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Easy way to share citation entry formats
As we share with each other how we're filling in the Zotero blanks to get the citation we want, here's a nice trick. Right-click on the item in your research list and choose "Generate Report from Item." It will open up a window with your fields. Select all and copy, then paste it here. Here's one of mine:
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[Will of Hugh Milliken, 24 January 1898]
Type Book Section Author New York (New York County Probate Office) Volume C (1803–1807): 157-63 Place Salt Lake City, Utah Publisher Family History Library Series Number FHL microfilm 835418 Book Title [New York Wills] Date Added 1/29/2019, 10:23:23 PM Modified 1/29/2019, 10:39:13 PM
It will also pick up anything you've typed in the Extra field. Then to show how it converted to a bibliographic entry, right-click on it and choose "Create bibliography from item." Choose what style and output mode you're looking for, choose to "Copy to Clipboard," and press OK. Then paste it here. The above fields yield this citation:
New York (New York County Probate Office), “[Will of Hugh Milliken, 24 January 1898],” in [New York Wills], vol. C (1803–1807): 157-63, FHL microfilm 835418 (Salt Lake City, Utah: Family History Library, n.d.).
Love this tip.
Wouldn't have thought of using a "book section" item type for this, but it is brilliant!! Thanks. Great idea of how to share citation examples ... or questions.
Idea just struck me - why not create (on this forum) a best practices secret decoder ring type of conversion chart showing what has been found to work out best for genealogy citations of different type of records? Something that would be easy to reference and could be updated as new information or ideas are found? Don't know if the forum could handle something like this (perhaps a separate section?).
You just inspired me again! I have been entering Austrian parish register entries. Was using the Document but when I read this again I had a light bulb moment. Use the book section for registers and the Document for actual certificates.
I should have told you guys in the book, and I don't think I did, that two great catch-all Item Types are Book Section and Encyclopedia Entry. These two add an extra layer to the citation. If the material is in an archive, Encyclopedia Entry can be better.
And I agree totally we should share how we're setting up types of records. I'll create a discussion category for us. The first person to figure an ideal format might take a longer than they like, but then they save everyone else the time. Love it.
I'll get that new category up shortly. Thanks!
OK, it's there now. The category is "Citation Format Samples." The category we are in now has been altered from "Citation Format Discussion" to "Citation Questions and Discussion." I've also added a category called "Zotero Wish List" for things we would like to see Zotero add.
I adapted the citation in Zotero to EE format for newspapers found online. Below is the EE citation I have after following my Extra instructions. Suggestions, comments??
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I am also doing extensive research in newspaper archives which results in a large number (perhaps the largest number) of citations in my Zotero repository. Mostly via Chronicling America (Library of Congress) and Newspapers dot com. I also use the Zotero Newspaper Item Type. I find the entry requirements vary by the platform I use. In Newspapers dot com it is easier once I find and clip a pertinent newspaper item. I find that it is important for me to include the title of the article if there is one - most of the time these are way up the page from the clipping. So it isn't an instant process of using the connector and I'm done, but it is very comprehensive. I am using the abstract field of the Newspaper Item Type to type in information about the article - if it is a small article I might just quote it there. If it is longer, I'll put key information about it. Doing it this way allows me more searching opportunities in Zotero. I really like the fact that I can double click on a Zotero Newspaper entry and go directly to the clipping I've made. Since my collection isn't public, I have an intermediate step if I haven't logged into my online account. In contrast, Chronicling America is a much more manual process, but easily done in the same format using the Newspaper Item Type. This is an example of what I'm getting using the Newspapers dot com interface. It gives me this type citation result:
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Linda,
I presume you put the EE formatting instructions into the Extra field, then followed them to construct your citation. It didn't come out that way via Zotero. Right?
Fred
