiarism
Self-plagiarism — when recycling your own work becomes a problem
Self-plagiarism sounds absurd — how can you steal from yourself? When reusing your own seminar papers in a bachelor's or master's thesis triggers proceedings, and how to handle it cleanly.
- Citation stylesAPA
Citation styles compared — APA, MLA, Chicago, Vancouver, IEEE
APA, MLA, Chicago, Vancouver or IEEE? Five major citation styles compared side by side — with examples, disciplinary fit, and the mistakes to avoid when switching.
- Legal citationCase law
Citing laws and court rulings — the style nobody teaches you in a bachelor's
How to cite statutes and case law correctly: §, BGH, ECJ, US Supreme Court — the rules per jurisdiction, with concrete examples and the mistakes that cost points.
- Reference managerZotero
Reference managers compared: Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote, Citavi
Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote or Citavi? Four reference managers in an honest comparison — strengths, costs, weak spots, and which one fits your thesis.
- ChatGPTHallucination
Did ChatGPT fabricate your sources? 7 ways to spot hallucinated citations
ChatGPT invents plausible-sounding sources — DOIs, ISBNs, page numbers. Seven concrete tests to expose hallucinated citations in bachelor's or master's theses in minutes.
- FootnotesParenthetical citations
Footnotes vs. parenthetical citations — when to use which system
Footnotes or parenthetical citations? Which system fits your discipline, how both work, and the mistakes to avoid when choosing.
- Predatory journalsSource critique
Recognizing predatory journals — a checklist for thesis writers
Predatory journals look like serious peer-reviewed publications, but they don't actually review submissions. How to spot them in your bibliography before they damage your thesis.
- AI proofreadingThesis
AI proofreading vs. citation verification — what are you actually checking?
AI proofreading polishes language. Citation verification checks truth. In the last week before submission, checking the wrong thing can fail a thesis that 'reads well'. Here's what each covers — and where the difference saves you.
- Bachelor's thesisMaster's thesis
Getting your bachelor's thesis checked: AI tools compared (2026)
Four tools, four problems: language, plagiarism, citations, defence. Who checks what, who misses what — and which tool you need at each stage of your bachelor's or master's thesis.
- AI proofreadingBachelor thesis
AI proofreading vs. citation checking — what are you actually verifying in your thesis?
AI proofreading polishes language. Citation checking verifies truth. Using the wrong tool in the final days before submission can cost you your grade, even when your text 'reads well'. What each does — and where the difference saves you.
- AIHallucination
AI against source hallucinations — how Acurio verifies citations
Language models invent sources that don't exist. Acurio flips the principle: AI checks whether your sources really say what you claim. Here's how it works technically.
- ThesisBachelor
Getting your thesis checked: AI tools compared (2026)
Four tools, four problems: language, plagiarism, citations, defense readiness. Who checks what, who misses what — and which tool you need at which phase of your bachelor or master thesis.
- APACitations
APA 7 citations — complete guide with examples
Cite in APA 7 without style errors: all rules for in-text references, reference lists, and the key changes from APA 6, with concrete examples.
- FiguresTables
Citing figures and tables — source, caption, list of figures
Citing a figure is not the same as citing text. How to format figures, tables, and captions correctly — including examples, licences, and list of figures.
- ChatGPTAI
Citing ChatGPT as a source? What universities allow in 2026
Citing ChatGPT is tricky: when it counts as a source, when it doesn't, and how to properly disclose AI use in bachelor's and master's theses in 2026.
- CitationDirect quotation
Direct vs. indirect quotation — when to use which
Direct quotation or paraphrase? When each approach is worth it, how to format each correctly, and the mistakes that cost you marks in the final stretch.
- Declaration of Academic HonestyPlagiarism
Declaration of Academic Honesty — Consequences of a Breach in Your Bachelor's Thesis
What a declaration of academic honesty in your bachelor's thesis really means, what the consequences of a breach are, and how to protect yourself before you sign.
- HarvardCitation
Harvard Citation Style — Rules and Examples for Your Thesis
Harvard referencing is not a single fixed standard but a family of author-date styles. Here are the rules, examples, and pitfalls for your thesis.
- Web sourcesCitation
Citing web sources — websites, PDFs, social media referenced correctly
Citing web sources is trickier than books: access date, archive link, version ID. Here are the required fields per source type with examples.
- WordBibliography
Creating a Bibliography in Word — with and without Zotero
Bibliography in Word: two approaches compared — Word's built-in tools and the Zotero workflow. Step by step with examples.
- ParaphrasePlagiarism
Paraphrasing without plagiarism — a guide with examples
Paraphrasing means more than swapping synonyms. Here's how to write clean paraphrases, add correct citations, and avoid patchwork and misquotation.
- Secondary citationCiting sources
Secondary citations done right — when they're allowed and when they're not
A secondary citation is the exception, not the rule. When academic convention accepts it, how to format it correctly, and where the pitfalls lie.
- CitationDOI
DOI, ISBN, ISSN — what actually belongs in a citation
Three abbreviations that appear in almost every academic bibliography — but barely anyone explains when you need which one. The pragmatic overview.
- PlagiarismAcademic Integrity
Plagiarism vs. miscitation — the distinction nobody explains
Plagiarism and miscitation are not the same error. Confusing them means missing the costlier mistake when you review your own thesis. Here's the distinction.
- Bachelor's thesisCitations
Checking citations in your bachelor's thesis — the 2026 checklist
How to systematically check every citation in your bachelor's or master's thesis against the source in the final stretch — no plagiarism, no misquotation, no all-nighter.
- ZoteroWorkflow
Getting the most out of Zotero — 12 workflow tips for students
Zotero can do far more than collect sources. These twelve workflow tips make working with your library faster, cleaner, and audit-ready.