Evaluate the collective function of references cited together in a given text segment.
Classify their combined role into one of the following categories: 'method', 'background', or 'result'.

Text:Several researchers claimed a relationship to gnathiferan taxa (Winnepenninckx et al., 1998; Giribet et al., 2000; Peterson and Eernisse, 2001; Zrzavý et al., 2001; Zrzavý 2002; Giribet et al., 2004), whereas others relatedCycliophora to Entoprocta (Zrzavý et al., 1998; Sørensen et al., 2000;…
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