RIS (file format)


RIS is a standardized tag format developed by Research Information Systems, Incorporated to enable citation programs to exchange data. It is supported by a number of reference managers. Many digital libraries, like IEEE Xplore, Scopus, the ACM Portal, Scopemed, ScienceDirect, SpringerLink, Rayyan QCRI, Accordance Bible Software, and online library catalogs can export citations in this format. Citation management applications such as Zotero, Citavi, Mendeley, and EndNote can export and import citations in this format.

Format

The RIS file format—two letters, two spaces and a hyphen—is a tagged format for expressing bibliographic citations. According to the specifications, the lines must end with the ASCII carriage return and line feed characters. Note that this is the convention on Microsoft Windows, while in other contemporary operating systems, particularly Unix, the end of line is typically marked by line feed only.
Multiple citation records can be present in a single RIS file. A record ends with an "end record" tag with no additional blank lines between records.

Example record

This is an example of how the article "Claude E. Shannon. A mathematical theory of communication. Bell System Technical Journal, 27:379–423, July 1948" would be expressed in the RIS file format:

TY - JOUR
AU - Shannon, Claude E.
PY - 1948/07//
TI - A Mathematical Theory of Communication
T2 - Bell System Technical Journal
SP - 379
EP - 423
VL - 27
ER -

Example multi-record format

This is an example of how two citation records would be expressed in a single RIS file. Note the first record ends with and the second record begins with :

TY - JOUR
AU - Shannon, Claude E.
PY - 1948/07//
TI - A Mathematical Theory of Communication
T2 - Bell System Technical Journal
SP - 379
EP - 423
VL - 27
ER - 
TY - JOUR
T1 - On computable numbers, with an application to the Entscheidungsproblem
A1 - Turing, Alan Mathison
JO - Proc. of London Mathematical Society
VL - 47
IS - 1
SP - 230
EP - 265
Y1 - 1937
ER -

Tags

There are two major versions of the RIS specification. The second version, introduced near the end of 2011 has different lists of tags for each type of record, sometimes with different meanings. Below is an excerpt of the main RIS tags, from both versions. Except for and, order of tags is free and their inclusion is optional.
TagMeaning
TYType of reference
A1Primary Authors
A2Secondary Authors
A3Tertiary Authors
A4Subsidiary Authors
ABAbstract
ADAuthor Address
ANAccession Number
AUAuthor
AVLocation in Archives
BTThis field maps to T2 for all reference types except for Whole Book and Unpublished Work references. It can contain alphanumeric characters. There is no practical limit to the length of this field.
C1Custom 1
C2Custom 2
C3Custom 3
C4Custom 4
C5Custom 5
C6Custom 6
C7Custom 7
C8Custom 8
CACaption
CNCall Number
CPThis field can contain alphanumeric characters. There is no practical limit to the length of this field.
CTTitle of unpublished reference
CYPlace Published
DADate
DBName of Database
DODOI
DPDatabase Provider
EDEditor
EPEnd Page
ETEdition
IDReference ID
ISIssue number
J1Periodical name: user abbreviation 1. This is an alphanumeric field of up to 255 characters.
J2Alternate Title
JAPeriodical name: standard abbreviation. This is the periodical in which the article was published. This is an alphanumeric field of up to 255 characters.
JFJournal/Periodical name: full format. This is an alphanumeric field of up to 255 characters.
JOJournal/Periodical name: full format. This is an alphanumeric field of up to 255 characters.
KWKeywords
L1Link to PDF. There is no practical limit to the length of this field. URL addresses can be entered individually, one per tag or multiple addresses can be entered on one line using a semi-colon as a separator.
L2Link to Full-text. There is no practical limit to the length of this field. URL addresses can be entered individually, one per tag or multiple addresses can be entered on one line using a semi-colon as a separator.
L3Related Records. There is no practical limit to the length of this field.
L4Image. There is no practical limit to the length of this field.
LALanguage
LBLabel
LKWebsite Link
M1Number
M2Miscellaneous 2. This is an alphanumeric field and there is no practical limit to the length of this field.
M3Type of Work
N1Notes
N2Abstract. This is a free text field and can contain alphanumeric characters. There is no practical length limit to this field.
NVNumber of Volumes
OPOriginal Publication
PBPublisher
PPPublishing Place
PYPublication year
RIReviewed Item
RNResearch Notes
RPReprint Edition
SESection
SNISBN/ISSN
SPStart Page
STShort Title
T1Primary Title
T2Secondary Title
T3Tertiary Title
TATranslated Author
TITitle
TTTranslated Title
U1User definable 1. This is an alphanumeric field and there is no practical limit to the length of this field.
U2User definable 2. This is an alphanumeric field and there is no practical limit to the length of this field.
U3User definable 3. This is an alphanumeric field and there is no practical limit to the length of this field.
U4User definable 4. This is an alphanumeric field and there is no practical limit to the length of this field.
U5User definable 5. This is an alphanumeric field and there is no practical limit to the length of this field.
URURL
VLVolume number
VOPublished Standard number
Y1Primary Date
Y2Access Date
EREnd of Reference

Type of reference

The type of reference preceded by the tag may abbreviated:
AbbreviationType
ABSTAbstract
ADVSAudiovisual material
AGGRAggregated Database
ANCIENTAncient Text
ARTArt Work
BILLBill
BLOGBlog
BOOKWhole book
CASECase
CHAPBook chapter
CHARTChart
CLSWKClassical Work
COMPComputer program
CONFConference proceeding
CPAPERConference paper
CTLGCatalog
DATAData file
DBASEOnline Database
DICTDictionary
EBOOKElectronic Book
ECHAPElectronic Book Section
EDBOOKEdited Book
EJOURElectronic Article
ELECWeb Page
ENCYCEncyclopedia
EQUAEquation
FIGUREFigure
GENGeneric
GOVDOCGovernment Document
GRANTGrant
HEARHearing
ICOMMInternet Communication
INPRIn Press
JFULLJournal
JOURJournal
LEGALLegal Rule or Regulation
MANSCPTManuscript
MAPMap
MGZNMagazine article
MPCTMotion picture
MULTIOnline Multimedia
MUSICMusic score
NEWSNewspaper
PAMPPamphlet
PATPatent
PCOMMPersonal communication
RPRTReport
SERSerial publication
SLIDESlide
SOUNDSound recording
STANDStandard
STATStatute
THESThesis/Dissertation
UNBILLUnenacted Bill
UNPBUnpublished work
VIDEOVideo recording