Zovo Citation Generator

Generate citations from DOI or ISBN

generate_citations

Read-onlyIdempotent

Use this when the user wants to cite this for me, build a works cited list or a reference generator: give a DOI, an ISBN or a list of them and get APA 7, MLA 9 or Chicago citations plus BibTeX and RIS files. Use it for a doi to citation or isbn to citation, an mla citation generator or a chicago citation generator, or to make bibtex from doi. The metadata is looked up live on Crossref and Open Library. A record those services do not have returns status not_found for that item and the other items still work. Do not use for a source that has no DOI or ISBN, or to cite legal cases, patents or datasets; use format_manual_citation for a manual source.

Tool call template

Replace each placeholder with a value matching the input schema. Only required parameters are included; add optional parameters as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {
      "identifiers": "<identifiers>"
    },
    "name": "generate_citations"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Description
`style`	No	Citation style: apa7 (default), mla9, chicago_ad or chicago_nb.
`identifiers`	Yes	1 to 25 DOIs or ISBNs, e.g. ["10.1038/nphys1170"] or ["9780140328721"]; a https://doi.org/ link and hyphens are accepted.
`keep_capitals`	No	Words to keep as written, matched case-insensitively, e.g. ["Studies", "London"].

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`note`	Yes
`count`	Yes
`items`	Yes
`style`	Yes
`sources`	Yes
`resolved`	Yes
`downloads`	Yes
`not_found`	Yes
`reference_order`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedOct 22, 2026

TDQS

A4.3/5.0

Behavior4/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnly, idempotent, openWorld, and non-destructive behavior, so the bar is lower. The description adds meaningful context beyond that: metadata is looked up live on Crossref and Open Library, and a missing record returns status not_found for that item while other items still succeed. It does not mention rate limits or authentication needs, but for this lookup tool those are minor omissions.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is front-loaded with the primary use case and ends with a useful exclusion. However, the middle sentence ('Use it for a doi to citation or isbn to citation, an mla citation generator...') is keyword-stuffed and largely repeats the first sentence, slightly reducing conciseness.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

Given the rich annotations and a full output schema, the description covers what an agent needs: purpose, alternatives, external service dependencies, and partial-failure semantics. It omits only minor details like specific output file delivery mechanics, which are not essential for invocation.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, so the schema already fully documents identifiers, style enum, and keep_capitals. The description mentions DOI, ISBN, lists, and citation styles but adds no syntax or edge-case detail beyond the schema, and it does not mention the keep_capitals parameter at all.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description states a specific verb and resource—generating citations from DOI or ISBN—and explicitly distinguishes itself from the sibling format_manual_citation for sources without identifiers. An agent can tell exactly what this tool produces without opening the schema.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines5/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

It gives explicit when-to-use cases (works cited list, reference generator, DOI/ISBN to citation) and explicit when-not-to-use cases (sources without DOI/ISBN, legal cases, patents, datasets). It also names the alternative tool format_manual_citation for manual sources.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

All Zovo Citation Generator tools Inspect

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