References and Citations

LitView includes a comprehensive reference management system that rivals tools like Zotero. Transform your search discoveries into organized, citation-ready reference libraries with folder organization, and batch operations.

Understanding LitView’s Reference Manager

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Reference Manager Overview

LitView’s References tab provides a complete reference management solution designed specifically for researchers who want seamless integration between literature discovery and citation management. Unlike external tools that require complex import/export workflows, LitView’s reference manager connects directly to your search results.

Key Capabilities

  • Custom folder structure creation for organizing references
  • Direct saving from search results to reference collections
  • Drag-and-drop organization with intuitive interface
  • Batch operations for multiple references simultaneously
  • Trash system with reference recovery options

Interface Layout

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Left Panel: Directory Structure

  • Create and manage custom folder hierarchies
  • Special directories: “Unassigned” and “Trash”
  • Drag-and-drop folder organization

Center Panel: Reference Lists

  • View references within selected directories
  • Sort by title, authors, publication date
  • Multi-select references for batch operations
  • Search functionality within selected folders

Right Panel: Reference Details

  • Complete citation information for selected references
  • Real-time saving of reference updates

From Search Results to Reference Collections

Saving Articles from Search

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Direct Save Workflow

  1. Perform search and analyze cluster results
  2. Click on relevant papers in the cluster visualization
  3. Use “Save to collection” button (+ icon) in the details panel
  4. Articles automatically appear in “Unassigned” directory
  5. Organize saved articles into appropriate project folders

Strategic Reference

Collection Based on cluster analysis insights, systematically save:

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Core Research Papers

  • Papers from the densest part of your main keyword cluster
  • Foundational works that define your research area
  • High-impact recent papers representing current knowledge

Methodological Papers

  • Papers from methodology-focused clusters
  • Cross-disciplinary papers providing applicable methods
  • Validation studies supporting methodological choices

Contextual Papers

  • Papers from secondary clusters providing important context
  • Bridge papers connecting different research domains
  • Background papers establishing broader research significance

Organizing Your Reference Library

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Folder Structure Best Practices

Project-Based Organization

Main folder: Research Projects

  • AI-Medical-Diagnosis
    • Core-Literature
    • Methodology
    • Applications
  • Literature-Reviews
    • Systematic-Reviews
    • Meta-Analyses
  • Grant-Applications
    • NSF-Proposal-2024
    • NIH-Application

Thematic Organization

Main folder: Research Themes

  • Machine-Learning-Methods
  • Clinical-Applications
  • Evaluation-Metrics
  • Ethical-Considerations

Temporal Organization

Main folder: Research-Timeline

  • Foundational-Work
  • Recent-Developments
  • Emerging-Trends

Reference Management Workflows

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Creating New References

  1. Navigate to desired directory in reference manager
  2. Click “New Reference” button
  3. Fill in citation details in right panel fields:
    • Title, Authors, Publication Date
    • Journal/Conference, Volume, Issue
    • DOI, URL, Abstract
    • Custom fields for project-specific information
  4. Information saves automatically as you type

Quality Control and Reference Validation

Reference Completeness Check Ensure high-quality citations by verifying:

  • Complete author information and publication details
  • Accurate DOI and URL links to source materials
  • Proper journal/conference names and formatting
  • Abstract inclusion for comprehensive records

Duplicate Detection and Management

  • Review references saved from multiple searches
  • Identify potential duplicates through title and author matching
  • Use reference details to verify uniqueness
  • Merge or remove duplicate entries as appropriate

Quality-Graded Citation Selection

  • Essential citations: Core papers from main research clusters
  • Supporting citations: Papers from relevant secondary clusters
  • Background citations: Papers providing necessary context
  • Emerging citations: Recent work indicating future directions

Reference Manager Maintenance

Long-Term Reference Organization

Project Evolution Management As research projects develop:

  • Create new folders for emerging research directions
  • Archive completed project folders while preserving access
  • Update reference organization to reflect evolving research focus
  • Maintain connection between related projects through folder structure

Reference Collection Curation

  • Regular review of reference collections for currency and relevance
  • Update reference details with new information (citations, impact metrics)
  • Expand reference collections through systematic follow-up searches
  • Maintain quality standards through periodic reference validation

Backup and Recovery Systems

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Trash and Recovery LitView’s built-in safety features:

  • Deleted references move to “Trash” directory rather than permanent deletion
  • Two-step deletion process: trash → permanent deletion
  • Reference recovery capability from trash directory

Reference Preservation

  • Maintain multiple organizational schemes for important references
  • Use reference notes to preserve context and decision-making rationale
  • Document reference collection methodology for institutional knowledge
  • Regular review and updating of reference organization systems

Explore Troubleshooting and Support for common issues and solutions.