[EvaH (OP)]

Teri wants to know:

Why there is no uniform reference citation style followed by scientists? Why do they follow the hundreds of bibliographic styles demanded by the journals? What is the need of so many reference citation software programs? Why don't they form a uniform citation style (similar to SI units) to avoid waste of energy in citation formatting? Please discuss.

What do you think?

[alancalverd]

If there was a universal style, hundreds of proof-readers would have to be re-employed as health & safety inspectors, and nobody would ever get any work done.

[evan_au]

Why there is no uniform reference citation style followed by scientists?

NIH: Not Invented Here

It produces lots of hot air about which is better - when none is clearly better; its mostly subjective and tradition.

[Bored chemist]

There are two main methods of referencing articles in journal and book publications. These are known as the Harvard (author-date) and Vancouver (author-number) reference systems.

Unfortunately, journals are better at writing style guides than reading them.

If there was a universal style, hundreds of proof-readers would have to be re-employed as health & safety inspectors, and nobody would ever get any work done.

It seems you had some sort of problems with H+S inspectors.
Since you are in the UK, I guess that's HSE.
HSE has a disputes process, did you follow it?

[alancalverd]

HSE have arrogated the right to charge arbitrary and unlimited fees for the time they spend investigating your dispute. I find it cheaper and quicker to say "see you in court".

[Bored chemist]

I find it cheaper and quicker to say "see you in court".

How did that go?