workspace-course-topics

Workflow: LitMaps import and visualize

Purpose: Import your bibliography into LitMaps and visualize citing papers.

External resources:

• The Pitch (as.180.369)

Note: Free LitMaps accounts are limited to 2 maps, 100 articles per map, and 20 search inputs. Work strategically within these limits.

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Verify first

1. Verify you have a LitMaps account

Go to https://www.litmaps.com and sign in.

Expected: You can access your LitMaps dashboard.

If no account: Create one at https://www.litmaps.com (free tier available).

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2. Verify you have a .bib file ready

Check that you have a .bib file from PaperPile (from google-drive-paperpile-sync).

Expected: You know the location of your .bib file on your computer.

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Steps

1. Import your bibliography

1. In LitMaps: click Import (top left)
2. Click Choose File
3. Navigate to your .bib file and select it
4. Click Import

Expected: LitMaps shows “X articles imported” or similar.

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2. Create a LitMap

1. After import, click Explore Related Articles
2. LitMaps will show articles that cite your papers or are cited by them
3. Click Add to Litmap for articles you want to include

Free tier limits:

• 100 articles per map (plenty for most uses)
• 2 maps total
• 20 search inputs

Prioritize:

• The original paper your ballpark is based on
• Key citing papers (recent work that builds on the paper)
• Don’t try to add everything—focus on the most relevant

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3. View your LitMap

1. Go to My Litmaps in the left sidebar
2. Click on your litmap to view the visualization
3. The map shows connections between papers (citations)

What you’re looking for:

• Papers that cite your ballpark paper (forward citations)
• Clusters of related work
• Recent papers that might be relevant to your project

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4. Export for later use

1. With your litmap open, click the share icon (top right)
2. You can share via email or get a link
3. For bibliography: some export options may be available under the download icon

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Troubleshooting

“0 articles imported”:

• The .bib file may be empty or malformed
• Try opening the .bib file in a text editor to verify it has content
• Re-export from PaperPile if needed

“Limit reached” when adding articles:

• Free tier has article limits (100 articles per map, 2 maps total)
• See “Working within free tier limits” below
• Use your second map if you need more space

Can’t find related articles:

• Some papers may not be in LitMaps’ database
• Try searching for the paper by title directly in LitMaps

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Working within free tier limits

With 100 articles per map and 2 maps, prioritize strategically:

Must include:

1. The original paper your ballpark is based on
2. 3-5 foundational papers it cites (the “giants” it stands on)

High priority:

1. 5-10 most recent papers citing your paper (forward citations)
2. 3-5 highly cited papers from the bibliography

Skip:

• Tangentially related papers
• Papers you can’t access
• Very old foundational work (unless directly relevant)

Alternative: Create multiple focused litmaps:

• “Foundational papers” — the theoretical basis
• “Recent developments” — papers from last 3 years
• “Methodology papers” — if relevant to replication