Citation Management Software:Citation Management Software:

ZoteroZotero

Josh WilsonJosh Wilson

Physical and Mathematical Sciences Reference LibrarianPhysical and Mathematical Sciences Reference Librarian

North Carolina State University LibrariesNorth Carolina State University Libraries

Online guide: Online guide: http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/guides/zoterohttp://www.lib.ncsu.edu/guides/zotero

Keeping track of all of your Keeping track of all of your researchresearch

►How do you save all your research How do you save all your research work?work?

►Bookmarking webpages is unstable, no Bookmarking webpages is unstable, no easy way to organizeeasy way to organize

►Large Word or Excel filesLarge Word or Excel files►Notecards are great until one day you Notecards are great until one day you

leave them on the bus…leave them on the bus…►““Citation management software”Citation management software”

Saves all references from most Saves all references from most databases in ONE placedatabases in ONE place

How Citation Managers WorkHow Citation Managers WorkAgricola

Web of Science

Saved citations

Other websites and sources

Saved citations

Books from catalog

Saved citations

Zotero-Access from anywhere

- Links back to articles, saved PDFs

-Organize citations into multiple folders

-Create bibliographies

Export:

Different productsDifferent products► ZoteroZotero

Free, browser-based, works with FirefoxFree, browser-based, works with Firefox Library support available!Library support available!

► RefWorksRefWorks Free for NCSU students, internet-based, Free for NCSU students, internet-based,

available through Libraries’ siteavailable through Libraries’ site Library support available!Library support available!

► EndNoteEndNote Costs $100+, standalone software installed on Costs $100+, standalone software installed on

your computeryour computer►No choice is permanent! Easy to export No choice is permanent! Easy to export

between them if your needs changebetween them if your needs change

Different productsDifferent products

►We’ll talk about Zotero todayWe’ll talk about Zotero today Easy to use and demonstrateEasy to use and demonstrate StableStable FreeFree Recommended for Firefox usersRecommended for Firefox users

► If you think another product suits your If you think another product suits your work better later on, it’s easy to work better later on, it’s easy to changechange

Zotero setupZotero setup

►Let’s take a few minutes now to install Let’s take a few minutes now to install Zotero and talk about setting up an Zotero and talk about setting up an account…account…

►Firefox is requried (sort of). Zotero is a Firefox is requried (sort of). Zotero is a browser plugin: a piece of software that browser plugin: a piece of software that extends the functionality of your browser.extends the functionality of your browser.

►Setting up an account is required for Setting up an account is required for syncing between computers, using syncing between computers, using Groups, and backing up referencesGroups, and backing up references

Zotero setupZotero setup

►Start FirefoxStart Firefox►Go to Go to http://www.zotero.org/►Download latest versionDownload latest version

May need to Allow pop-ups/installMay need to Allow pop-ups/install Will require restart of FirefoxWill require restart of Firefox

►Now use the Zotero Now use the Zotero button to open the button to open the panepane

Getting citations into ZoteroGetting citations into Zotero

►All citation managers work mostly the All citation managers work mostly the same:same: Export from database, catalog, webpage, etc.Export from database, catalog, webpage, etc. Import into citation managerImport into citation manager

►Most modern citation managers work with nearly all Most modern citation managers work with nearly all databasesdatabases

►Zotero has a one-click function that makes Zotero has a one-click function that makes this even easier for most databasesthis even easier for most databases

Saving a website

Save several citations

Save an individual citation

Saving a book

Organize using collections and subcollections (they look like folders)

Drag and drop imported citations – easy!

Zotero also saves snapshots and/or

attachments, which you can annotate

Add notes and tags to citations to better organize them.

Sometimes Zotero will capture subject terms as tags.

Not all is happy rainbows…Not all is happy rainbows…

►Some databases do not support ZoteroSome databases do not support Zotero►You may be able to export/import You may be able to export/import

manuallymanually Export as an RIS or BibTeX file (or an Export as an RIS or BibTeX file (or an

EndNote format?)EndNote format?) Import into ZoteroImport into Zotero

►Last resort: Last resort: Create a New Item in ZoteroCreate a New Item in Zotero Fill in fields you needFill in fields you need

Citations imported – now Citations imported – now what?what?

►OrganizeOrganize Add to appropriate collections/groupsAdd to appropriate collections/groups

►Add notesAdd notes Expand citation to see theseExpand citation to see these

►Add tagsAdd tags Sometimes Zotero captures subject termsSometimes Zotero captures subject terms

►Add attachmentsAdd attachments Expand citation to see theseExpand citation to see these NOT BACKED UP!NOT BACKED UP!

Creating a bibliographyCreating a bibliography

►Eventually you’ll write something and Eventually you’ll write something and need to cite all the references you’ve need to cite all the references you’ve collectedcollected

►Zotero automatically creates Zotero automatically creates bibliographies for youbibliographies for you Hundreds of styles availableHundreds of styles available

►A few different ways to do this…A few different ways to do this…

Drag and drop from Zotero/Firefox into Word…

Or right-click selected citations to create a bibliography.

Or install the MS Word plugin to create a bibliography while you write.

Extra stuff you can doExtra stuff you can do

► Configure preferencesConfigure preferences Enables you to locate full text onlineEnables you to locate full text online Simplifies saving itemsSimplifies saving items Create a Zotero accountCreate a Zotero account Turn on syncingTurn on syncing

► Use Groups to share referencesUse Groups to share references Work with others on a research projectWork with others on a research project

►Everyone can save to the same account, create a Everyone can save to the same account, create a shared literature databaseshared literature database

►Annotate screenshots, manage PDFsAnnotate screenshots, manage PDFs

Group libraries work just like collections

They appear along the left

You can drag and drop items from them

Requires a Zotero account, and syncing