Reference type mapping between Zotero and CSL

SimonCropper · November 19, 2008

Hi Guys,

I have found some information about field mapping between Zotero and CSL (CSL Variables), but nothing on reference type (e.g. article, book, chapter, map).

I am trying to prepare some styles for some scientific journals and the BOOK, CHAPTER and ARTICLE (as fall back) structure is limited. I need to update the macros and formatting sections in the CSL file to reflect a range of other reference types.

Any help would be appreciated.

erazlogo · November 19, 2008

http://forums.zotero.org/discussion/4782/csl-getting-conference-name-to-show-up-properly-in-bibliography/#Item_5

SimonCropper · November 19, 2008

So how is this code listed below interpreted?

If I am reading it right the format is Zotero:CSL -- so a 'letter' in Zotero Database would be captured by the command <if type="personal_communication"> in the CSL file. Is this correct?

Also, I realise the default option is how the item is captured by the CSL file if the reference type is not referenced in the CSL file. Is this correct?

Why don't CSL files provide every conceivable option? Is their a performance issue when specifying specific options for every reference type available in Zotero? I rummaged through the CSL Style Repository and most files really only defined BOOK, CHAPTER and a fallback which was formatted like a ARTICLE.

What is the best structure for capturing more than 2 main reference types?


<choose>
		<if type="book">
			<text variable="title"/>
		</if>
		<else-if type="chapter">
			<text variable="title"/>
		</else-if>
		<else-if type="conferencePaper">
			<text variable="title"/>
		</else-if>
		<else-if type="report">
			<text variable="title"/>
		</else-if>
		<else-if>
			<text variable="title"/>
		</else-if>
		<else>
			<text variable="title" quotes="true"/>
		</else>
</choose>

ADDENDUM: REFERENCE-TYPE MAPPING EXTRACTED FROM ABOVE LINK -- Zotero:CSL


2164 Zotero.CSL.Item._optionalTypeMap = {
2165	        journalArticle:"article-journal",
2166	        magazineArticle:"article-magazine",
2167	        newspaperArticle:"article-newspaper",
2168	        thesis:"thesis",
2169	        conferencePaper:"paper-conference",
2170	        letter:"personal_communication",
2171	        manuscript:"manuscript",
2172	        interview:"interview",
2173	        film:"motion_picture",
2174	        artwork:"graphic",
2175	        webpage:"webpage",
2176	        report:"report",
2177	        bill:"bill",
2178	        case:"legal_case",
2179	        hearing:"bill",                         // ??
2180	        patent:"patent",
2181	        statute:"bill",                         // ??
2182	        email:"personal_communication",
2183	        map:"map",
2184	        blogPost:"webpage",
2185	        instantMessage:"personal_communication",
2186	        forumPost:"webpage",
2187	        audioRecording:"song",          // ??
2188	        presentation:"speech",
2189	        videoRecording:"motion_picture",
2190	        tvBroadcast:"broadcast",
2191	        radioBroadcast:"broadcast",
2192	        podcast:"song",                 // ??
2193	        computerProgram:"book"          // ??
2194	};
2195	
2196	// TODO: check with Elena/APA/MLA on this
2197	Zotero.CSL.Item._fallbackTypeMap = {
2198	        book:"book",
2199	        bookSection:"chapter",
2200	        journalArticle:"article",
2201	        magazineArticle:"article",
2202	        newspaperArticle:"article",
2203	        thesis:"article",
2204	        encyclopediaArticle:"chapter",
2205	        dictionaryEntry:"chapter",
2206	        conferencePaper:"chapter",
2207	        letter:"article",
2208	        manuscript:"article",
2209	        interview:"article",
2210	        film:"book",
2211	        artwork:"book",
2212	        webpage:"article",
2213	        report:"book",
2214	        bill:"book",
2215	        case:"book",
2216	        hearing:"book",
2217	        patent:"article",
2218	        statute:"book",
2219	        email:"article",
2220	        map:"article",
2221	        blogPost:"article",
2222	        instantMessage:"article",
2223	        forumPost:"article",
2224	        audioRecording:"book",
2225	        presentation:"article",
2226	        videoRecording:"book",
2227	        tvBroadcast:"article",
2228	        radioBroadcast:"article",
2229	        podcast:"article",
2230	        computerProgram:"book"

noksagt · November 19, 2008

So how is this code listed below interpreted?

You had a few code blocks, so please specify the one you are referring to.

Also, I realise the default option is how the item is captured by the CSL file if the reference type is not referenced in the CSL file. Is this correct?

What do you mean by "default option?" If you are outside of an <if /&gt> block, then the code likely applies to ALL types. Most citation styles are fairly independent of type & type-specific code is only intended to handle quirks. It is best to have as few types as needed & to use generic code where possible.

Why don't CSL files provide every conceivable option?

What is it missing? You can make a CSL file that checks for each type & formats each type independently, with no generic fall-back. But this is almost always a bad idea--it makes your file longer and harder to follow & much of the code would be redundant.

I rummaged through the CSL Style Repository and most files really only defined BOOK, CHAPTER and a fallback which was formatted like a ARTICLE.

Many styles for journals will only list these three. Other styles that list more types actually use identical syntax amongst many types.

What is the best structure for capturing more than 2 main reference types?

By writing generic code. The example codeblock you have seems to take the same action, regardless of type. So why not just ditch the choose block & specify only:
<text variable="title"/>so that it will apply to all references, regardless of type.

SimonCropper · November 19, 2008

POINT 1

So how is this code listed below interpreted?

Zotero.CSL.Item._optionalTypeMap = {

versus

Zotero.CSL.Item._fallbackTypeMap = {

POINT 2

Why is a CSL file that specifically handles a range of reference types redundant?

POINT 3

In my example where it appeared that the code
<text variable="title"/>
was the only outcome it was only because I had not offer any alternative formatting. The question was whether the language construct was correct? That is ...

<choose>
   <if type="book">
      - specific formatted string
   </if>
   <else-if type="chapter">
     - specific formatted string
   </else-if>
   <else-if type="conferencePaper">
     - specific formatted string
    </else-if>
    <else-if type="report">
     - specific formatted string
   </else-if>
   <else-if>
     - specific formatted string
   </else-if>
   <else>
     - default formatting
   </else>
</choose>

If I use this type of construct (not all the time but only where needed) I capture the 5-10 standard reference types used in a lot of scientific journals but also have a default option. Am I interpreting this correctly.

POINT 4

Taking you point about difficult to maintain code. Can you insert commenting into CSL files? If so, how?

bdarcus · November 19, 2008

Why is a CSL file that specifically handles a range of reference types redundant?

Because, put simply, it's seldom necessary. Therefore, by definition, you have a lot of unnecessary (read, redundant) code.

Look at the APA style, or some of the Chicago ones, for pretty good models.

If I use this type of construct (not all the time but only where needed) I capture the 5-10 standard reference types used in a lot of scientific journals but also have a default option. Am I interpreting this correctly.

Yeah, but look at this differently. Forget about the types. How many different ways are there to format a title? Three (plain, quotes, italic)? If that's the case, then why do you have so many different conditions? You only need two plus the default.

Taking you point about difficult to maintain code. Can you insert commenting into CSL files? If so, how?

Use standard XML comments (try google).