If an article has a retracted source in its reference list, is it still okay for me to use in my assignment?
If you have installed the LibKey Nomad browser extension, it will sometimes flag that an article that you are interested in has cited a retracted source in its reference list (see the screenshot below for an example).
Seeing this message doesn't mean you should not use this article in your assignment.
It will depend on how much the authors relied on that retracted source to support their conclusions in their paper and the reasons the retracted work was cited.
Articles can be retracted many years after their original publication, so the authors of the article you are interested in may have had no idea at the time that they were writing that there were issues with using that source in their work.
There are several cases where you can probably still use the article without concern.
For example, if the article you are interested in is reporting original research findings, the retracted article on their reference list may only be briefly cited in the introduction where the authors provided an overview of existing research on the topic. In this case, you are likely okay to still use the new article as a source, as long as you avoid using any information that the authors took from the retracted article.
Authors might also knowingly cite a retracted source because they want to draw attention to the reasons why it was removed from a journal. This is absolutely ok as long as they have made it clear to the reader that the source they are citing has been retracted and the context in which they have used the retracted source makes sense (e.g. a discussion of a past controversy in the field). Additional examples of when it might be appropriate to cite a retracted source can be found on Retraction Watch.
However, if the retracted publication being cited was a crucial source of evidence that the authors used to come up with their conclusions (for example, in a meta-analysis or systematic review), you should think carefully before using this new article in your own work. Before moving on to another source, though, you could still check to see if the authors have published a correction or erratum for this article that addresses the impact of the retracted source on their conclusions.
If you are still not sure if you should use a particular source because it cites a retracted publication, please reach out to your professor for their guidance on how to proceed.
If you are a researcher who has learned that a source you cited in your published work has since been retracted, this discussion on Retraction Watch may be helpful in determining what steps, if any, you may wish to take.