Archiving website-based references in academic papers: Problems caused by reference rot, potential solutions and limitations

Abstract

Web-based references form an integral part of academic culture and literature, as well as scientific communication. The preservation of web-based references that are cited in-text or in reference lists of academic papers is essential to ensure the integrity of knowledge preservation. When access or links to web-based resources and references disappear, or if they are dysfunctional, these phenomena are collectively referred to as reference rot. Even though reference rot degrades the integrity of information in academic papers, no industry-wide solutions currently exist. Given its prominence, we propose the Internet Archive as a possible solution to address reference rot, but also note its weaknesses and limitations.