Annotated bibliographies

bjohas

I've previously used a custom style to create annotated bibliographies. It works ok but means that you have to use a field for annotation (eg abstract) and one for sorting (eg extra, if you want a special sort). The disadvantage is that you cannot use tags or notes (still correct?)

Alternatively you can use report, and post-process the html outside zotero. Or you can export to CSV and process everything manually. However, clearly you lose all existing csl capabilities.

As scenario where the CSL engine has access to tags and notes would be ideal. Or a report format that uses styled citations together with tags and notes. Or maybe the RIS could be exported and processed and processed via CSL separately?

Any ideas on annotated bibliogtraphies (with sections or custom sorting)?

bwiernik

Notes and tags are not available to CSL, and that isn’t likely to change.

You can store multiple CSL variables in Extra.

I would recommend using the CSL ‘annote’ variable in Extra for sorting variables:
Annote: 1

You can store and cite keywords in Extra using the ‘keyword’ CSL variable:
Keyword: word

Put an extended annotated paragraph as the rest of Extra after any other CSL variables. (This gets mapped to CSL ‘note’.)

bjohas

Many thanks!

Do the keywords require {DOI:...} type syntax?

bwiernik

No, the brackets are unnecessary. Just include the CSL variable name, followed by a colon, then the variable value. Each variable should be on a new line, and all of the variables should be at the top of the Extra field (with a maximum of one non-CSL line appearing first).

See here:
http://zotero.org/support/kb/item_types_and_fields#citing_fields_from_extra

bjohas

That is really helpful, and a super-helpful feature for my use case! Many thanks!!

bjohas

> Put an extended annotated paragraph as the rest of Extra after any other CSL variables. (This gets mapped to CSL ‘note’.)

Presumably one needs to be careful about using ":" in this, right? Should ":" be escaped somehow?

bwiernik

No, CSL variables are recognized by name and their position at the top of the field. Unless you are entering the name of a CSL variable before a colon, the colon won’t cause any issues.