CTICH Brief Guide to
Bibliographical Software
Table of
Contents:
Bibliographical software is a specialised database program
designed to manage citations and references. The extent to which
programs "manage" information varies between the top
and bottom ends of the market, but all offer the same basic
features.
basic features
- Storing: Store references in formats that allow access to
all information needed for a full citation.
- Sorting: Sort references by author, date, etc..
- Searching: Search on specific data fields (author,
journal, etc.).
- Selecting: Select out the references you need for a
particular project or passage.
- Exporting: Print formatted bibliographies and citations
electronically and on paper.
In addition to these basic features bibliographical software
can also have a variety of other advanced features.
- Data Entry:
- Import from electronic
sources such as BIDS.
- Different reference templates to handle the range
of sources you will use.
- Support for foreign languages.
- Tools to ensure consistency by catching duplicate
entries etc.
- Notes or abstract fields available and
searchable.
- Shortcuts or glossaries for authors, titles,
keywords, etc. that you use often.
- Searching:
- Conduct complex searches
using Boolean and comparative operators.
- Save results of searches for later use and
further interrogation.
- Formatting:
- Bibliographic styles
following various scholarly standards and the
facility to create custom styles.
- Automatic insertion of references into your word
processor text according to the appropriate
bibliographical style. Packages that offer this
facility all work with the current versions of
Microsoft Word and WordPerfect, if you use
another word processing program check to make
sure that your word processor is supported.
- Sharing:
- Windows and Macintosh word
processor compatibility and network support so
that the database can be shared.
- Facility to share bibliographical databases
without other users having to buy an expensive
program.
The market for bibliographical software is currently split
between "professional quality" systems which offer a
broad range of features at a significant price and
"cheap" systems that offer only limited functionality.
All the professional quality systems have all the
"desirable features" in some form and all are powerful
adaptable programs. The main differences between them are in the
area of implementation and style rather than performance. If your
institution or colleagues already use one of these programs that
one should be given very special consideration. As with word
processors, it is possible to exchange data between programs, but
it is always easier to work within the same environment.
If you are starting from scratch, or the
local software does not meet your needs, the best advice is to
obtain demonstration copies and test the program with your own
references. As you evaluate the programs pay particular attention
to:
- import facilities;
- can you import references
from your existing bibliographies and any
electronic sources you use,
- are the conversion routines accurate and do they
preserve any special formatting or foreign
characters
- searching;
- can you retrieve the
references you might want on the criteria you use
- can you retrieve references from partial
citations
- how easy is it to organise the results of
searches and selections
- exporting;
- can you export selected
references in the bibliographical styles you need
(pay special attention to your more esoteric
citations)
- how well does the export function work with your
word processor for the styles of endnotes and
footnotes you use.
Prices for professional quality programs
match those of other commercial software packages and even with
educational discounts priced to begin at around £100. Network
and read only versions offer a cost effective way of distributing
bibliographies to students and colleagues. Student licenses are
available for some packages, but undergraduates would rarely need
the full functionality of these programs.
platforms: Windows (all flavours)
products: Citation 7
Includes citations styles for over 1,000
journals, although these styles are mainly drawn from scientific
and medical journals. Users can also create their own citation
formats. Works with word-processors such as Microsoft Word or
Word Perfect. Automatically inserts formatted citations as
endnotes and/or footnotes. Will also insert quotations from notes
and abstracts in the database with an appropriate citation. Good
support for diacritics. Imports from the main online
services and users can create their own import and export
filters.
One of the cheaper programmes with additional discounts for
those who will accept an on-line manual instead of a printed
text. Offers rather crude searching but the ability to create
complex custom citation formats is a boon for academics in the
humanities.
demonstration copies: Available
for download from the Citation 7 website
student discounts are available, however the
product is significantly cheaper than EndNote or Reference
Manager
- contact details:
- U.S.
- Nota Bene
- 285 W. Broadway Ste 460
- New York, NY 10013 USA
- Tel: (212) 334 0445
- Fax: (212) 334 0845
- email: sales@notabene.com, puck@oberon-res.com
- WWW: http://www.oberon-res.com/
- U.K.
- Michael Quinion Associates
- 18 Pittville Close
- Thornbury
- Bristol, BS12 1SE
- Tel./fax. 01454 411128
- email: sales@quinion.demon.co.uk
- WWW: http://www.quinion.demon.co.uk/citation7/
platforms: Windows (all
flavours), Mac
- products:
- EndNote Plus reference
database manager
- EndLink import program
Microsoft Word "Add-In" that
allows you to use your reference database from within Word. Works
with all current flavours of Word for Windows and Word for the
Mac.
demonstration copies: Available
for download from Niles and Cherwell Web sites
education discounts available through CHEST
- contact details:
- U.S.
- Niles & Associates,
Inc.
- 800 Jones St.
- Berkeley, CA, 94710
- USA
- Tel: (510) 559-8592
- Fax: (510) 559-8683
- email: info@niles.com
- WWW: http://www.niles.com/
- UK distributor
- Cherwell Scientific
Publishing, Ltd.
- The Magdalen Centre
- Oxford Science Park
- Oxford, OX4 4GA
- Tel: (0)1865 784800
- Fax: (0)1865 784801
- Email: endnote@cherwell.com
- WWW: http://www.cherwell.com/cherwell/
platforms: DOS, Windows, Mac
products: Reference
Manager
Searching is its greatest strength
offering complex Boolean searching and the option of saving
searches. Automatic keywording and support of synonyms also
facilitate searching. Citation formats are rather limited for
humanists and the facility to create custom formats is somewhat
inflexible. Integrates closely with Word and WordPerfect.
demonstration copies: Available
from Research Information Systems Web site
education discounts available through CHEST
- contact details:
- U.S.
- Research Information
Systems
- 2355 Camino Vida Roble
- Carlsbad, CA 92009
- Tel: (619) 438-5526
- Fax: (619) 438-5573
- Email: rminfo@ris.risinc.com
- WWW: http://www.risinc.com/
- U.K.
- Research Information
Systems
- Brunel Science Park,
Building 1
- Brunel University
- Uxbridge, UB83PQ
- United Kingdom
- Tel: (0)1895-813544
- Fax: (0) 1895-256710
- Email: uksales@ris.risinc.com
- Bibliographic Software and the
Electronic Library, ed. Terry Hanson (University
of Hertfordshire Press, 1995). ISBN 0-900458-51-8.
- Provides a general survey of
bibliographical software along with case studies of its
selection, use, and evaluation in academic and research
institutions. Gives guidance on evaluating a
bibliographical software package. Includes contact
information for suppliers and bibliography.
- NOTE: As with anything to do with computers this book
has become out-of-date very quickly.
World Wide Web resources
- Bibliographical Packages, in
the CTI Centre for Textual Studies Resources Guide,
Oxford University.
- The Guide includes reviews of Endlink,
EndNote, Library Master, and Papyrus.
- http://users.ox.ac.uk/
-
- Chorus: Exploring New Media in the Arts
& Humanities
- Chorus describes itself as
"… an international "meta-resource"
exploring and supporting the use of new media in the arts
and humanities. It is composed of several sections
presenting software reviews, original research,
bibliographies, annotated links and Shockwave
demonstrations."
- The Citation Management and
E-Research section includes reviews of citation
management software (Citation 7.1, Endnote Plus 2.0,
Library Master 3.0, Papyrus 7.0) and more general
information and commentary. Chorus is currently
looking for more reviewers for bibliographical software,
see the Web site for details.
http://www-writing.berkeley.edu/chorus/eresearch/
- Bibliographic Software
- by Steve Osborne, School of Library
and Information Science, Indiana University-Purdue
University at Indianapolis
- A comprehensive listing of
bibliographic software past and present with features
listings and contact information for distributors.
-
Electronic Discussion lists
BIBSOFT: Discussion of software
for citations and bibliographies. This list has been rather quiet
for the last year, but list members remain responsive to queries.
Most of the discussion is sparked by new members asking advice on
software and seeking solutions to particular problems. Answers
are usually prompt and helpful, although several members work for
software companies that market bibliographical software.
Subscription: send message
"SUBSCRIBE BIBSOFT first-name last-name" to
listserv@indycms.iupui.edu
Information: morganj@indyvax.iupui.edu
or stigle@cs.unca.edu
Archive site: listserv@indycms.iupui.edu
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Last modified: June 29, 1998
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