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ContextObjects in Spans (COinS) is a method of embedding latent OpenURL ContextObjects in web pages. This allows client software to retrieve bibliographic metadata and to use an OpenURL resolver to find a mediated link. A principal advantage of using COinS, rather than giving a static OpenURL, is that the client can determine which resolver to use. This allows, for instance, searching for a copy of a book in one's own library.
COinS have been added to various parts of Wikipedia. They are basically just a chunk of bibliographic information stored in a way that machines can read. This has two applications:
- The information can be converted into a full OpenURL and resolved by a local OpenURL resolver.
- The information can be stored by bibliographic tools like Zotero.[1] The tool can download the bibliographic information from an article into a personal library for future research and retrieval.
- Zotero also has Wikipedia export,[2] which allows references to be dragged into a Wikipedia edit box, where they will appear formatted as Wikipedia citation templates.
So far, COinS have been added to:
- Wikipedia:Book sources – just contains the ISBN
- Many citation templates and infoboxes – see: Category:Templates generating COinS
- MediaWiki:Citethispage-content – generated when you click Cite this article; contains information for citing Wikipedia itself in other documents
Template[edit]
For use on templates generating COinS:
((UF-COinS))
It adds pages to the above category.
Templates needing COinS[edit]
COinS could, and should, be added to these templates:
COinS in citation templates[edit]
The COinS keys used in most Citation Style 1 templates are listed at Module talk:Citation/CS1/COinS.
For example:
| Markup | Renders as |
|---|---|
((cite book |last=Bloggs |first=Fred |editor-first=John |editor-last=Doe |title=Big Compilation Book with Many Chapters and Distinct Chapter Authors |publisher=Book Publishers |date=January 1, 2001 |pages=100–110 |chapter=Chapter 2: The History of the Bloggs Family |isbn=978-1-234-56789-7)) |
Bloggs, Fred (January 1, 2001). "Chapter 2: The History of the Bloggs Family". In Doe, John (ed.). Big Compilation Book with Many Chapters and Distinct Chapter Authors. Book Publishers. pp. 100–110. ISBN 978-1-234-56789-7. |
Which renders the following HTML:
'"`UNIQ--templatestyles-0000000F-QINU`"'<cite id="CITEREFBloggs2001" class="citation book cs1">Bloggs, Fred (January 1, 2001). "Chapter 2: The History of the Bloggs Family". In Doe, John (ed.). ''Big Compilation Book with Many Chapters and Distinct Chapter Authors''. Book Publishers. pp. 100–110. [[ISBN (identifier)|ISBN]] [[Special:BookSources/978-1-234-56789-7|<bdi>978-1-234-56789-7</bdi>]].</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Chapter+2%3A+The+History+of+the+Bloggs+Family&rft.btitle=Big+Compilation+Book+with+Many+Chapters+and+Distinct+Chapter+Authors&rft.pages=100-110&rft.pub=Book+Publishers&rft.date=2001-01-01&rft.isbn=978-1-234-56789-7&rft.aulast=Bloggs&rft.aufirst=Fred&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AWikipedia%3ACOinS" class="Z3988"></span>
Picking out the COinS keys:
| Key | Data |
|---|---|
| rfr_id | info:sid/en.wikipedia.org: |
| rft.atitle | Big Compilation Book with Many Chapters and Distinct Chapter Authors |
| rft.au | Bloggs, Fred |
| rft.aufirst | Fred |
| rft.aulast | Bloggs |
| rft.btitle | Chapter 2: The History of the Bloggs Family |
| rft.date | 2001-01-01 |
| rft.genre | bookitem |
| rft.isbn | 978-1-234-56789-7 |
| rft.pages | 100-110 |
| rft.pub | Book Publishers |
| rft_val_fmt | info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:book |
Pollution
Incorrect data in fields can pollute the metadata. For example, adding all of the authors into the deprecated |authors= parameter:
| Markup | Renders as |
|---|---|
((cite book |authors=Smith, John; Johnson, Joe; Green, Ethan |title=Big Compilation Book with Many Chapters and Distinct Chapter Authors |publisher=Book Publishers |date=January 1, 2001 |pages=100–110 |chapter=Chapter 2: The History of the Bloggs Family |isbn=978-1-234-56789-7)) |
"Chapter 2: The History of the Bloggs Family". Big Compilation Book with Many Chapters and Distinct Chapter Authors. Book Publishers. January 1, 2001. pp. 100–110. ISBN 978-1-234-56789-7. |
'"`UNIQ--templatestyles-00000016-QINU`"'<cite class="citation book cs1">"Chapter 2: The History of the Bloggs Family". ''Big Compilation Book with Many Chapters and Distinct Chapter Authors''. Book Publishers. January 1, 2001. pp. 100–110. [[ISBN (identifier)|ISBN]] [[Special:BookSources/978-1-234-56789-7|<bdi>978-1-234-56789-7</bdi>]].</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=bookitem&rft.atitle=Chapter+2%3A+The+History+of+the+Bloggs+Family&rft.btitle=Big+Compilation+Book+with+Many+Chapters+and+Distinct+Chapter+Authors&rft.pages=100-110&rft.pub=Book+Publishers&rft.date=2001-01-01&rft.isbn=978-1-234-56789-7&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3AWikipedia%3ACOinS" class="Z3988"></span> <span class="cs1-visible-error citation-comment"><code class="cs1-code">(([[Template:cite book|cite book]]))</code>: </span><span class="cs1-visible-error citation-comment">Cite uses deprecated parameter <code class="cs1-code">|authors=</code> ([[Help:CS1 errors#deprecated_params|help]])</span>[[Category:CS1 errors: deprecated parameters|ω]]
This would pollute the metadata, therefore the citation template suppresses the generation of metadata for |authors=, thereby omitting vital citation data from being submitted.
| Key | Data |
|---|---|
| rft.au | Smith, John; Johnson, Joe; Green, Ethan |
| rft.aufirst | not used |
| rft.aulast | Smith, John; Johnson, Joe; Green, Ethan |
See also[edit]
- The planned citation microformat
References[edit]
- ^ "Zotero and Wikipedia / Wikidata". Zotero.
- ^ "Zotero & Wikipedia: Perfect Together". Zotero.