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SUNY ESF
Why Use a Citation Manager?

What are Citation Managers?

Citation managers capture metadata (title, author, etc.) directly from records and sources. You can use them to collect and organize citations from library and web resources. They integrate with word processing software, so you can easily insert already formatted in-text citations and bibliographies into papers. 

Beyond these general functions, citation managers offer different options for storing and annotating full text, sharing research with colleagues, and finding new research.

Why Use a Citation Manager?

Citation managers can help you:

  • Store all your research in one place so it's easy to find, organize, and use
  • Easily remember, access, and reorganize sources found months or years ago
  • Save time formatting your articles or papers
  • Share bibliographies or even full text with collaborators
  • Discover new resources and contacts

How to Choose a Citation Manager:

To choose the citation manager that is best for you, consider your priorities and research patterns. For example, is working in groups a priority? Highlighting and annotating PDFs? Using a particular word processor or database?

This guide compares the features offered by Zotero and Mendeley, two frequently used, mostly free citation managers, and provides instructions for downloading and beginning to use them. The information in this guide comes from the Zotero and Mendeley websites.

About Zotero

Zotero is an open-source reference manager tool that helps you collect, organize, and share resources like articles, books, and websites.  You can create bibliographies and footnotes in specific citation styles to complete school papers.  Zotero features browser integration, word processor plugins (Word, Google Docs), and online syncing across devices.  

Set Up Zotero

Zotero offers downloads for personal research assistant, Zotero Connector (browser integration), and Zotero for Mobile.

Zotero Introduction

Mendeley

Mendeley is a free reference/citation manager that helps you to organize research by collecting your references and articles (PDF's etc.) in one place.  When you've written a paper, you can then add all your bibliographic references in whatever citation style (APA, CSE, Chicago) required.  Mendeley feature a plugin to use with Word, is accessible from desktop, web, or mobile apps, and has collaboration features if you're working in a group.  

Set Up Mendeley

Mendeley is owned by the academic publisher Elsevier.  To use Mendeley, you'll first want to setup an account with Elsevier and then download the Mendeley Reference Manager app.  Once you have finished those steps, you can also choose to add the Mendeley Web Importer and Mendeley Cite for Microsoft Word.

Mendeley Introduction