Abstract
The “University Referencing of Bibliography Android with Barcode Scan” project is a mobile application designed to assist students and researchers in generating accurate citations and bibliographies in various referencing styles. The application allows users to scan the barcodes of books, journals, and other academic materials to automatically retrieve publication details. It then formats these details into citations according to the selected referencing style, such as APA, MLA, Chicago, or Harvard. This app streamlines the process of creating bibliographies, ensuring consistency and saving time for users in academic writing.
Existing System
Traditionally, students and researchers manually create citations by extracting publication details from sources and formatting them according to specific referencing guidelines. This process can be time-consuming and prone to errors, especially when dealing with multiple sources or different referencing styles. Existing citation management tools, such as EndNote, Zotero, and Mendeley, offer citation generation features but may require manual entry of publication details or the use of external plugins for barcode scanning. Additionally, these tools are often desktop-based and may not offer the convenience of mobile access.
Proposed System
The proposed system is an Android application that simplifies the process of creating accurate bibliographies by allowing users to scan barcodes of academic materials. The application will automatically retrieve publication details from online databases and format them into citations according to the selected referencing style. Users can save, edit, and organize their citations into different projects or papers. The app will also support manual entry of publication details for sources that do not have barcodes. This system provides a mobile, user-friendly solution that helps ensure consistency and accuracy in academic referencing.
Methodologies
- Agile Development: Implement Agile practices to facilitate iterative development, allowing for continuous feedback and improvements based on user needs.
- User-Centered Design (UCD): Focus on creating an intuitive interface that caters to the specific needs of students and researchers in academic environments.
- Test-Driven Development (TDD): Ensure the accuracy and reliability of citation generation by writing and running tests throughout the development process.
Technologies Used
- Android SDK: For developing the mobile application, including user interface and barcode scan functionalities.
- Java/Kotlin: Programming languages used for Android app development.
- ZXing Barcode Scanner API: For integrating barcode scanning capabilities to read ISBNs and other relevant barcodes from academic materials.
- RESTful APIs: For retrieving publication details from online databases like Google Books, WorldCat, or Open Library.
- SQLite/Room Database: For storing saved citations, projects, and user preferences locally on the device.
- Material Design: For creating a clean, user-friendly interface that aligns with Android’s design principles.
System Features
- Barcode Scanning: Allows users to scan the barcodes of books, journals, and other academic materials to automatically retrieve publication details such as title, author, publisher, and publication date.
- Automatic Citation Generation: Formats the retrieved publication details into citations according to the selected referencing style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard).
- Manual Entry: Supports manual entry of publication details for sources that do not have barcodes or for digital sources like websites and articles.
- Reference Style Selection: Users can choose from a variety of referencing styles, with options to switch styles for different projects.
- Citation Editing: Allows users to edit citation details if necessary before saving them to a project or bibliography.
- Project Management: Enables users to organize citations into different projects or papers, making it easy to keep track of sources for various assignments or research projects.
- Export and Share: Provides options to export bibliographies in various formats (e.g., text, PDF, Word) and share them via email or other apps.
- Offline Functionality: Allows users to save and manage citations offline, with synchronization options when an internet connection is available.
- Multi-Language Support: Supports generating citations in multiple languages, making it suitable for international students and researchers.
