Research Guides: Citation Management: Choosing a Citation Manager

Choosing a Citation Manager

So, Which Do I Choose?

Even with the software descriptions and features, choosing the best citation managment tool for you can still be challenging. Before exploring the table below, *remember that these are citation managment tools that operate at a base level of creating citations and generating bibliographies.

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As you compare and contrast them, note that each software also allows for you to have access to their additional features. This table will help you to evaluate their distinct characteristics while choosing the best application for your needs.

Again, Please Note: ECU Libraries does not have a campus license to EndNote. If you have a personal subscription to EndNote and need assistance, contact Kerry Sewell at the Laupus Health Sciences Library.

RefWorks is BEST when you want to--	Zotero is BEST when you want to--	EndNote is BEST when you want to--	Mendeley is BEST when you want to--
* Insert in-text citations while creating a bibliography at the same time - Research authors specific to the library's databases and collect their references for later use - Operate in Microsoft Word and Google Docs - Add and edit your references within your library - Collaborate with other users via shared folders, article discussions, and jointly annotate PDFs - Keep your bibliography in sync	* Insert in-text citations while creating a bibliography at the same time - Save research materials automatically as you're searching it - Have access to over 10,000 citation styles - Operate in Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs - Collaborate with others via co-writing a paper, distributing course materials to your students, and building a collaborative bibliography - Keep your data synced across multiple devices - Have access to guided support catalogs	* Insert in-text citations while creating a bibliography at the same time - Have the opportunity to publish your work through matched reputable journals - Easily collaborate and share your library with others - Keep your data synced across multiple devices through the Cloud - Have access to curated tutorials for future troubleshooting	* Insert in-text citations while creating a bibliography at the same time - Import and manually add your documents - Keep your data synced across multiple devices - Generate citations and bibliographies in multiple formats - Have access to a Science, Technology, and Health Fields careers database - Be a part of a Scholarly Network that allows you to display your publications and have access to a strong community of researchers. - Have access to in-depth help guides for using their software

Explore Additional Comparisons

For more ways to research the differences and similarities between each tool, please explore these additional libguides and university articles:

Please note as you are collecting your research that it is unclear how current each guide may be. An entry of this guide's date of update and assessment can be found here and at the very end of the "Want More Help?" page (Updated between October and November of 2022)

Additional Comparisons:
- Rice University's Fondren Library Research Paper Management LibGuide provides a chart that compares Zotero, Mendeley, and a few other softwares for best handling suggested writing scenarios.

- University of Virginia's Citation Managers LibGuide offers analysis of the same softwares discussed in this guide via descriptions, a list of their strengths and weaknesses, and tools for more help.

- University of Wisconsin-Madison has a Citation Managers Support Guide that delivers descriptions of citation tools EndNote, Mendeley, and Zotero. Each tool has their own page that provides extra information about the tool's functionality and/or steps on how to begin utilizing the manager.

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