Retraction Checker - Chrome Extension

Automatically detects retracted research papers as you browse.

Installation

1. Open Chrome and go to chrome://extensions/
2. Enable Developer mode (toggle in top right)
3. Click Load unpacked
4. Select the retraction-checker folder

How it works

• Detects DOIs from page URLs, meta tags, and text
• Queries the CrossRef API to check for retraction status
• Shows a banner at the top of the page if a retraction is detected
• Results are cached for 24 hours to avoid redundant API calls

Files

• manifest.json — Extension configuration
• content.js — Runs on every page; extracts DOIs and checks retraction status
• background.js — Service worker; manages badge and tab state
• popup/popup.html + popup.js — Extension popup UI

Sources Used

• CrossRef API (free, no key required) — Checks paper type, update records, and title keywords for retraction signals