Bibverify

Use this skill when the user asks to verify a .bib file, repair BibTeX metadata, generate BibTeX from a DOI, explain why a reference lookup source was chosen, or compare original vs updated BibTeX fields.

Preferred Path

If the Bibverify MCP server is available, call its tools directly:

• doi_to_bibtex: Convert a DOI, DOI URL, or DOI-prefixed value to BibTeX.
• rank_lookup_sources: Explain the effective lookup order for a title and optional BibTeX entry.
• explain_update_diff: Compare original and updated BibTeX-like entry objects.
• verify_bib_file: Verify a .bib file through a Bibverify config file.

Prefer doi_to_bibtex for one DOI. Prefer verify_bib_file for project-level reference checks.

CLI Fallback

If MCP is not configured but the bibverify command is available:

bibverify --doi 10.1038/nature12373 --key example2013
bibverify config.json

For first-time setup, tell the user to install Bibverify from PyPI and create a minimal config:

pip install -U bibverify

{
  "language": "EN",
  "bib_file": "references.bib",
  "user_info": {
    "email": "[email protected]",
    "app_name": "Bibverify"
  }
}

Safety

• Do not silently overwrite the source .bib file.
• Tell the user that normal verification writes timestamped reports, byte-preserving backups, updated proposals, and manual-review files using the input .bib filename stem. Only an explicit --apply changes the source.
• Distinguish a genuine not_found result from source_unavailable, and never describe an unindexed reference as fake or fabricated without independent evidence.
• Do not invent missing bibliographic metadata. Use Bibverify results and explain uncertainty when sources disagree.
• Do not expose API keys or local config secrets in the answer.

Response Style

Summarize what Bibverify checked, which sources were used or preferred, which entries changed, and where generated files were written. For user-facing explanations, focus on DOI-first lookup, dynamic source ranking, field differences, and remaining entries that need manual review.