Zotero

To use Zotero, download & install the two components (software and browser plugin): 

>> Download & Install Zotero <<

Syncing with the web version of Zotero gives you access to your Zotero library from any computer (with up to 300 MB of free cloud storage for attached files and unlimited storage for citation data).

1. Register for a Zotero account
2. Sign into the Zotero desktop application you downloaded.

2. Choose Edit > Settings

3. Choose Sync and enter your Zotero username and password, then select Set Up Syncing.

4. Select your preferences for syncing, such as whether to include attachments. 

There are several ways to add items to your Zotero library. 

 

1.  Use the Zotero Connector (install in browser). 

• Choose the Zotero icon in your browser to automatically import the citation information to your library.

• The Zotero browser icon changes depending on the type of item you are viewing (journal article, book, video, etc.), but will always display "Save to Zotero" when you hover over it. When looking at a journal article, the icon will appear as a white sheet of paper. 
• When viewing a list of items, such as search results, the "Save to Zotero" icon will appear as a small folder and you can select and add multiple items from the search results.
• If the full text of an article is available, Zotero should automatically save the PDF as an attachment. To see files that are attached to an item in Zotero, select the arrow next to the item:

 

2. PDF files.

• If you have PDF files saved to your computer, you can drag them onto the desktop application to add them. 

 

3. Use the DOI or other standard identifier.

• From the Zotero toolbar, choose the "Add Item by Identifier" icon ().

• Copy and paste the identifier number associated with the item you're trying to add into the pop-up window.
• You can use identifiers like ISBN, DOI, PubMed ID (PMID), or arXiv ID. Press the Enter key to finish adding the item to your library.

 

4. Manually add a source.

• Click on the "New Item" icon and select the type of item you are trying to add (additional options are available under "More").

• Then you can manually enter the information about the item (title, author, etc.).
• This is commonly the process for citing white papers or reports.

 

5. Add an RIS/BibText file.

• Many databases will offer the option to export citation(s) in a particular file format that works with tools like Zotero.

• Open the exported file in Zotero to add it to your library.
• This is a good option for adding multiple items to your library. Note: This method does not include PDFs of articles.

After adding an item to your Zotero library, review the metadata and make any corrections if necessary. The metadata is the information about the item, such as the title, author, publication date, etc. You can edit an item's metadata in the "Info" pane on the right side of the screen. 

Click on any metadata field to edit it.

 

APA capitalization issue - Fix

When Zotero formats APA style citations, it does not change the capitalization of titles; it uses the same capitalization as the original source. However, many sources capitalize all words in the title, while APA uses sentence case, where only the first word in the title, the subtitle, and any proper nouns should be capitalized.

You can right-click on the "Title" field to change the title capitalization to title case or sentence case, depending on the requirements of whatever citation style you will be using.  ( See in action! Watch a video demo )

 

There are several ways that you can generate citations using Zotero.

 

Cite in Microsoft Word

You should see a Zotero tab in Microsoft Word.   

• The Microsoft Word plugin should be installed automatically when you download Zotero. You may need to restart Microsoft Word if you have it open already. The plugin also works with LibreOffice. 

 Click here to see your options for adding citations and a bibliography to your Word document. You will need to have the Zotero desktop application open while you are using the Microsoft Word plugin. 

• Click on "Add/Edit Citation" to add your in-text citations as you write your paper. The first time you do this, there will be a popup asking you which citation style you want to use.
• Then you can search for the item you want to cite. You can search by title, author, or any other information associated with the item. 

• Select the item you want to cite and then press the enter key to finish inserting the in-text citation into your document. 
• Click on "Add/Edit Bibliography" to create a bibliography of all the items you have cited throughout your paper.
• If you need to make any edits to the citation, make the corrections in Zotero and then click on "Refresh" to update the bibliography in your Word document.  

Troubleshooting

The Word plugin should be installed automatically, but if you are having difficulty getting it to appear, refer to the following links:

• Word Processor Plugin Troubleshooting

• Manually Installing the Zotero Word Processor Plugin

 

Copy citations from Zotero  

Bibliographies can be created from a single item, several items, or entire collections.

• Right-click (or control + click on a Mac) on any item(s) you would like to generate a citation for and click on "Create Bibliography from Item(s)..." (or "Create Bibliography from Collection..." if you are creating citations for items in a collection): 

• This will give you the option to specify your citation style, allowing you to choose from options like APA, Chicago, or MLA style.
• Then you will pick which output mode you would like.
  •  "Citations" = an in-text citation
  • "Bibliography" = full citation.
• Lastly, you will pick your output method: You can save your citations as an RTF or HTML file, copy it to your clipboard (and then paste it into a document of your choice), or print your citations.

 

Cite in Google Docs

If you have downloaded the Zotero Connector web importer plugin for Chrome or Firefox, you can use Zotero in Google Docs. A Zotero menu will appear in the Google Docs interface. You will need to have the Zotero desktop application open while you are using the Zotero plugin for Google Docs.

You should also see a toolbar button for one-click citing. 

The first time you use the Zotero functionality in a document, you will be be prompted to authenticate the plugin with your Google account.

• Click on the "Add/Edit Zotero Citation" button in the Google Docs toolbar or select "Add/Edit Citation" from the Zotero menu. 
• Just like when you are using the Microsoft Word plugin, a search box will pop up where you can search for the item you want to cite.
  • Select the item you want to cite and press the enter key.
• Click on "Add/Edit Bibliography" from the Zotero menu to create a bibliography of all the items you have cited in your document.