Citation Managers are software applications that help researchers harvest references from article databases, format manuscripts/citations in a variety of styles (MLA, etc.), generate bibliographies, organize a personal research database of PDFs, and share references with colleagues.
Joyner Research & Instructional Services
Laupus Health Sciences Library Information Services
Joseph Thomas, Assistant Director for Research & Scholarly Communication
Use the chart below to determine which application would work best for your research situation. (based on web pages created by Rice University's Fondren Library).
ECU LIbraries does not have a campus license to EndNote. If you have a personal subscription to EndNote and need assistance contact Katherine Rickett or ___________ at the Laupus Health Sciences LIbrary.
| What do you want to do? | Citation Managers | Explanation |
| Just generate a bibliography quickly for an assignment |
Zotero |
Zotero's Quick Copy function lets you drag and drop a citation from your Zotero library into the text field of any word processing document, Google doc, etc. to generate a bibliography ("works cited"). |
| Collect a lot of web-based references and sources |
Zotero Mendeley RefWorks |
Zotero's translators allow you to easily capture websites and other web resources. Medeley's Web Importer provides for capture of website metadata and can save web page snapshots. RefWorks RefGrab-It works with your browser to capture bibliographic information from web pages. |
| Work collaboratively with colleagues |
Zotero, |
Zotero Groups allows you to share resources with others either privately or publicly. Mendeley offers group functionality. RefWorks allows you to share references, folders, or the full database. |
| Maintain access to your sources (i.e. beyond graduation, job change) so that you can continue to add over time |
Zotero Mendeley (RefWorks) |
Zotero is free and not tied to an institutional subsccription. Mendeley is currently free. Recently purchased by Elsevier. (You can convert your RefWorks account to an individual subscription. If you have access to a RefWorks subscription at your new institution you can move your account.) |
| Organize a large number of PDF files that you already have saved |
Zotero Mendeley |
Each of these tools (Zotero and Mendeley) allows you to organize and index your PDF collection. (RefWorks is developing a product called FLOW, which is expected to also allow this.)
|
| Highlight and annotate PDF documents |
Mendeley |
Mendeley allows you to highlight, annotate and add sticky notes to PDF documents.
|
| Cite a work within my document |
Zotero RefWorks |
With Zotero, you can reference your Zotero library to add an in-text citation using a word processor integration plugin. I think Mendeley Desktop allows the plug-in but the free version does not -- is that the case? RefWorks' Write N Cite accomplishes this
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| Remove duplicate cites |
Zotero Mendeley RefWorks |
All three tools can eliminate duplicate cites |
| Use a tool that works on my mobile device |
Zotero Mendeley RefWorks |
Zotero works with mobile devices Mendeley Reference Manager (Lite) is available for free download at the iTunes App Store. RefWorks RefMobile works on mobile devices
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Additional detailed comparisons of citation managers are available from: