Citation Formatter

Convert academic citations from various formats (APA, MLA, Vancouver, BibTeX) to standardized AMA (American Medical Association) 11th edition format. Essential for preparing reference lists for medical journals, research papers, and academic manuscripts requiring AMA style compliance.

Key Capabilities:

Multi-Format Input Support: Parse APA, MLA, Vancouver, BibTeX, and unstructured citations
Automatic Format Detection: Intelligently identify input citation format
AMA 11th Edition Compliance: Output conforms to current AMA style guidelines
Batch Processing: Convert entire reference lists efficiently
Journal Abbreviation: Automatically abbreviate common journal names per AMA standards
Interactive Mode: Real-time citation formatting for quick conversions

When to Use

✅ Use this skill when:

Preparing reference lists for medical journals that require AMA style (JAMA, NEJM, etc.)
Converting citations from other styles (APA, MLA) to AMA for submission
Standardizing reference formats across a manuscript with mixed citation styles
Reformatting references when transferring between journals with different requirements
Cleaning up citations copied from databases with inconsistent formatting
Preparing thesis or dissertation references in AMA format
Creating bibliographies for systematic reviews requiring AMA style
Converting BibTeX entries from reference managers to AMA format

❌ Do NOT use when:

Target journal requires different citation style (APA, Chicago, Vancouver) → Use appropriate converter
Needing full bibliographic management → Use Zotero, EndNote, or Mendeley
Converting in-text citations (author-date formats) → This tool formats reference lists only
Working with legal citations → Use Bluebook or legal-specific tools
Needing citation validation against PubMed or CrossRef → Use reference validation tools
Formatting non-medical humanities citations → Use appropriate style guide

Related Skills:

上游 (Upstream): citation-chasing-mapping, literature-full-text-fetcher
下游 (Downstream): journal-club-presenter, manuscript-format-checker

Integration with Other Skills

Upstream Skills:

citation-chasing-mapping: Find relevant papers before formatting their citations
literature-full-text-fetcher: Retrieve papers that need to be cited
abstract-summarizer: Review papers before adding to reference list

Downstream Skills:

journal-club-presenter: Create presentations with properly formatted references
manuscript-format-checker: Verify reference formatting meets journal requirements
cover-letter-drafter: Include properly formatted references in cover letters

Complete Workflow:

Literature Search → citation-chasing-mapping → citation-formatter → manuscript-format-checker → Submission

Core Capabilities

1. Automatic Format Detection and Conversion

Automatically detect input citation format and convert to AMA style without manual specification.

from scripts.main import format_citation, detect_format

# Example citations in different formats
apa_citation = "Smith, J. D., & Jones, M. A. (2020). Understanding CRISPR mechanisms. Journal of Molecular Biology, 45(3), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1000/jmb.2020.001"

mla_citation = 'Smith, John D., and Mary A. Jones. "Understanding CRISPR Mechanisms." Journal of Molecular Biology, vol. 45, no. 3, 2020, pp. 123-145.'

vancouver_citation = "Smith JD, Jones MA. Understanding CRISPR mechanisms. J Mol Biol. 2020;45(3):123-145."

# Auto-detect and format
for name, citation in [("APA", apa_citation), ("MLA", mla_citation), ("Vancouver", vancouver_citation)]:
    detected = detect_format(citation)
    ama_formatted = format_citation(citation)
    
    print(f"\n{name} Format Detected:")
    print(f"  Input: {citation[:60]}...")
    print(f"  AMA Output: {ama_formatted}")

Supported Input Formats:

Format	Characteristics	Example Identifier
APA	Year in parentheses, & between authors	`(2020)`
MLA	"Title." in quotes, vol./no. labels	`"Title."`
Vancouver	Numbered, year;volume(issue):pages	`2020;45(3):123`
BibTeX	@article/book format with {}	`@article{`
Free Text	Unstructured, mixed elements	Various

Best Practices:

✅ Use auto-detect for mixed formats - handles most cases correctly
✅ Specify format if known - improves accuracy for edge cases
✅ Check author name handling - different formats vary in name order
✅ Verify DOI formatting - ensures consistent DOI presentation

Common Issues and Solutions:

Issue: Format not detected correctly

Symptom: Auto-detection identifies wrong format
Solution: Specify format explicitly using --format parameter

Issue: Incomplete citations fail to parse

Symptom: Missing fields in output
Solution: Ensure all required elements present (authors, title, journal, year)

2. Author Name Formatting

Parse and reformat author names according to AMA guidelines (Lastname FM, up to 6 authors, et al. for 7+).

from scripts.main import parse_name, format_author_ama

# Various author name formats
name_examples = [
    "Smith, John D.",           # Last, First Middle
    "John D. Smith",            # First Middle Last
    "Smith, J. D.",             # Initials
    "John Smith",               # First Last
    "Maria Garcia-Rodriguez",   # Compound last name
]

print("Author Name Formatting:")
for name in name_examples:
    parsed = parse_name(name)
    ama_format = format_author_ama(parsed)
    print(f"  {name:30} → {ama_format}")

# Output:
# Smith, John D.                → Smith JD
# John D. Smith                 → Smith JD
# Smith, J. D.                  → Smith JD
# John Smith                    → Smith J
# Maria Garcia-Rodriguez        → Garcia-Rodriguez M

AMA Author Rules:

Number of Authors	AMA Format	Example
1	Lastname FM	Smith JA
2	Lastname1 FM1, Lastname2 FM2	Smith JA, Jones MB
3-6	List all authors	Smith JA, Jones MB, Lee CD
7+	First 3 + et al.	Smith JA, Jones MB, Lee CD, et al.

Best Practices:

✅ Verify compound surnames - ensure correct parsing (e.g., "van der Waals")
✅ Check for missing initials - full names should include all initials
✅ Handle Jr./Sr. suffixes - place after initials (Smith JA Jr.)
✅ Watch for non-standard formats - some databases format names oddly

Common Issues and Solutions:

Issue: Names with particles (van, de, etc.)

Symptom: "van der Waals" parsed incorrectly
Solution: Check output; manually correct if needed (van der Waals JD)

Issue: Organizations as authors

Symptom: Organization names split as personal names
Solution: Use specific organization formatting; may need manual correction

3. Journal Abbreviation and Formatting

Automatically abbreviate journal names according to AMA standard abbreviations and NLM catalog.

from scripts.main import format_citation

# Journal name variations
journal_examples = [
    "New England Journal of Medicine",
    "Journal of the American Medical Association",
    "British Medical Journal",
    "Nature Medicine",
    "Annals of Internal Medicine"
]

# Create minimal citations to show journal abbreviation
print("Journal Name Abbreviations:")
for journal in journal_examples:
    # Create a minimal citation with just journal name
    citation = f"Smith J. Title. {journal}. 2020;1:1-10."
    formatted = format_citation(citation)
    
    # Extract journal from formatted output
    parts = formatted.split('. ')
    if len(parts) >= 3:
        abbreviated = parts[2].rstrip('.')
        print(f"  {journal:45} → {abbreviated}")

Common Journal Abbreviations:

Full Journal Name	AMA Abbreviation
New England Journal of Medicine	N Engl J Med
Journal of the American Medical Association	JAMA
British Medical Journal	BMJ
Nature Medicine	Nat Med
Lancet	Lancet
Annals of Internal Medicine	Ann Intern Med
Circulation	Circulation
Pediatrics	Pediatrics
American Journal of Public Health	Am J Public Health
Journal of Clinical Oncology	J Clin Oncol

Best Practices:

✅ Verify journal abbreviation - use NLM catalog for unfamiliar journals
✅ Check for new journals - may not be in abbreviation database
✅ Maintain italics - journal names italicized in final output (if supported)
✅ Follow punctuation rules - period after abbreviated journal name

Common Issues and Solutions:

Issue: Journal not abbreviated

Symptom: Full journal name appears in output
Solution: Manually abbreviate using NLM guidelines or keep full name if preferred

Issue: Ambiguous abbreviations

Symptom: Multiple journals share same abbreviation
Solution: Use full journal name to avoid confusion

4. Multi-Document Type Support

Format various document types including journal articles, books, book chapters, conference papers, and websites.

from scripts.main import format_citation

# Different document types
doc_types = {
    "Journal Article": "Smith J, Jones M. Article title here. Journal Name. 2020;45(3):123-145.",
    
    "Book": "Smith JA. Book Title: A Comprehensive Guide. 2nd ed. New York, NY: Publisher Name; 2020.",
    
    "Book Chapter": "Smith JA. Chapter title. In: Jones MB, Lee CD, eds. Book Title. New York, NY: Publisher; 2020:45-67.",
    
    "Website": "Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Title of webpage. CDC website. https://www.cdc.gov/example. Updated January 15, 2020. Accessed March 1, 2020.",
    
    "Conference": "Smith JA, Jones MB. Presentation title. Paper presented at: Conference Name; October 15, 2020; City, State."
}

print("Document Type Formatting:")
for doc_type, citation in doc_types.items():
    formatted = format_citation(citation)
    print(f"\n{doc_type}:")
    print(f"  Input:  {citation[:50]}...")
    print(f"  Output: {formatted}")

AMA Format by Document Type:

Type	Format Pattern	Example
Journal	Author. Title. Journal. Year;Vol(Issue):Pages.	Smith J. Title. JAMA. 2020;324(5):456-462.
Book	Author. Title. City: Publisher; Year.	Smith J. Book Title. New York: Wiley; 2020.
Chapter	Author. Chapter. In: Editors, eds. Book. City: Publisher; Year:pages.	Smith J. Chapter 1. In: Jones M, ed. Textbook. NY: Wiley; 2020:1-20.
Website	Author/Org. Title. Website. URL. Date.	CDC. Guidelines. CDC website. https://... Accessed 2020.
Conference	Author. Title. Paper presented at: Name; Date; Location.	Smith J. Title. Presented at: ASM; Oct 2020; Boston.

Best Practices:

✅ Specify edition for books - include edition number after title
✅ Include access date for websites - required for web resources
✅ Format editors correctly - "ed." or "eds." after editor names
✅ Verify publisher location - city and state/country

Common Issues and Solutions:

Issue: Document type not recognized

Symptom: Formatted as journal article regardless of actual type
Solution: Check input includes clear type indicators ("In:", "eds.", URL)

Issue: Missing required fields

Symptom: Incomplete output for books/websites
Solution: Ensure all AMA-required elements present in input

5. Batch Processing

Process entire reference lists efficiently from text files.

from scripts.main import batch_format

# Process file with multiple citations
input_file = "references_input.txt"
output_file = "references_output.txt"

# Create sample input file
sample_references = """Smith, J. D. (2020). Understanding CRISPR mechanisms. Journal of Molecular Biology, 45(3), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1000/jmb.2020.001

Jones, M. A., & Lee, C. D. (2019). Clinical applications of gene therapy. New England Journal of Medicine, 381(12), 1156-1168.

@article{brown2021,
  author = {Brown, A. B. and White, D. E.},
  title = {Novel therapeutic approaches},
  journal = {Nature Medicine},
  year = {2021},
  volume = {27},
  pages = {234-245}
}"""

# Write sample file
with open(input_file, 'w') as f:
    f.write(sample_references)

# Batch format
num_formatted = batch_format(input_file, output_file, format_type='auto')

print(f"Batch Processing Complete:")
print(f"  Input file: {input_file}")
print(f"  Output file: {output_file}")
print(f"  Citations formatted: {num_formatted}")

# Display results
print("\nFormatted References:")
with open(output_file, 'r') as f:
    for i, line in enumerate(f, 1):
        print(f"{i}. {line.strip()}")

Batch Processing Features:

Feature	Description	Benefit
Mixed formats	Handles different formats in same file	Flexibility
Line-by-line	Each citation on separate line	Organization
Error handling	Continues on parse errors	Robustness
UTF-8 support	Handles international characters	Global use

Best Practices:

✅ One citation per line - ensures proper separation
✅ Remove blank lines - prevents empty entries
✅ Check output file - verify formatting accuracy
✅ Maintain backup - keep original reference list

Common Issues and Solutions:

Issue: Multi-line citations split incorrectly

Symptom: Single citation broken into multiple entries
Solution: Ensure each citation is on single line; use semicolons for multiple works

Issue: Encoding errors with special characters

Symptom: Garbled characters in output
Solution: Use UTF-8 encoding for input files

6. Interactive Mode

Real-time citation formatting for quick conversions without creating files.

from scripts.main import format_citation

def quick_format_examples():
    """Demonstrate quick formatting examples."""
    
    examples = [
        "Smith, J. D., Jones, M. A., & Lee, C. D. (2020). Understanding gene therapy. Nature Medicine, 25(4), 567-580.",
        'Smith, John. "The Future of Medicine." Journal of Medical Research, vol. 45, 2020, pp. 123-145.',
        "Smith JD, Jones MA, Lee CD. Understanding gene therapy. Nat Med. 2020;25(4):567-580."
    ]
    
    print("Interactive Formatting Examples:")
    print("="*70)
    
    for i, citation in enumerate(examples, 1):
        formatted = format_citation(citation)
        print(f"\nExample {i}:")
        print(f"Input:  {citation}")
        print(f"Output: {formatted}")
        print()

# Command line usage:
# python scripts/main.py --interactive

Interactive Mode Features:

Feature	Command	Description
Single citation	Type citation + Enter	Formats immediately
Exit	`quit` or `q`	Exit interactive mode
Help	N/A (built-in)	Shows usage instructions
History	Up arrow	Recall previous inputs

Best Practices:

✅ Use for quick conversions - single citations or testing
✅ Copy-paste from databases - PubMed, Google Scholar
✅ Check output before using - verify accuracy
✅ Exit properly - use 'quit' to close cleanly

Common Issues and Solutions:

Issue: Long citations wrap poorly

Symptom: Multi-line input not handled well
Solution: Paste as single line or use file input for long citations

Complete Workflow Example

From mixed-format references to AMA-compliant list:

# Step 1: Create input file with mixed formats
cat > references.txt << 'EOF'
Smith, J. D. (2020). CRISPR applications. Nature, 578(7793), 24-26.
Doe JA, Smith MB. Gene editing review. J Med Genet. 2019;56(3):123-135.
@article{johnson2021,
  author = {Johnson, A. B.},
  title = {Future therapies},
  journal = {Science},
  year = {2021},
  volume = {371}
}
EOF

# Step 2: Batch format to AMA
python scripts/main.py --input references.txt --output ama_references.txt

# Step 3: Verify output
cat ama_references.txt

Python API Usage:

from scripts.main import format_citation, batch_format
from pathlib import Path

def prepare_manuscript_references(
    raw_references_file: str,
    output_file: str = "formatted_references.txt"
) -> dict:
    """
    Complete workflow for preparing manuscript references.
    
    Returns:
        Dictionary with statistics and output file path
    """
    print("="*70)
    print("MANUSCRIPT REFERENCE PREPARATION")
    print("="*70)
    
    # Check input file exists
    if not Path(raw_references_file).exists():
        return {"error": f"Input file not found: {raw_references_file}"}
    
    # Count input references
    with open(raw_references_file, 'r') as f:
        lines = [line.strip() for line in f if line.strip()]
        input_count = len(lines)
    
    print(f"\nInput file: {raw_references_file}")
    print(f"References found: {input_count}")
    
    # Format references
    formatted_count = batch_format(raw_references_file, output_file)
    
    print(f"\nFormatting Results:")
    print(f"  Successfully formatted: {formatted_count}/{input_count}")
    
    if formatted_count < input_count:
        print(f"  ⚠️  {input_count - formatted_count} references had formatting issues")
    
    # Display sample outputs
    print(f"\nSample Formatted References:")
    print("-"*70)
    
    with open(output_file, 'r') as f:
        samples = f.readlines()[:3]  # Show first 3
        for i, ref in enumerate(samples, 1):
            print(f"{i}. {ref.strip()}")
    
    if formatted_count > 3:
        print(f"... and {formatted_count - 3} more")
    
    print("-"*70)
    print(f"\nOutput saved to: {output_file}")
    print("="*70)
    
    return {
        "input_file": raw_references_file,
        "output_file": output_file,
        "input_count": input_count,
        "formatted_count": formatted_count,
        "success_rate": f"{formatted_count/input_count*100:.1f}%"
    }

# Execute workflow
results = prepare_manuscript_references(
    raw_references_file="my_references.txt",
    output_file="ama_formatted_refs.txt"
)

Expected Output Files:

manuscript/
├── my_references.txt          # Original mixed-format references
├── ama_formatted_refs.txt     # AMA-formatted output
└── formatting_report.txt      # Summary statistics

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Journal Submission Preparation

Scenario: Preparing references for submission to AMA-style journal.

{
  "task": "journal_submission_prep",
  "target_journal": "JAMA",
  "style": "AMA 11th edition",
  "input_sources": [
    "Zotero export (various formats)",
    "Manually collected references",
    "PubMed citations"
  ],
  "output": "Numbered reference list",
  "verification": "Cross-check with journal guidelines"
}

Workflow:

Export references from reference manager
Ensure one citation per line in input file
Run batch formatter with auto-detect
Review output for accuracy
Check against journal-specific requirements
Add numbering if required (1., 2., 3.)
Insert into manuscript reference section

Output Example:

Journal Submission Ready:
  Input references: 42
  Successfully formatted: 42 (100%)
  
Quality Checks:
  ✓ All journal names abbreviated
  ✓ Author format: Lastname FM
  ✓ DOIs included where available
  ✓ Punctuation per AMA guidelines
  
Ready for submission to: JAMA

Pattern 2: Reference List Cleanup

Scenario: Cleaning up a messy reference list with mixed formatting.

{
  "task": "reference_cleanup",
  "current_state": "Mixed formats, inconsistencies",
  "issues": [
    "Some APA, some MLA",
    "Inconsistent author formatting",
    "Full vs abbreviated journal names",
    "Missing DOIs"
  ],
  "target": "Uniform AMA format"
}

Workflow:

Copy all references to single text file
Remove existing numbering
Run batch format with auto-detect
Review for parsing errors
Manually correct any failed conversions
Reformat corrected citations
Add sequential numbering

Output Example:

Reference Cleanup Results:
  Original references: 85
  Auto-formatted: 78 (92%)
  Manual correction needed: 7
  
Common issues found:
  - 12 references: missing DOIs
  - 5 references: incomplete author lists
  - 3 references: unclear document types
  
After correction: 85/85 formatted (100%)

Pattern 3: Citation Database Migration

Scenario: Converting entire reference library to AMA format.

{
  "task": "library_migration",
  "source": "EndNote library",
  "target_format": "AMA",
  "library_size": "1,247 references",
  "approach": "Export to text, batch format"
}

Workflow:

Export entire library to text format
Split into manageable batches (100 refs each)
Process each batch separately
Log errors for manual review
Reformat failed citations individually
Merge all batches
Import back to reference manager

Output Example:

Library Migration Progress:
  Batch 1: 100/100 formatted ✓
  Batch 2: 100/100 formatted ✓
  Batch 3: 98/100 formatted (2 errors)
  ...
  Batch 13: 47/47 formatted ✓
  
Total: 1,245/1,247 formatted (99.8%)
Manual review needed: 2 references
Time elapsed: 3 minutes

Pattern 4: Systematic Review Bibliography

Scenario: Creating standardized bibliography for systematic review.

{
  "task": "systematic_review_refs",
  "inclusion_criteria": "Peer-reviewed articles only",
  "format": "AMA + PRISMA requirements",
  "sections": [
    "Included studies",
    "Excluded studies",
    "Additional references"
  ],
  "annotation": "Include search source"
}

Workflow:

Compile all identified references
Format all to AMA standard
Add annotations for search source (e.g., [PubMed])
Organize by inclusion status
Add PRISMA flow diagram references
Cross-check with inclusion/exclusion log
Export final bibliography

Output Example:

Systematic Review Bibliography:
  
Included Studies (n=23):
  1. Smith JA, et al. Primary outcome study. JAMA. 2020;...
     [PubMed, included for efficacy data]
  2. Jones MB, et al. Secondary analysis. Lancet. 2019;...
     [EMBASE, included for safety data]
  ...
  
Additional References (n=8):
  [Methodology papers, guidelines]
  
Total: 31 references, all AMA formatted

Quality Checklist

Pre-Formatting:

CRITICAL: Verify target journal requires AMA style (not APA, Vancouver, etc.)
Check AMA edition (10th vs 11th) - this tool uses 11th edition
Ensure input file is plain text (UTF-8 encoding)
Remove existing numbering from reference list
Check for one citation per line
Verify all citations have complete information
Note any special document types (websites, conference papers)

During Formatting:

CRITICAL: Review auto-detected formats for accuracy
Check author name formatting (Lastname FM)
Verify journal abbreviations (especially for new/rare journals)
Confirm year, volume, issue, and page numbers present
Check DOI formatting (doi:10.xxxx format)
Watch for parsing errors or failed conversions
Note any unusual citation formats that may need manual correction

Post-Formatting:

CRITICAL: Manually verify 10-20% of formatted citations
Check author count rules (et al. for 7+ authors)
Verify punctuation (periods, semicolons, colons)
Confirm consistent capitalization in article titles
Check that journal names are italicized (if using rich text)
Verify website citations include access dates
Compare sample citations with AMA manual examples

Journal-Specific Checks:

CRITICAL: Verify against target journal's specific guidelines
Check DOI requirements (some journals want URL format)
Verify website citation format (varies by journal)
Check if PMID numbers required
Confirm pagination format (123-45 vs 123-145)
Verify book citation format (some journals differ)
Check conference proceeding requirements

Common Pitfalls

Input Issues:

❌ Inconsistent separators → Mixed commas, semicolons, periods
- ✅ Standardize input format before processing
❌ Missing required fields → Incomplete citation information
- ✅ Verify all AMA-required elements present
❌ Non-standard formats → Database-specific formatting
- ✅ Clean data from PubMed/Google Scholar before formatting
❌ Special characters → Accented letters, symbols
- ✅ Use UTF-8 encoding throughout

Formatting Issues:

❌ Wrong style applied → Used APA instead of AMA
- ✅ Double-check target journal requirements
❌ Missing et al. → Listed all 15 authors
- ✅ Apply AMA rule: list all up to 6, et al. for 7+
❌ Full journal names → Didn't abbreviate
- ✅ Verify journal abbreviation database coverage
❌ Incorrect punctuation → Periods vs semicolons
- ✅ Follow AMA punctuation rules strictly

Output Issues:

❌ No numbering → AMA uses numbered references
- ✅ Add sequential numbering to final output
❌ Wrong DOI format → Some journals want https://doi.org/
- ✅ Check journal-specific DOI requirements
❌ Missing access dates → Required for websites
- ✅ Add access date to web resource citations
❌ Inconsistent italics → Journal names should be italic
- ✅ Apply formatting in word processor

Troubleshooting

Problem: Citation won't parse

Symptoms: Error message or garbled output
Causes:
- Unusual format not recognized
- Missing critical fields
- Corrupted text encoding
Solutions:
- Try specifying format explicitly (--format)
- Check all required fields present
- Re-save file with UTF-8 encoding
- Manually format problematic citations

Problem: Author names formatted incorrectly

Symptoms: Wrong order or missing initials
Causes:
- Unusual name formats
- Missing punctuation
- Compound surnames
Solutions:
- Check input format matches expected pattern
- Manually verify output for compound surnames
- Add missing initials to input

Problem: Journal name not abbreviated

Symptoms: Full journal name in output
Causes:
- Journal not in abbreviation database
- Non-standard journal name format
Solutions:
- Manually abbreviate per NLM catalog
- Add custom abbreviation to code
- Keep full name if journal prefers

Problem: Batch processing fails

Symptoms: Error or empty output file
Causes:
- Empty input file
- Wrong file path
- Permission issues
Solutions:
- Verify input file exists and contains text
- Check file path is correct
- Ensure write permissions to output directory

Problem: Format detection wrong

Symptoms: APA interpreted as MLA, etc.
Causes:
- Ambiguous formatting
- Mixed formats in single citation
Solutions:
- Specify format explicitly (--format)
- Standardize input citations before processing

Problem: Special characters corrupted

Symptoms: Accented letters appear as ? or random characters
Causes:
- Wrong file encoding
- Terminal encoding issues
Solutions:
- Save input as UTF-8
- Set terminal encoding to UTF-8
- Use Python 3 (better Unicode support)

References

Available in references/ directory:

(No reference files currently available for this skill)

External Resources:

AMA Manual of Style, 11th Edition: https://www.amamanualofstyle.com
NLM Catalog (journal abbreviations): https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/nlmcatalog/journals
CrossRef DOI lookup: https://search.crossref.org
PubMed Citation Guidelines: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/help/#citation-format

Scripts

Located in scripts/ directory:

main.py - Citation formatting engine with multi-format support

AMA Quick Reference

Basic Journal Article:

Author AA, Author BB. Article title. Journal Abbrev. Year;Vol(Issue):Pages. doi:xxxxx

Book:

Author AA. Book Title. City, State: Publisher; Year.

Website:

Author/Organization. Page Title. Website Name. URL. Published Date. Accessed Date.

Author Count Rules:

1-6 authors: List all
7+ authors: First 3 + et al.

Last Updated: 2026-02-09
Skill ID: 188
Version: 2.0 (K-Dense Standard)

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Default	Description
`--input`	str	Required	Input file containing citations
`--output`	str	Required	Output file for formatted citations
`--format`	str	'auto'	Input format type
`--interactive`	flag	-	Interactive mode: Single citation formatting via prompts (uses `input()`). Use for quick one-off conversions

Usage Modes:

Batch Mode (Recommended for automation): Use --input and --output for file processing
Interactive Mode: Use --interactive for quick single citation conversion via prompts

Citation Formatter

Citation Formatter

When to Use

Integration with Other Skills

Core Capabilities

1. Automatic Format Detection and Conversion

2. Author Name Formatting

3. Journal Abbreviation and Formatting

4. Multi-Document Type Support

5. Batch Processing

6. Interactive Mode

Complete Workflow Example

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Journal Submission Preparation

Pattern 2: Reference List Cleanup

Pattern 3: Citation Database Migration

Pattern 4: Systematic Review Bibliography

Quality Checklist

Common Pitfalls

Troubleshooting

References

Scripts

AMA Quick Reference

Parameters

Details