Rethinking Citation

SUBHRANIL BHOWMIK

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i01.66569

Rethinking Citation

Author(s)	Mr. SUBHRANIL BHOWMIK
Country	India
Abstract	This paper proposes the IERL Citation System, a developing methodological framework designed to address a persistent limitation in conventional citation styles: the inability to disclose how a cited source has been used within a text. Existing systems primarily indicate the location and identity of sources, yet they do not distinguish whether material has been reproduced verbatim, paraphrased, or interpreted. To respond to this gap, the IERL framework introduces a dual-use annotation mechanism—cp (copy–paste) and ip (interpretation)—intended to enhance epistemic transparency, academic integrity, and evaluative clarity across disciplines. The paper advances a source-sensitive citation logic, arguing that citation elements should be determined by the epistemic nature of the source rather than by uniform convention. Accordingly, it outlines adjusted reference formats for a wide range of textual, non-textual, digital, and non-traditional sources, with each format justified on the basis of verifiability, stability, and scholarly relevance. The IERL Citation System is currently in an active developmental phase. While the core theoretical structure and foundational formats are presented in this paper, additional source categories remain under formulation, and further refinement of reference conventions is ongoing. Readers are therefore invited to engage with the framework as an evolving methodological proposal rather than as a closed or exhaustive citation code. The system is designed and conceptualized from scratch by the author, Subhranil Bhowmik, who serves as both the originator and primary architect of the IERL Citation Style. This paper aims to establish the conceptual foundation and normative rationale of the system, with future iterations intended to expand coverage, clarify edge cases, and respond to scholarly feedback.
Keywords	Epistemic Transparency; Academic Integrity; Footnote-Based Referencing; Paragraph-Specific Citation; Source-Usage Annotation; Legal Writing Methodology; Interpretation vs Quotation; Citation Theory
Published In	Volume 8, Issue 1, January-February 2026
Published On	2026-01-13
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i01.66569

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Rethinking Citation

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