The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word MENTIONS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Guardian
M
E
N
T
I
O
N
S
Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "references" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case references = mentions.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does MENTIONS mean?
MENTIONS noun- A speaking or notice of anything, usually in a brief or cursory manner. Used especially in the phrase make mention of.
- A social media feed, a list of replies or posts mentioning a person.
- To make a short reference to something.
- To utter a word or expression in order to refer to the expression itself, as opposed to its usual referent.