Citation: Zotero

Zotero.org has provided detailed guides to help with:

• Getting Stuff Into Your Library
• Organizing Your Library
• Generating Bibliographies, Citations, and Reports
• Syncing, Collaboration, and Backup

Zotero is a free app that collects, organizes, and cites research sources in various citation styles.

It allows you to import citation information from databases, the library catalog, and websites. You can attach digital files (PDFs, images, etc.) to your citations, organize them into collections for different projects, and create bibliographies with a few clicks.

Getting Started

Step 1

Register an account on Zotero.org. This will sync your collection to the cloud as a backup (up to 300 MB for free).

Step 2

Download:

• Zotero 7 app: A stand-alone application to install on your computer.
• Zotero Connector: A web browser add-on to save to Zotero from your browser (Chrome, Edge, and Firefox work best). The Zotero Connector for Safari is bundled with Zotero. You can enable it from the Extensions pane in the Safari settings.

Word processor plugins for Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and LibreOffice come bundled with the Zotero app. They will be installed automatically.

Step 3

Once you have installed Zotero on your computer, go to Settings > Sync and sign in with your Zotero.org account. This will create an online backup of your Zotero library and allow you to access it on your computer or Zotero.org.

Zotero Mobile

Zotero is also available on the Apple app store. An Android app is not yet available.

You need to have the desktop application open before Zotero can save anything. Zotero will save new sources to the folder (or "collection," in Zotero's words) you have selected. By dragging sources to a new collection, you can always reorganize your sources.

Browser Connector

When you're viewing a source online, you can use the Zotero browser connector icon in your URL bar to save the source. The icon appears to the right of your browser address box.

Click the icon and wait for Zotero to confirm it has saved the item. You’ll notice that this icon changes depending on what Zotero thinks you’re viewing at the time (e.g., book, journal article, news article, YouTube video, etc.).

Collections

Zotero stores all your sources in collections (folders), so you’ll use the desktop app to create collections. 

You could create collections for different classes, with sub-collections for specific assignments or even sections of a very large assignment or project.

No matter how you organize your collections and where you place sources, you can search all your collections to find a source later.

Creating Bibliographies

If you right-click on a collection or source in Zotero, you’ll have the ability to create a bibliography. It will ask you to select a citation style from a list. If you don’t see the style you need, you can expand the list to select what you need. After you've chosen a style, select Copy to Clipboard to paste the bibliography into a document.

Note. Zotero sometimes makes mistakes with the reference list formatting, depending on how your data is entered for the source. You'll want to know the style well enough to identify and fix mistakes.

Word Processor Integration

When you download Zotero, it automatically integrates into Microsoft Word and Google Docs. When you're writing, look at the top menu for a Zotero option to insert references as you're writing and generate a bibliography based on what you cite.

Microsoft Word

In Word, Zotero will appear in the menu next to "View."

Google Docs

In Google Docs, Zotero will appear as a menu option next to "Extensions."