[Tex/LaTex] Should one cite a LaTeX package in a scientific publication

citingpackages

R world has the convention of citing heavily used packages in a scientific publication (see for example this). You can get the reference to be used with citation() command. For example:

citation("base")

To cite R in publications use:

  R Core Team (2013). R: A language and environment for statistical computing.
  R Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria. URL
  http://www.R-project.org/.

A BibTeX entry for LaTeX users is

  @Manual{,
    title = {R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing},
    author = {{R Core Team}},
    organization = {R Foundation for Statistical Computing},
    address = {Vienna, Austria},
    year = {2013},
    url = {http://www.R-project.org/},
  }

We have invested a lot of time and effort in creating R, please cite it when
using it for data analysis. See also ‘citation("pkgname")’ for citing R
packages.

I am not familiar with LaTeX conventions. Should you cite a heavily used LaTeX package in a scientific publication? Say that I have for example used pgfplotstable to make table that would have been impossible/very difficult to make otherwise. If the answer is 'Yes', where can I find the format the author of a package prefers?

Best Answer

this is a tough one. i'd have to say, in general, no.

R is a tool for data analysis, which is what a scientific publication is about. most latex packages are intended for data presentation, so although they may be invaluable, they're not at the same level as an analytical tool.

that said, some authors credit (la)tex on the copyright page of books, or in acknowledgments. and if a publication is meta-scientific, say on how to present data effectively, then a credit or citation would be appropriate.

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