citations: there’s an app for that! jane kessler mary van ullen june 12, 2014
TRANSCRIPT
Citation Technology Solutions Citation management programs that support
hundreds of styles (EndNote, RefWorks, Mendeley, Zotero).
Simpler, web-based citation tools that typically support a few styles (BibMe, StyleWizard, KnightSite, EasyBib, NoodleTools).
Database citation formatting features. Many research databases allow users to export formatted citations (EBSCO, ProQuest, LexisNexis).
Mobile Technology Wireless technology is in our libraries. There’s an app for everything, why not
citations? Are they any good? Can we make recommendations?
Citation Apps Format citations on the fly, using the
device’s camera, speech-to-text or manual input.
Some work with a website to generate bibliographies.
May support a variety of citation formats or may be for a single format.
Many are currently limited to books. Most require you to email the citations
once you’ve created them.
The Challenges
So many devices, so little time and money
Thank you to SUNYLA for supporting our research
Different operating systems, Android, iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Phone, etc.
Difficulty finding apps on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon Appstore
Variety of citation styles
Smartphone OS Market Share Forecasts
Smartphone OS 2013 Market Share 2017 Market Share
Android 75.3% 68.3%
iOS 16.9% 17.9%
Windows Phone 3.9% 10.2%
Blackberry OS 2.7% 1.7%
Other 1.2% 1.9%
Total Telecom+, Oct2013
The DevicesName Type Operating System
iPad 2Tablet iOS
iPhone 5Phone iOS
LG Optimus ElitePhone Android 2.3.7
Samsung GalaxyTablet Android 4.1.1
NexusTablet Android 4.4.2
The Devices
The Apps, Styles and DevicesApp Cost Style
sDevices
Citations2go $1.99 Pro versionAPA Galaxy,
Nexus, Optimus
CiteThis FreeAPA, MLA
Galaxy, Nexus, Optimus
Easybib Free
APA, MLA
iPad, iPhone, Galaxy, Nexus
i-Cite FreeAPA iPad,
iPhoneOptimus
iSource $4.99 each versionAPA, MLA
iPad, iPhone
QuickCiteit$1.03 Android, $0.99 iOS
APA, MLA
iPhone, Optimus
Methodology Selected 5 books Entered data by preferred method:
Barcode scanning ISBN searching Manual entry, text-to-speech if possible
Collected citations in APA and MLA where possible
Analyzed errors
Citations2go
Books, websites, articles, AV APA only, free version did not work well Can scan barcode or enter ISBN to
search for books No iOS version
Optimus phone, scanned barcode.
Citation generated without checking Publisher is Author box:
Neesley, C. (2009). Tasteofhome cookies.. Greendale: Taste of Home Books
With checking Publisher is Author box:
Home, T.O. (2009). Tasteofhome cookies.. Greendale: Taste of Home Books
CiteThis Scanner worked on Optimus phone, but not
on Nexus or Galaxy tablets One specific citation would cause the app to
crash on all devices, whether scanned or ISBN searched
Only worked for 10 digit ISBNs Manual input provided no tips for correct
entry Can switch styles once citations created, but
it won’t correct for the differences in capitalization, etc.
CiteThis Initial screen offers article search (author surname or article title)
Never retrieved searched articles
iCite APA only Books, websites, journal articles,
media, many source types WorldCat searching, formatting, and
emailing all problematic
iSource
Separate apps for each style Many source types
Additional “resource packs” available as in-app purchases to cover less common source types
No scanning, no searching, manual entry only
In-text citations No guidance for data entry We want our money back!
QuickCiteIt iPhone and Optimus, APA and MLA Only mode of entry is scanning Scan repeatedly before the book was
located Instantaneous emailing of citation from
the app
QuickCiteIt
(2002). Creditor Reporting System on Aid Activities Aid Activities Targeting the Objectives of the Rio Conventions 1998/2000 Volume 2002 Issue 1. OECD Publishing.
EasyBib Website(easybib.com)
Web service that provides citation, note taking, and research tools that are easy-to-use and educational.
Free accounts are limited to MLA 7.
Can generate citations and store bibliographies for 59 types of sources.
Looks up books by ISBN, title, etc., and journal articles by title, doi.
MyBibPro (paid version) does APA & Chicago, formats in-text citations and allows citation downloads from research databases. ($20/yr)
EasyBib App
Available for iPhone/iPad or Android devices
Scan, Search TitleFreeFormats book citations in MLA, APA,
Chicago Interactive with EasyBib website
E-mailed APA citationsTasteofhome cookies. (2009). Greendale, WI: Taste of Home Books. Save to EasyBib
Baifang. (1994). Chinese brain twisters: Fast, fun puzzles that help children develop quick minds. New York: Wiley & Sons. Save to EasyBib
Kean, S. (2010). The disappearing spoon: And other true tales of madness, love, and the history of the world from the periodic table of the elements. New York: Little, Brown and. Save to EasyBib
Kidder, T. (2004). Mountains beyond mountains. New York: Random House Trade Paperbacks. Save to EasyBib
EasyBib is the most popular bibliography composing service on the Web. We have provided your bibliography below. Check EasyBib out at www.easybib.com, and please tell your friends!
Sent from my iPad
Results – Errors by categoryCategory of error
Number of errors
% of total errors
Capitalization 41 10.3%
Date 2 0.5%
Italics/Underlining 79 19.8%
Name 54 13.6%
Publisher 101 25.4%
Punctuation 36 9.0%
Syntax 84 21.1%
Defies categorization
1 0.3%
Total 398 100%
Results – Errors by AppApp Errors Citations Error rate
citations2go 18 15 1.2
Cite This 146 30 4.9
EasyBib 78 40 2.0
iCite 27 10 2.7
iSource 40 20 2.0
Quick Cite 89 20 4.5
Total 398 135 2.9
Conclusion
All had problems, none work perfectly You don’t get what you pay for Easybib best, would recommend We think there is great potential for these to be
improved: Accuracy Scanning and automatic entry of journal articles
and websites Updating our guide to citation generators – http://
libguides.library.albany.edu/citationgenerators