https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=68123
Priority: medium
Bug ID: 68123
Assignee: [email protected]
Summary: Other: Bibliography examples misleading & hard to use
Severity: normal
Classification: Unclassified
OS: All
Reporter: [email protected]
Hardware: Other
Whiteboard: BSA
Status: UNCONFIRMED
Version: 4.1.1.1 rc
Component: Writer
Product: LibreOffice
The Bibliography tool gives misleading examples, making how to use it
confusing.
The specific problem is with the "Identifier" field. In the entry form this is
called the "Short Name." The first problem is that the field needs to be named
consistently.
The second problem is that the example entries for the field are nonsensical.
Although you wouldn't know it from the names, the field is actually the form
that the citation should take within the text -- for example, (Smith: 1997) in
the APA style. The nonsensical examples should be replaced with one that will
actually indicate the purpose of the field, such as In-Text Citation.
The same field also needs renaming at Insert ->Indexes and Tables ->
Bibliography Entry, where "Short Name" is used
Solving these problems is relatively easy, and would at least indicate how to
use the tool.
However, the tool would also benefit from:
1.) The ability to attach a unique bibliography index to each document.
2.) The ability to chose the database for major citation styles (APA, MLA,
Chicago).
3.) Making the type of source (for instance, a book or URL) a mandatory field
that determines what information is needed for a complete entry for that type
of source. When a bibliography is created with Insert ->Indexes and Tables ->
Index and Tables -> Index/Table -> Type, then all the information required for
that type of source would be inserted.
Since guides are available for all major citation styles, all these suggestions
would be more tedious than difficult. They might make a good project for a
mentoring program.
Operating System: All
Version: 4.1.1.1 rc
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