Frontend Submission

Submit new references directly from the frontend without accessing the WordPress admin. This feature lets users contribute references to your site’s library.

Accessing the Submission Form

Navigate to the submission page configured by your admin (commonly /submit-reference/ or /add-reference/).

The reference submission form

Who Can Submit

Submission access is controlled by site settings:

User Type	Can Submit
Not logged in	Depends on settings
Subscriber	Depends on settings
Contributor	Usually yes
Author	Yes
Editor/Admin	Yes

Check with your site administrator about submission permissions.

Submitting a Reference

Step 1: Access the Form

Go to the submission page when logged in.

Step 2: Choose Entry Method

Auto-Cite: Enter a DOI, PubMed ID, or ISBN to auto-fill fields.

Manual Entry: Fill in fields yourself.

Step 3: Select Reference Type

Choose the type that matches your source:

• Article
• Book
• Chapter
• Conference Paper
• Thesis
• Report
• Webpage

Step 4: Fill Required Fields

At minimum:

• Title
• At least one author
• Year (for most types)

Additional fields vary by type.

Step 5: Add Optional Information

Enhance your reference with:

• Abstract
• DOI/URL
• Keywords/Tags
• Category selection
• Personal notes

Step 6: Submit

Click Submit Reference.

Successful submission confirmation

After Submission

Immediate Publication

If enabled, your reference is immediately available in the library.

Pending Review

If moderation is enabled:

1. Reference goes to “Pending” status
2. Admin or editor reviews
3. Approved references become published
4. Rejected submissions may include feedback

You’ll be notified of the decision (if notifications are enabled).

Editing Your Submissions

Access your submitted references:

1. Go to your dashboard
2. Find My Submissions
3. Click to view/edit pending items

Form Fields

Basic Information

Field	Required	Description
Title	Yes	Reference title
Type	Yes	Article, book, etc.
Authors	Usually	Creator names
Year	Usually	Publication year

Source Details (varies by type)

Field	For Types	Description
Journal	Article	Journal name
Volume	Article	Volume number
Issue	Article	Issue number
Pages	Article, Chapter	Page range
Publisher	Book, Report	Publisher name
Book Title	Chapter	Parent book title
Conference	Conference	Conference name

Identifiers

Field	Description
DOI	Digital Object Identifier
URL	Web address
ISBN	Book identifier
PMID	PubMed ID

Additional

Field	Description
Abstract	Summary text
Keywords	Topic tags
Category	Organization
Notes	Your comments

Using Auto-Cite

From the Form

1. Find the Auto-Cite section
2. Enter identifier (DOI, PMID, ISBN)
3. Click Fetch
4. Review populated fields
5. Edit if needed
6. Submit

Supported Identifiers

• DOI: 10.1038/nature12373
• PubMed: 23831764 or PMID:23831764
• ISBN: 978-0-123456-78-9
• arXiv: 2103.00020

Submission Guidelines

Good Submissions

• Complete and accurate metadata
• Proper author name formatting
• Valid identifiers when available
• Relevant to the site’s scope

Avoiding Rejection

• Don’t submit duplicates
• Fill all required fields
• Use correct reference type
• Provide DOI if available
• Check spelling and formatting

Troubleshooting

Form not showing

• Check you’re logged in
• Verify you have submission permission
• Try a different browser

Auto-Cite not working

• Check identifier format
• Try a different identifier
• Fall back to manual entry

Submission failed

• Check required fields
• Verify internet connection
• Try resubmitting
• Contact admin if persists

Duplicate error

• Reference may already exist
• Search before submitting
• Duplicates may be automatically detected

Pending too long

• Reviews may take time
• Contact site admin
• Check submission status in dashboard

Mobile Submission

The form works on mobile devices:

• Responsive layout
• Touch-friendly fields
• Same functionality

Consider:

• Using Auto-Cite (less typing)
• Saving DOIs to submit later
• Smaller screens may scroll more

Bulk Submission

For many references:

1. Export from your reference manager
2. Contact admin about import
3. Or submit one at a time

Bulk frontend submission may not be available – file import is usually more efficient.

Notification Settings

Configure submission notifications:

For Submitters

Receive emails when:

• Submission received
• Submission approved
• Submission rejected (with reason)

For Admins

Receive alerts for:

• New pending submissions
• Daily digest of submissions

Configure in References > Settings > Frontend.

Next Steps

• My References – View your submissions
• Auto-Cite – Better understand Auto-Cite
• Manual Entry – Form field details