Q: How should the references for a research paper be formatted?
With an evidence based paper, should a literature review table be in the order that the reference appears in the paper or in alphabetical order?
I think you are asking how the reference list should be written. This is not dependent on the article or study type, but rather the target journal. Whether the reference list is in numerical order or alphabetical order will depend on the journal requirements.
Please carefully review the author guidelines provided on the journal website and format the reference list accordingly. Journals will also specify exactly how the references should be cited within the text and exactly how they should be written in the reference list. It is best to follow the instructions provided, and if they are confusing, it may be helpful to refer to some of the recently published articles in your target journal.
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