Creating or Editing an In-Text or Numbered Citation (Google Docs)

To create a citation in Google Docs, open your document and look to the Zotero tab. 

(The Google Docs Zotero extension is added when you install the Zotero web browser plugin. If you don't see your the Zotero tab in your Google Docs, first confirm you have installed the Zotero plugin in this web browser, then close your Google Doc and reopen it again. It should now be there.) 

Click first on the place within your document where you want to add the citation. Next, click on the Zotero tab, then select the option 'Add/Edit Citation.' 

 

If this your first time using Zotero within this document, you will be prompted to sign in with your Zotero username and password. After that, you will be prompted to choose your citation style. 

(Zotero comes with a set of standard citation styles, but if you don't see the one you want, close this 'Document Preferences' window, and follow these instructions.) 

 

You should not be prompted again to set your citation style, but if you want to change it at any time, click the Zotero tab and choose 'Document Preferences.'

A red bar will appear. If you have clicked one or more entries in your Zotero program before clicking "Add/Edit Citation" in Word, Zotero will automatically suggest those items to cite in Microsoft Word. You can hit the 'Enter' key cite that item. 

 

However, you don't need to pre-select an item in your Zotero library. You can begin typing any identifying information for your reference of choice, such as a title or author(s) name(s), into the red bar. Zotero will start providing suggestions based on what's in your Zotero library. 

(If you don't see the red bar, but your Google Doc says "Zotero is updating your document, please wait," check the taskbar at the bottom of your screen for the Zotero program. Sometimes you'll find it hidden there, and need to select it to bring it to the document.) 

 

Click on the correct citation once it appears as a suggestion.

 

If that is the one source you want to cite in this spot, click 'Enter' on your keyboard now.

If you'd like to cite 2 or more sources in this exact place in the document, repeat the previous step and list as many sources as you want. Then click 'Enter.'

 

If you want to add an in-text citation that includes a page number, or remove the authors' name(s) from the parentheses, click 'Add/edit citation,' select the item you want to cite, then click directly on the in-text citation that appears on the red Zotero bar. 

 

Add your page number to the 'Page' box, and/or check the 'Omit Author' box. Click anywhere else on the screen when you're finished.

Here you'll see an in-text citation with a page number. 

 

If you want to edit any citations you've already made, click over the citation, and choose 'Edit with Zotero.' That will bring up the red bar, and from there, you can add or delete citations in that spot, or make any adjustments (like adding a page number or removing author names) as shown above.