MLA format web page citation bugs

stoneface

I have found what appears to be bugs when citing webpages using the MLA format.

To replicate this, first install the latest version of Zotero (I use version 4.0.17.1 with the LibreOffice plugin). Then try adding https://www.google.com/ to your library using the feature "Create Web Page Item from Current Page". My fields are as follows:

Item Type: Web Page
Title: Google
Author: (last), (first) [I left these untouched]
Abstract:
Website Title:
Website Type
Date: March 9, 2014
Short Title:
URL: https://www.google.com/
Accessed: Sunday, March 09, 2014, 8:18:59 PM
Language:
Rights:
Extra:
Date Added: Sunday, March 09, 2014 8:18:59 PM
Modified: SUnday, March 09, 2014 8:19:56 PM

As you can see, I left many of the fields untouched. Now here's what appears when I use this entry in my bibliography. The citation style used is Modern Language Association 7th edition, and the format is ReferenceMarks. References are stored in the document:

“Google.” N. p., 9 Mar. 2014. Web. 10 Mar. 2014.

There are a number of things that seem wrong about this citation. For one, what are "N." and "p."? I don't see any field that could possibly correspond to those abbreviations.

Also, why isn't there a URL? If I'm not mistaken, when citing a website in MLA style, the link is required at the end: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/

Does anyone know what's going on with the MLA citations in Zotero?

adamsmith

Also, why isn't there a URL? If I'm not mistaken, when citing a website in MLA style, the link is required at the end: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/

pretty much the first sentence on that page is: "MLA no longer requires the use of URLs in MLA citations" If you do want URLs in spite of that, use
http://zotero.org/styles?q=Modern Language Association 7th edition (with URL)

"N. p." stands for "no publisher and is required by MLA for webpages where no publisher is known/provided (Zotero doesn't have a field for publisher in webpages, so that's a bit of a problem for that, but it's the best we can do until there is such a field).

More generally, note that the MLA style will only work correctly if you have the "include URL" box checked under Cite-->Styles in the Zotero preferences (this affects the correct display of journal articles retrieved online).

Also, especially if you just use the "Create Webpage Item" function, leaving fields untouched is typically _not_ enough - where Zotero doesn't get all relevant information you will need to add it by hand.

stoneface

All right, fair enough. It just looks like my knowledge is out of date. While we're on the subject of MLA format, don't books usually require the citation of specific page numbers from which the material is taken? I currently see no such field when I add a New Item of type "Book".

adamsmith

not in the bibliography, no. Only for the citation in the text, where you'd add that number via the word/LO plugin; http://www.zotero.org/support/word_processor_plugin_usage#quick_format_citation_dialog

stoneface

In general, is there documentation that describes what each field means? (e.g. the distinction between "title" and "website title").

By the way, is there a specific reason why webpages can't have the publisher field, or has it just not been included in Zotero yet?

adamsmith

In general, is there documentation that describes what each field means? (e.g. the distinction between "title" and "website title").

no, there isn't unfortunately.
For the specific question, title is the title of the specific page e.g. "Zotero Server API (version 2)" for https://www.zotero.org/support/dev/server_api/v2/start whereas the website title is the title of the entire website, i.e. in that case "Zotero" or "Zotero Documentation"

By the way, is there a specific reason why webpages can't have the publisher field, or has it just not been included in Zotero yet?

the latter. It's planned.

stoneface

Would you have any objection to starting an article under Documentation that would explain what each field is? You already have something very similar here: https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/field_mappings

If it's made a Wiki style, I could even contribute what I know.

adamsmith

No objections, no, and the entire documentation is a Wiki.
https://www.zotero.org/support/dev/documentation

Let's first agree on a good title and format (i.e. how would this be set up? All fields for each item type? Or some generic fields and then some specifics for item types?). @Dan, Aurimas - thoughts?

When doing this, you may find http://aurimasv.github.io/z2csl/typeMap.xml helpful

aurimas

I don't have a great title, but maybe "[Guide to] entering data into Zotero" (probably don't need guide to, hence brackets). Hopefully someone else has something better.

In any case, I think we would want to describe the common fields and then go into specific ones. Would also want to describe which item types are best for certain sources that are not directly named.

stoneface

A more specific title would be something like "Guide to Zotero's data types/fields". That would make it more clear that the guide is about the types of data users can enter into the program, rather than how to enter the data.

Has the page been made yet, perhaps with a tentative title? If so, please link.

adamsmith

page created here:
https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/zotero_item_types_fields

stoneface

I don't know if this is some kind of mistake, but the page when viewed yesterday looked like a duplicate of Import/Export Field Mappings rather than a detailed explanation of what each field is (in human language). Today, when I viewed the page, it just shows "This is work in progress on a guide to entering information into Zotero manually".

adamsmith

I don't know about the page yesterday, but right now "This is work in progress on a guide to entering information into Zotero manually" is what it's supposed to show.

dstillman

Moved to https://www.zotero.org/support/kb/item_types_and_fields

adamsmith

I've started this with the generic fields now. Help welcome

stoneface

I've been busy lately, but I will see what I can do. By the way, I suspect this thread has outlived its original purpose and is probably not getting sufficient attention in the Troubleshooting section. If we start a new thread under "General", perhaps it would receive more attention. Do you think it would be worthy of a temporary pin?