Hidden duplicate references

BodyWisdom
Zotero is creating an "(xxxx, 2014a)" and an "(xxxx, 2014b)" reference and bibliography for a reference I'm using. There shouldn't be an "a" and a "b" because they go to the same study.

My library for the paper I'm working has only one copy of the reference that is causing a problem, so I don't know how to correct this problem.

How did Zotero find duplicate references and decide they should be cited separately?
  • bwiernik
    This may have happened if you formerly had duplicates in your library but deleted one (rather than "Merging" them). If you edit the two citations (the ones with "2014a" and "2014b") and click on the reference, do they both have a button that says "Show in My Library (or whatever the library name is)"? If they do, does clicking on the button lead to the same item for both? If not, then Zotero doesn't realize that they are the same item. Delete the citation without the button and re-insert it (or copy-paste the good one).
  • BodyWisdom
    edited July 25, 2015
    Sorry, but I'm not following.

    You say, "If you edit the two citations (the ones with "2014a" and "2014b") and click on the reference, do they both have a button that says "Show in My Library.."

    If I try to edit the code underlying the citations to take out the "a" (for example), the system refuses to let me save it. Nor can I seem to delete references that aren't showing up in my library.

    I tried deleting all of the references to the problem paper, then taking the sole one appearing in my library out, and finding it again. But when I try to reinsert it, 3 versions show up to choose from (and I'm not sure which is the same one showing up in "My libary"). When I chose the last one, the bottom one, it still inserted it with an "a" and won't let me delete that "a" in the underlying code.

    Will I just have to fix this before submission, by hand? That's awkward, as I may well forget. And it's happening with two references, actually.
  • BodyWisdom
    Never mind. What worked was to stop choosing the versions from "My Library" when offered duplicate choices. Go figure.

    Thanks for your willingness to help.
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