rgc-literature

name	rgc-literature
description	Literature search and citation generation for RGC GRF/CRF proposals. Uses OpenAlex API for free academic search and wenxian for standard citation formatting.
version	0.1.0

RGC Proposal Literature Search & Citation Generation

Literature Requirements for RGC Proposals

• References are included within the 15-page limit (GRF) or 20-page limit (CRF) — be selective
• Aim for 30–50 references, prioritizing quality over quantity
• Emphasize recent publications (last 5 years) to show awareness of current state of the field
• Include seminal/foundational works in the area
• Include your own relevant publications to demonstrate track record
• Do NOT omit key works by likely reviewers in the field
• Ensure a balanced mix of international and local (Hong Kong-based) publications where relevant
• Citation format: typically author-date or numbered, following RGC's or your institution's template

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Literature Search

OpenAlex API (Free, no API key required)

Script: scripts/search_literature.py

Basic usage:

• Search by keywords, sorted by citation count
• Filter by publication year
• Sort by publication date (to find the latest papers)
• Compact output (one line per paper)

Returns: Title, authors, journal, year, DOI, citation count, abstract

Search strategy:

1. Start with broad keywords to survey the landscape
2. Narrow with specific terms for your research niche
3. Check high-citation papers (foundational works) and recent papers (cutting edge)
4. Verify you haven't missed key contributions from prominent researchers in the field
5. Search for review articles to ensure comprehensive coverage

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Citation Generation

wenxian

wenxian is an academic citation generation tool that produces standard citation formats from DOI, PMID, arXiv ID, and other identifiers.

Script: scripts/generate_references.py

Common Citation Formats for RGC Proposals

RGC does not strictly mandate a citation format, but consistency is essential. Common choices:

Numbered format [1], [2], ...:

[1] Author1, A.B., Author2, C.D., et al. Title of the paper. Journal Name, Volume(Issue): Pages, Year.

Author-date format (APA-style):

Author1, A.B., & Author2, C.D. (Year). Title of the paper. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Pages. https://doi.org/xxx

Choose one format and apply it consistently throughout the proposal.

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Complete Workflow

1. Define your research area and key search terms
2. Use search_literature.py to search for relevant literature
3. Select ~30–50 most relevant references
4. Collect all DOIs into a text file (one per line)
5. Use generate_references.py to generate formatted citations
6. Verify format consistency
7. Cross-check that no critical references are missing
8. Ensure your own relevant publications are included