Zoteus

Resolve CSL citation styles

zotero_styles

Read-only

Resolve human citation-style names like "APA 7th" or "IEEE" to valid CSL style ids and verify they can be fetched, or list common aliases.

Instructions

Resolve a human citation-style name to a valid CSL style id and confirm it is available, or list common style aliases. action: "resolve" maps names like "APA 7th", "IEEE", "Vancouver", "Chicago", "MLA", "Nature" to the correct CSL id (e.g. apa, ieee, modern-language-association) and verifies the style can be fetched; pass the returned styleId as the style argument to zotero_format_bibliography or zotero_bibliography. action: "list" returns the built-in common aliases (any id from the CSL styles repository also works). Dependent styles are resolved to their independent parent automatically when formatting. Long names resolve too, including the titles Zotero lists styles under ("Chicago Manual of Style 17th edition (author-date)", "American Psychological Association 7th edition"), and a past edition the CSL repository still carries (Chicago 16th and 17th, APA 6th, AMA 10th) resolves to that edition's own style rather than to the current one. A name it cannot read is tried as a CSL id as given.

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`name`	No	Style name to resolve (e.g. "APA 7th").
`action`	Yes	What to do: "resolve" maps `name` to a CSL style id and checks it can be fetched; "list" returns the built-in common aliases.

Output Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description
`input`	No	The name that was resolved, echoed back.
`common`	No	action:"list": the built-in style aliases. Any id from the CSL styles repository also works.
`styleId`	No	The CSL style id it maps to, e.g. "apa"; pass it as `style` to the bibliography tools.
`available`	No	Whether that style could actually be fetched.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedv1.20.2Sep 16, 2026

removedInput schema / $schema

Removed value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"

removedOutput schema / $schema

Removed value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"

Changed2 schema fields changedv1.20.0Sep 13, 2026

addedInput schema / properties / action / description

Added value: +"What to do: \"resolve\" maps `name` to a CSL style id and checks it can be fetched; \"list\" returns the built-in common aliases."

changedOutput schema / (root)

Previous value: -nullNew value: +{
+  "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
+  "additionalProperties": true,
+  "properties": {
+    "available": {
+      "description": "Whether that style could actually be fetched.",
+      "type": "boolean"
+    },
+    "common": {
+      "description": "action:\"list\": the built-in style aliases. Any id from the CSL styles repository also works.",
+      "items": {
+        "type": "string"
+      },
+      "type": "array"
+    },
+    "input": {
+      "description": "The name that was resolved, echoed back.",
+      "type": "string"
+    },
+    "styleId": {
+      "description": "The CSL style id it maps to, e.g. \"apa\"; pass it as `style` to the bibliography tools.",
+      "type": "string"
+    }
+  },
+  "type": "object"
+}

First observedv1.0.4Jul 30, 2026

TDQS

A4.8/5.0

Behavior5/5

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

Annotations already establish that this is a read-only, non-destructive, open-world lookup, but the description adds substantial behavioral context: it verifies fetchability, resolves dependent styles to parents, preserves past editions where available, and falls back to treating an unreadable name as a CSL id. This goes well beyond the structured annotations.

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 dense but front-loaded: it first states the overall purpose, then explains action-specific behavior and resolution edge cases. It is longer than strictly necessary, but nearly every sentence contributes practical resolution guidance.

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?

Given the tool's two-action resolution logic and the existence of an output schema, the description provides enough context to call it correctly without explaining return values in unnecessary detail. It covers aliases, name resolution, dependent styles, past editions, and fallback behavior.

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

Parameters4/5

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

Schema coverage is 100%, so the schema already documents both parameters, making baseline 3 appropriate. The description adds useful semantic detail beyond the schema, including example names such as "APA 7th", "IEEE", and "Vancouver", and explains exactly what each action returns or accepts.

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 specific verbs and resources: resolve a citation-style name to a CSL style id and verify availability, or list common aliases. It distinguishes its role from formatting siblings by naming zotero_format_bibliography and zotero_bibliography and explaining how its output feeds them.

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 clearly routes the agent: use action "resolve" to map a name and pass the returned styleId to zotero_format_bibliography or zotero_bibliography, or use action "list" for aliases. It also describes resolution behavior for long names, past editions, dependent styles, and unreadable names, covering when and how to use the tool.

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