Citing and referencing habits in medicine and social sciences journals in 2019

Purpose This article explores citing and referencing systems in social sciences medicine articles from different theoretical practical perspectives, considering bibliographic references as a facet of descriptive representation. Design/methodology/approach The analysis elements (i.e. references, mentions, quotations respective in-text reference pointers) identified habits within disciplines under consideration errors occurring over the long term stated by previous studies now expanded. Future expected trends information retrieval metadata was gathered approaching these Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) entities concepts. Findings Reference styles do not fully accomplish with their role guiding authors publishers on providing concise well-structured references. Trends representative description revision suggest predicted distancing ways is approached catalogs adopting FRBR concepts, including levels adopted each them perspective concept. Research limitations/implications study based subset published 2019 and, therefore, it may be taken final broad coverage. expanding approaches to other chronological periods are encouraged. Originality/value By issues representation's facets, findings this encourage further that will support science computer tools become simpler, better structured more efficient facing representation actually progress.