Example
Before
The result was reproduced [1, 2] and later reviewed (Smith, 2024).
After
The result was reproduced and later reviewed.
What to check
- Some citation styles will remain.
- Bracketed numbers used as data can be mistaken for citations.
- Keep an authoritative copy with its citations.
How this cleaner works
The cleaner removes common numbered bracket groups, Markdown footnote markers, and compact author-year parentheses. It also repairs a space left before punctuation. It does not remove reference-list paragraphs or attempt to infer every academic style.
Citation removal is intentionally separate from ordinary formatting cleanup. Citations can be important evidence, so the input stays visible and the exact diff exposes every removed marker.
Useful for
- Creating a clean reading copy
- Preparing quoted text for a layout that stores references separately
- Removing generated citation markers after checking the sources
Common questions
Does it delete the bibliography?
No. It removes recognized inline markers and leaves reference-list text alone.
Will it catch every citation style?
No. The matching is conservative to avoid deleting ordinary parentheses or bracketed content.