Zotero is a free open-source citation management software. It will help you keep track of your research, create citations or footnotes, and bibliographies. It can create bibliographies in multiple styles including, MLA, APA, and Chicago.
Go to www.zotero.org
Download Zotero 7.0
Make sure to download the connector for your internet browser.
Organizing Your References
Use the folders icon to create collections. This will enable you to organize your research by topic, course number, assignment, etc.
Make sure that you select a folder before starting your research, this way all the references that you send to Zotero will be sent to the selected folder. No need to sort after doing the research.
Transferring References
Search the library catalogue or an article database. When you find items that interest you, click on the folder icon in the top right corner of the page. Select the items that you want and click on “Ok”.
You can also transfer only one item by clicking on it and reaching the page about it. Once you are on the page dedicated to the item, click on the icon in the top right corner. The icon will be shaped like a book if the item is a book, an article if that is what the item is, etc.
If there is a PDF available, Zotero will automatically grab it and include it in your library.
There are two ways to create a bibliography from Zotero:
If you used all the items in a folder:
Select the folder and right click. Then click on “create bibliography from collection”. You will be prompted to pick your citation style. Click on copy. You can now paste your complete bibliography in your document.
If you used only some items in a folder:
Select the items used by holding the control button (command on a Mac). Then click on “create bibliography from items”. You will be prompted to pick your citation style. Click on copy. You can now paste your bibliography in your document.
Inserting References in Documents
The Zotero feature for Word should have been downloaded at the same time as the software.
Click on the Zotero tab in Word.
Click on “Insert/edit citation”
When you insert the first citation, it will ask you to select your style.
A search bar will appear, you can search for the item that you want to cite.
For more citation options, click on classic view in the search bar.
A mini version of your Zotero library will appear. Select the resource you want to cite.
You can also include a page number or range.
Creating a Bibliography in Word
Make sure that you inserted all the citations using the Zotero “insert” option.
Click on insert bibliography.
Choose your style.
Your bibliography is now in your document. Don’t forget to click the refresh button if you add more citations.
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