Export the reference library with verification status fields, attach the search and correction log, and add a short handoff note listing unresolved items so the co-author knows what remains to be checked.
- Add a verification status field to every record before exporting. Use consistent values such as verified, corrected, and unresolved, and record the DOI lookup result for each item so the co-author can see which metadata was confirmed against the deposited record. A DOI lookup through the Crossref REST API returns the metadata deposited for that DOI, which gives the co-author a concrete comparison point.
- Merge duplicates before you export. Zotero's duplicate detection identifies potential duplicate items and provides a merge interface that preserves collections and tags while combining item records, so the handoff set carries one record per work with its tags intact.
- Attach the search and correction log. Include the databases and queries used, the dates searched, and each correction made, with the record it affected. If the work supports a systematic review, PRISMA 2020 supplies a checklist and flow diagrams for reporting why the review was done, what methods were used, and what studies were found and included; the log can feed those reporting fields.
- Write the handoff note as a short list. Name each unresolved item, the specific field in question, and the next check to run, such as confirming a DOI against the deposited metadata or locating a missing page range. Keep resolved items out of the note so the co-author's queue stays short.
- Send the export, log, and note together and ask the co-author to reply with the status of each unresolved item. That reply closes the audit trail.
Use the verification field and the log as the shared record of what was checked and what changed.