As part of a research project, I use results from this paper. It seems to have been published at least 3 times:
- as an arXiv preprint from January 2012
- in a Springer book from 2012
- in another Springer book from 2014
Google also found a version hosted on PSU's website, which I guess is a copy of one of the published versions.
For each of these versions, there is a different .bib
file containing the "right" way to cite the paper.
I don't know which one I should use.
Since I don't have either of the Springer books, I work with the arXiv version, but it seems weird to me to cite the arXiv preprint (I assume it's a preprint) if there are versions already published elsewhere.
I am relatively new to research (not a PhD student) and have encountered this situation several times. I usually don't have access to the peer-reviewed version, and work on preprints published by the authors.
How do I choose which version to cite? Should I always cite the exact one I have been reading, even if it is not the final peer-reviewed publication?