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zotero / zotero-bits

CSL-related community feedback for Zotero
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Merge codeNumber and publicLawNumber #39

Closed fbennett closed 13 years ago

fbennett commented 13 years ago

The Statute type currently offers two fields, "Code Number" and "Public Law Number". Only the latter maps through to CSL, as "number". I can think of no use case where both of these values would be required.

The contents of codeNumber and publicLawNumber should be merged to a new, more generic variable name lawNumber, and this should be labelled "Law Number" in the UI.

Public law numbers are specific to US legislation. I don't know what is intended by "Code Number", but the generic name can cover its role, and after merger, it will be possible to render the value.

bdarcus commented 13 years ago

Isn't "code number" effectively, in CSL terms, something akin to a "volume number"? E.g. I thought a "code" is basically a periodical issue.

On Mon, Jul 4, 2011 at 6:26 PM, fbennett reply@reply.github.com wrote:

The Statute type currently offers two fields, "Code Number" and "Public Law Number". Only the latter maps through to CSL, as "number". I can think of no use case where both of these values would be required.

The contents of codeNumber and publicLawNumber should be merged to a new, more generic variable name lawNumber, and this should be labelled "Law Number" in the UI.

Public law numbers are specific to US legislation. I don't know what is intended by "Code Number", but the generic name can cover its role, and after merger, it will be possible to render the value.

Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: https://github.com/ajlyon/zotero-bits/issues/39

fbennett commented 13 years ago

In the US that's true, with US Code. But the Civil jurisdictions organize their laws on the Pandekten system, in which the major codes have names only (Civil Code, Code of Civil Procedure, etc.). The "Code" label is confusing for comparativists that work across both systems. Or so it seems to me -- I've posted a query on the Zotero forums, to see if people come back with support or opposition.

(In any case, one wouldn't use Public Law Number [which is a unique identifier assigned to legislation in a particular session of Congress (http://www.archives.gov/federal-register/laws/current.html)] and the US Code volume number in the same cite.)

fbennett commented 13 years ago

Citations to legislation are actually quite complex. We should probably look at splitting "statute" into a set of functional types: session laws, consolidated statutes, codes, and constitutions. Each of those requires significantly different forms of citation, and getting proper output out of a single item type is likely to prove fragile and a tad frustrating.

(Edit: Ah, possibly add one more to the list: amending acts.)

bdarcus commented 13 years ago

But isn't this true of other Zotero types too? Think broadcast, for example. We really need more flexible type templates, and a UI upgrade all around.

On Mon, Jul 4, 2011 at 8:07 PM, fbennett < reply@reply.github.com>wrote:

Citations to legislation are actually quite complex. We should probably look at splitting "statute" into a set of functional types: session laws, consolidated statutes, codes, and constitutions. Each of those requires significantly different forms of citation, and getting proper output out of a single item type is likely to prove fragile and a tad frustrating.

Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: https://github.com/ajlyon/zotero-bits/issues/39#issuecomment-1500694

fbennett commented 13 years ago

I'm certainly in favor of flexibility. What sort of arrangement do you have in mind?

I'm not sure the two cases are closely analogous. Statutory material comes out of a rigorous review process, and is highly structured. The cite forms vary between jurisdictions, but there are common features to rule-making and revision processes that can, I think, be captured by the item types I suggest above.

Would it be helpful to have input from specialists in legislative document processing?

fbennett commented 13 years ago

Bruce: Your first post above raises an important point, and as I dig deeper into the use cases I'm less sure about the wisdom of merging these two variables in the data layer. There is certainly a labeling issue for Public Law Number, and something needs to be mapped to "volume", but for clarity I should raise those on a separate ticket.

Closing this one.