different formats for first names

Hi everybody,
I have a problem with first name formats. Some journals require me to ABBREVIATE authors' first names, like, Palmer, P. (instead of Palmer, Peter) in the bibliography. However, what I store in zotero is full first names (Palmer, Peter). Then in order to conform with the journals' requirements, I have to basically to back to zotero and change first names into abbreviated forms.

However, things become ironic when I use the same citations for other paper submitted to journals that required FULL first names. I am at a loss. I need to search for authors' first names again to change in zotero, which is very time-consuming and inefficient.

Do you have anyway to get around this problem?
Thanks so much.
  • Author abbreviations are style-specific. Store full author names & select a style that abbreviates given names, as needed.
  • Dukesyr: the Zotero library is your database, which should always have as complete information as possible. When citing stuff, Zotero uses styles to manipulate the layout of actual citations so you don't have to worry about that; just make sure you select the right style.

    In other words, if you select a style like American Medical Association, you'll see that author's first names will be abbreviated for you; if you then change to the American Political Science Association style, the citations will be formatted to include the full first names — if they are present in your Zotero database, that is.

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