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mlava

Scholar Sidekick

by mlava
OverviewSchemaRelated ServersScoreDiscussions
TypeScript
Remote

Export Citation

exportCitation
Read-onlyIdempotent

Convert scholarly identifiers into bibliography files (BibTeX, RIS, CSL JSON, etc.) ready to write to disk or import into reference managers.

Instructions

Export scholarly identifiers to a bibliography file format ready to write to disk or paste into a reference manager. Use when the user wants a file (.bib, .ris, .nbib, .xml, .rdf, .csv) for Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote, RefWorks, BibTeX/LaTeX, Pandoc, or Excel. Format parameter is required: bib (BibTeX — LaTeX), ris (RIS — most widely supported by reference managers), csl (CSL JSON — Pandoc/Quarto), endnote-xml, endnote-refer, refworks, medline (NBIB — PubMed round-trips, clinical workflows), zotero-rdf, csv (spreadsheet-friendly), or txt (plain-text bibliography rendered with the optional style parameter — txt is the only format that uses style; the others have their own structured shape and ignore it). Accepts the same identifier formats as resolveIdentifier (DOI/PMID/PMCID/ISBN/arXiv/ISSN/ADS/WHO IRIS, prefixes tolerated), single or comma/newline-separated batch — one round trip per call. Returns: { content: string, format: string } where content is the entire bibliography in the requested format as a single string — write it to a file (.bib/.ris/.nbib/etc.) or paste it directly into the target tool. Use formatCitation instead when the user wants in-line citation text (manuscript, slide); use resolveIdentifier when they want raw structured metadata. Read-only and idempotent — safe to retry. Works anonymously against the public Scholar Sidekick API (rate-limited free tier); set SCHOLAR_API_KEY (a free ssk_ key from https://scholar-sidekick.com/account) for higher limits, or RAPIDAPI_KEY for paid RapidAPI tiers. Rate limits follow your tier.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema
NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
langNoBCP-47 locale tag (e.g. 'en-US') — used only when format='txt' and style is set. Ignored by structured formats.
textYesOne or more scholarly identifiers to process — DOI (with or without https://doi.org/; a shortDOI alias such as 10/aabbe is also accepted and expanded to the full DOI), PMID (with or without 'PMID:' prefix), PMCID (e.g. PMC7793608), ISBN (10 or 13 digit, hyphens tolerated), arXiv ID (with or without 'arXiv:' prefix; old-style hep-ph/0501023 also accepted), ISSN, NASA ADS bibcode (19 chars), or WHO IRIS URL. Pass identifiers verbatim — do not strip prefixes. Multiple identifiers may be separated by newlines or commas; mixed types in one batch are supported and resolved in a single round trip.
styleNoCitation style ID — used only when format='txt'. Same vocabulary as formatCitation's style parameter (vancouver, apa, ama, ieee, cse, or any CSL style ID). Ignored by all other formats.
formatYesExport format. 'bib' (BibTeX/.bib for LaTeX), 'ris' (RIS — most widely supported by reference managers), 'csl' (CSL JSON for Pandoc/Quarto), 'endnote-xml' (EndNote XML import), 'endnote-refer' (EndNote Refer/tagged), 'refworks' (RefWorks tagged), 'medline' (NBIB for PubMed round-trips), 'zotero-rdf' (Zotero RDF), 'csv' (spreadsheet-friendly), or 'txt' (plain-text bibliography rendered with the optional `style` parameter).

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections. Dates show when Glama detected each change.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv0.8.11
    • changedInput schema / properties / text / description
      Previous value: -"One or more scholarly identifiers to process — DOI (with or without https://doi.org/), PMID (with or without 'PMID:' prefix), PMCID (e.g. PMC7793608), ISBN (10 or 13 digit, hyphens tolerated), arXiv ID (with or without 'arXiv:' prefix; old-style hep-ph/0501023 also accepted), ISSN, NASA ADS bibcode (19 chars), or WHO IRIS URL. Pass identifiers verbatim — do not strip prefixes. Multiple identifiers may be separated by newlines or commas; mixed types in one batch are supported and resolved in a single round trip."New value: +"One or more scholarly identifiers to process — DOI (with or without https://doi.org/; a shortDOI alias such as 10/aabbe is also accepted and expanded to the full DOI), PMID (with or without 'PMID:' prefix), PMCID (e.g. PMC7793608), ISBN (10 or 13 digit, hyphens tolerated), arXiv ID (with or without 'arXiv:' prefix; old-style hep-ph/0501023 also accepted), ISSN, NASA ADS bibcode (19 chars), or WHO IRIS URL. Pass identifiers verbatim — do not strip prefixes. Multiple identifiers may be separated by newlines or commas; mixed types in one batch are supported and resolved in a single round trip."
  2. Changed1 schema field changedv0.8.3
    • addedInput schema / additionalProperties
      Added value: +false
  3. Addedv0.7.3
  4. Removedv0.7.1
  5. Addedv0.7.0
  6. Removedv0.6.1
  7. First observedv0.3.4

TDQS

A5/5.0
Behavior5/5

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

Annotations provide readOnlyHint and idempotentHint, and the description reinforces these while adding extra context: one round trip per batch call, return shape {content, format}, anonymous vs. keyed rate limits, and the fact that 'txt' is the only format that uses style. This goes well beyond what annotations alone convey.

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

Conciseness5/5

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

The description is long but every sentence earns its place. It is front-loaded with purpose, then usage, alternatives, behavior, and auth details in a logical order. The format list is dense but necessary to disambiguate otherwise cryptic enum values.

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

Completeness5/5

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

For a tool with 4 parameters, no output schema, and a broad format enum, the description covers everything an agent needs to invoke it correctly: return shape, format-specific behavior, identifier handling, batch semantics, auth/rate limits, and clear routing relative to sibling tools. Nothing critical is missing.

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

Parameters5/5

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

Schema description coverage is 100%, so baseline is 3. The description significantly adds semantics by explaining identifier prefix tolerance, batch separators (comma/newline), shortDOI expansion, the exact behavior of each format enum, and the interaction between style, lang, and format. This exceeds what the schema alone provides.

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 opens with a specific verb and resource: 'Export scholarly identifiers to a bibliography file format...'. It explicitly lists the target use cases (Zotero, Mendeley, EndNote, etc.) and names sibling tools (formatCitation, resolveIdentifier) that serve different needs, leaving no ambiguity about what this tool does.

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?

The description gives clear when-to-use guidance ('Use when the user wants a file...'), specifies which formats map to which reference managers, and explicitly contrasts with alternatives ('Use formatCitation instead...'). It also covers batching, API key tiers, and rate-limit behavior, so the agent knows exactly when and how to select this tool.

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

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