How does Mendeley check for repeated citations in literature?

Mendeley detects duplicate citations primarily by comparing key metadata fields within your library. It automates identification of potentially repeated references to streamline your literature management process. The tool compares fields such as DOI, PMID, PubMed ID, title, authors, publication year, journal name, and volume/issue/page numbers. This deduplication occurs during the import process of new references or when manually initiating a check via the "Tools" menu. Mendeley employs both exact matching and similarity algorithms to flag entries with overlapping information as potential duplicates. Users then manually review these flagged entries to confirm duplication and select which record to retain, ensuring data accuracy and preserving any unique annotations. Regular library maintenance minimizes redundant entries. This feature enhances reference library organization by removing redundant entries, saving storage space and reducing clutter. Users initiate it during imports or via the 'Find Duplicates' function under 'Tools'. Subsequent manual verification allows selective merging or deletion, streamlining the workflow and improving reference list accuracy for research writing and systematic reviews. Relying solely on automated detection without review is inadvisable due to potential metadata discrepancies.