A Quick Look at Citation Managers

Mendeley and Zotero can be extremely helpful in keeping you organized and saving you time on citations - and they are both free! 

You can do the same basic things with them - they just look slightly different on the surface.

 

You can save your sources from the web with just one or two clicks.

Saving a Source with Zotero

 Saving a Source with Mendeley

Saving sources to Zotero, using the web browser add-on and showing the box that pops up saying "Saving to My Library."

 Saving sources to Mendeley, using the web browser add-on and showing the box that pops up that lets you choose which Mendeley folder to add the source to.

 

You can see all your sources listed in the desktop program, and organize the sources in folders.

Zotero Folders

 Mendeley Folders
The Zotero desktop program, showing folders and sources saved to those folders

The Mendeley desktop program, showing folders and sources saved to those folders

 

 

 

You can create groups to share your sources with group members.

Create a Group with Zotero

 Create a Group with Mendeley

The Zotero webpage for creating groups. There is a text box to enter the name of the group, and options for membership (public or by invitation-only)

 

 The Mendeley webpage for creating groups. There is a text box to enter the name of the group, and options for membership (public or private)

 

 

You can create a reference list / bibliography in just a couple of clicks.

Create a Bibliography in Zotero

 Create a Bibliography in Mendeley

Creating a bibliography with Zotero by right-clicking over selected sources in the desktop program and choosing the option "Create Bibliography from Items"

 Creating a bibliography with Mendeley by right-clicking over selected sources in the desktop program and choosing the option "Copy As > Formatted Citation."

 

 

Or you can use the Word plugin tool to cite as you're writing your papers. This is especially helpful for numbered citation styles!

Zotero Word Plugin

 Mendeley Word Plugin

The Zotero Word Plugin, showing a Zotero tab at the top of a Word Document, with options to add/edit citations.

 The Mendeley Word Plugin, showing the Reference tab at the top of a Word Document containing Mendeley tools, with options to insert citations and a bibliography

 

Please note that while citation managers do a lot of the hard work for you, they are NOT guaranteed to be perfect! It is still your responsibility to proofread your reference list before submitting your paper! Please review the citation style guides shared with you in the previous citation module, or ask your professor or informationist for a recommended guide.

So how do you decide which citation manager to download? Though the basics are the same, there are some difference between the programs. Click onward to check those out.