zotero-compare

Zotero Compare

Compare, contrast, and synthesize content across multiple items in the user's Zotero library.

Prerequisites

• Items should already be identified (via zotero-find or named by the user).
• zot CLI required for page extraction from large documents.

Step 1: Identify items and comparison dimension

Clarify:

1. Which items to compare (resolve to item keys if needed)
2. What dimension to compare along (e.g., "their approach to time integration")

If the comparison dimension is vague, ask — a focused comparison is far more useful than "compare everything."

Step 2: Parallel extraction — focused and efficient

Extract content from all items in parallel using tool calls:

1. Get PDF outlines for all items in parallel
2. For each item, identify the 1-2 sections most relevant to the comparison dimension
3. Extract those sections (use zot pdf <KEY> --pages X-Y for large docs, zotero_get_item_fulltext for short papers)

Budget: ~15 pages per item, max ~40 pages total. This keeps token usage reasonable. The user can ask for more depth on specific aspects.

For short papers (< 20 pages), fulltext is fine — no need to target sections.

Step 3: Synthesize comparison

Choose the format that fits:

Table format (feature/property comparison)

Aspect	Paper A (Author, Year)	Paper B (Author, Year)
Method	... (Section X, p. N)	... (Section Y, p. M)

Narrative format (nuanced conceptual comparison)

On time integration: Hesthaven & Warburton (2008, Section 4.3, pp. 89-95) use explicit RK methods... By contrast, Ferrer (2012, Section 3.1, pp. 12-14) employs implicit-explicit splitting...

Both (for complex comparisons)

Summary table first, then narrative on the most interesting differences.

Rules

• Separate quotes from interpretation. Show what each source says (direct quotes with page refs), then provide your comparative analysis. The user must know which words are from the document and which are yours.
• Never fabricate quotes. If you can't find exact wording, describe what the section covers and cite the location.
• Every claim must have a reference — (Author Year, Section X.Y, p. N).
• Be honest about gaps — if one paper doesn't address a comparison dimension, say so.
• Highlight agreements and disagreements — where papers align is as informative as where they differ.
• Stay focused — compare along the requested dimension. Don't produce a full summary of each paper.

Tools reference

Tool	Purpose
zotero_search_items	Resolve title/author to item key
zotero_get_pdf_outline	Get document structure
zotero_get_item_fulltext	Full text (short papers only)
zotero_get_item_metadata	Metadata and BibTeX
zot pdf <KEY> --pages X-Y	Targeted page extraction