What are citation organizers?
Citation organizers (or reference managers) store and organize citation information for a variety of research resources for easy representation in a variety of citation styles. These programs allow you to build reference library for many information sources, including journal articles, books and book chapters, audiovisual materials, websites, and more.
Common features:
- Exist in a desktop and/or browser-based version
- Support all major citation styles, with some specialized or custom styles
- Allow import directly from databases and web
- Build bibliographies with a single click
- Offer “cite while you write” Word integration
- May support PDF attaching, annotating
- Allow you to tag and share libraries
Which ones are supported by the library?
Zotero: Easy to use, free, open-source program available for Firefox, Chrome, and Safari browsers. Works well with websites and library databases. You can download a plugin to use your library in Word. Cloud version syncs to desktop version. Additional file storage available for purchase (300 MG for free). View our very helpful guide to get started.
Which one should I use?
Program demo videos:
- Zotero Tutorial (from Cal Poly Pomona)
Comparison charts:
- Zotero vs. EndNote vs. Mendeley (University of Idaho)
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