Zotero, Genealogy, and Citations

ricklach
I am looking at using Zotero to catalogue all of the documents and images in my genealogical database. I have tried a few sample documents like a birth certificate and Baptismal entry from a church register. However, I cannot find a suitable item type or citation generator that will produce an acceptable output that would include notes (like the parents were identified as ...).

Is there a use for Zotero in Genealogy and if there is, what am I missing?
  • aborel
    edited May 19, 2024
    There are no specialized document types for genealogy (or other specific domains) in Zotero, which means it is not the ideal tool for such purposes.

    There are apparently ways to make it work for you, someone wrote a whole book on the topic ( https://genohistory.com/product/zotero-for-genealogy-pdf/ ). However, note that as per https://forums.zotero.org/discussion/comment/451456#Comment_451456 the book is out of date with respect to Zotero and the new edition is still in progress. You can try to contact the author directly, she sounds quite helpful.
  • scfinnie
    Have you ever created a Genealogical structure in Zotero to meet GPS requirements while adhering to the logic? I have been working on this for some time. Here is part of my solution. My model has other features; however, this is core to vital records.

    Genealogical Reference Library Sub-collection Structure
    Create the Library
    Library Name:
    Genealogy Projects / Case Studies
    Type:
    Group Library (recommended) or Personal Library
    Purpose:
    Primary workspace for all individual-based genealogical case studies.
    Top-Level Collections (Family Lines)
    Create the following top-level collections:
    Genealogy Projects / Case Studies
    │
    ├── Finnie Line
    ├── Ross Line
    ├── McFarlane Line
    ├── Turner Line
    └── Other Collateral Lines
    Optional (large datasets):
    Finnie Line
    ├── 18th Century
    ├── 19th Century
    └── 20th Century

    Individual Collection Template
    For each individual, create a subcollection using this naming format:
    Surname, Given Name (birth–death) – Optional Location
    Example:
    Finnie, John (1780–1855) – Kilmarnock

    Standard Subcollections (Create for Every Individual)
    Inside each collection, create exactly these subcollections (copy/paste order):
    00 Research Control
    01 Identity & Hypothesis
    02 Birth & Baptism
    03 Marriage(s)
    04 Death & Burial
    05 Occupation & Residence
    06 Children
    07 Associates & FAN Club
    08 DNA & Genetic Evidence
    09 Conflicting / Excluded Evidence
    10 Correspondence & Notes
    Rule:
    • All documents live only in the lowest relevant subcollection
    • Higher collections contain no items, only structure
    ________________________________________
    Standard Tags (Create Once, Reuse Everywhere)
    1. Research Status Tags
    status: unreviewed
    status: reviewed
    status: conflict
    status: resolved
    status: to-do
    status: negative
    2. Evidence Type Tags
    type: birth
    type: marriage
    type: death
    type: residence
    type: occupation
    type: DNA
    type: FAN
    type: correspondence
    type: primary
    type: secondary
    3. GPS / Analytical Tags
    gps: collect
    gps: analyse
    gps: conflict
    gps: resolve
    gps: proof
    4. Line / Family Tags
    line: Finnie
    line: Ross
    line: McFarlane
    line: Turner
    line: collateral
    Optional nested tags:
    line: Finnie/Direct
    line: Finnie/Collateral
    Required Note Templates (Create as Standalone Notes)
    Create a single, standalone note template and duplicate it for each individual.
    Research Control – Master Note
    (Store in: 00 Research Control)
    Title:
    Research Control – [Individual Name]
    Template Content:
    Research Question:
    Scope & Limits:
    Known Facts Summary:

    Timeline (Working):

    Evidence Inventory:
    - Birth/Baptism:
    - Marriage(s):
    - Death/Burial:
    - Residence/Occupation:
    - Children:
    - FAN / Associates:
    - DNA:

    Conflicts Identified:
    Negative Evidence:

    Current Status:
    Next Actions:

    Change Log:
    Identity & Hypothesis Note
    (Store in: 01 Identity & Hypothesis)
    Identity Hypothesis:
    Proposed Parents:
    Spouse(s):

    Supporting Evidence:
    Contradictory Evidence:

    Confidence Level:
    Evidence Correlation Note(Store in: 00 Research Control)
    Sources Compared:
    Extracted Facts:
    Agreements:
    Discrepancies:
    Resolution / Interpretation:
    Proof Summary Note
    (Store in: 00 Research Control)
    Research Question:
    Summary of Evidence:
    Analysis & Correlation:
    Conflict Resolution:
    Conclusion:
    Related Items Linking Rules
    Apply Related Items consistently:
    Item Type Link To
    Birth record Individual
    Marriage record Both spouses
    Child record Parents
    FAN evidence : All relevant associates
    DNA evidence : Tested individuals
    Conflicting evidence Conflict analysis note
    Rule:
    • Evidence is never duplicated
    • Relationships are expressed only via Related Items

    Saved Searches (Smart Collections)
    Create these once at the library level.
    1. Status Monitoring
    Unreviewed Evidence
    Tag contains "status: unreviewed"
    Conflicts to Resolve
    Tag contains "status: conflict"
    ________________________________________
    2. GPS Workflow
    Ready for Analysis
    Tag contains "gps: collect"
    AND Tag contains "status: reviewed"
    Conflicts Unresolved
    Tag contains "gps: conflict"
    AND NOT Tag contains "gps: resolve"
    Completed Proofs
    Tag contains "gps: proof"
    ________________________________________
    3. Line-Specific Views
    Finnie Line
    Tag contains "line: Finnie"
    Ross Line
    Tag contains "line: Ross"
    ________________________________________
    4. Evidence Type Views
    Birth Records
    Tag contains "type: birth"
    DNA Evidence
    Tag contains "type: DNA"
    ________________________________________
    Standard Workflow (Operational Use)
    1. Create an individual collection
    2. Copy standard 00–10 subcollections
    3. Duplicate Research Control note
    4. Add evidence → place in lowest subcollection only
    5. Tag item (status, type, GPS, line)
    6. Link via Related Items
    7. Analyse → update status and GPS tags
    8. Draft proof → tag gps: proof
    9. Audit via Saved Searches
    ________________________________________
    Governance Rules (Critical)
    • No documents in family-line collections
    • No duplicated PDFs or images
    • Every item has at least:
    o One type: Tag
    o One status: Tag
    o One line: Tag
    • Proof summaries always live in 00 Research Control
    ________________________________________
    Outcome
    Following this blueprint produces:
    • A fully GPS-compliant Zotero genealogy system
    • Scalable to thousands of individuals
    • Auditable at any moment
    • Suitable for peer review, publication, or certification
    ________________________________________

Sign In or Register to comment.