Research Tools

Using Zotero to Manage Research Sources

 
What is Zotero?

 Zotero (Zoh-TAIR-oh) is a free citation manager that helps you to store, collect, manage, and cite your research sources.  This program is similar to software packages like ProCite and Endnote, but it is completely free.   Zotero has functionality such as:

  • Source database / library: collect key information about numerous types of research sources in an easy-to-manage format.
  • Annotation, tagging, and storage of sources;
  • Storage of PDF articles;
  • Generation of bibliographies in numerous citation formats.

 

How do I get it?

 The full version of Zotero is available as a standalone application at http://www.zotero.org.  It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems.  

 For users who only need to generate individual source citations, ZoteroBib is available at https://zbib.org/;  this site works similarly to CitationMachine or Noodlebib. 

 

Zotero.org:

 

 

 

You can start the download process by clicking on the blue download button.  

 

 

Clicking on the Download icon will bring up the option to save the installation file. 

 
Follow the setup instructions to install the Zotero application.   The icon will look like this: 

 

 

 

 

 

How Do I Use Zotero?

 
After installation, clicking on the Zotero icon will open the Zotero interface.

 

 

 

This interface is the core of the Zotero database.  It is through this screen that you can add new citations, edit existing citations, and even add citations and bibliography entries into Word documents.  

Note:  citations created in EndNote or ProCite can be imported into Zotero.   Instructions on doing this are available at http://www.zotero.org.

 

The Zotero workspace is organized in several windows.  On the left is a file tree that enables filtering of the Zotero source library. 

 

 

The center window contains displays of various database fields of the Zotero library in column form.  Here, “Item Type,” “Title,” “Creator,” and “Date” are selected.   

 

  

 

 

The library can be sorted by column simply by clicking on it, and the columns can be dragged and re-ordered.   Additional columns can be displayed by clicking on the icon to the right:

 

The right-hand window shows the detail of the selected source; users can change / edit source details through this window.

 

 

 

 

Adding Citations

 

Adding a citation to Zotero is a quick and easy process, requiring some simple data entry and a couple of mouse clicks.  Many types of sources can be used—from books and periodical / journal articles to informal documents and non-print media like films. 

 

To add a new citation, locate the toolbar at the top of the Zotero database window.  The green circle icon on the left is the “Add New Item” button.   Clicking that will bring up a small side-menu, that will enable you to select which kind of source your new item is. :

 

 

 
To select another form of source, navigate to “More” at the bottom of the menu to access a larger list of item types:

 

 

After you select the appropriate item type, a blank entry appears on the right hand side of the database interface.   To complete the citation, enter the item details in the empty spaces:

 

 

Enter the appropriate item information in the relevant fields in the Zotero interface, and repeat as necessary for any research source you have.    Here is a sample Book entry:

 

 

Entries for journal articles, films, and other sources will vary slightly from this model in which data points are entered.   

 

As in most database programs, the information entered in each field is saved automatically; there is no need to click “Save” as each data point in the record is saved automatically.

 

Notes, Tags, and Related Sources

 

A very useful feature of Zotero is its ability to allow users to store Notes concerning a particular source, to Tag the source with keywords, and to link the source to Related sources.   This is done from the same interface as the Add Citation feature.   Using this feature, you can store all your citations—for all your projects—in one place, and organize / filter them by their Tags / Keywords.   To add this extra information, simply click the tab at the top of the Item Info / Item Entry menu (where you just added your item).  

 

 

The Notes tab opens a text editor program that enables you to write notes on a source.  The Tags tab enables you to add searchable keywords (as many as are relevant, such as project names or overall topics), and the Related tab enables you to link together records / citations you have entered.  

 

 

 

Zotero Bibliographic Entries

 

Once you have built a Zotero library, either through hand-entry of your citations or via importing them from some other software like ProCite or Endnote, you can easily use your Zotero entries to create bibliographies / Works Cited pages and, via a plug-in for Word, in-text citations.   These bibliographies can be formatted in one of many citation formats, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago.    The easiest way to create a bibliography is to simply highlight the citations you want to include and right click. 

 Selecting "Create Bibliography From Items" will bring up an output screen, where you can choose the Citation Style for the bibliography (APA, MLA, Chicago, and numerous others), as well as how you want to save the bibliography-- as a Rich Text Format (RTF) file, as an HTML file, or as text on the clipboard.   

An APA-formatted bibliography of the above sources will be outputted like this:

Star Trek. (1966). NBC.
Vietnam: A Television History. (1983). [Documentary, History, War].
Wyatt, D. (1993). Out of the Sixties: Storytelling and the Vietnam Generation. Cambridge University Press.
Wyler, W. (1946). The Best Years of Our Lives [Drama, Romance, War]. Samuel Goldwyn Co.
Zinn, H. (1980). A People’s History of the United States. Harper.
Zito, Joseph. (1984). Missing in Action. Cannon Group.
Zucker, J. (1990). Ghost. Paramount Pictures.

 

 

Other Features of Zotero Not Covered Here

 

  • For Zotero Technical Support, Visit: http://www.zotero.org/support/
  • Zotero Syncing: Using a Zotero account, you can sync your library with Zotero.org’s servers, and access it from any internet-connected computer on which Zotero is installed.
  • Word Processor Integration: Using the Word or OpenOffice plugin for Zotero, you can automatically generate bibliographies and in-text citations.
  • Web Screenshots. You can automatically create a Zotero entry from Zotero-compliant web pages, with a single click. 
  • You can attach PDF or other files to your Zotero citations.

About the Editors

The Editors of OpenWriting.Org

General Editor

 

Matthew B. Hill, Ph.D.
Coordinator, Freshman Writing
Coppin State University

Dr. Hill is Associate Professor of English in the Department of Humanities at Coppin State University in Baltimore, MD. His academic work focuses on the representation of war in 20th century and contemporary American literature and film. As Coordinator of Coppin State University's Freshman Writing Program, Dr. Hill works with faculty and students to facilitate and enhance the teaching of writing and composition at Coppin State.

 

Contributing Editors

Blessing Diala-Ogamba, Ph.D.

Seth Forrest, Ph.D.

Eunita Ochola, Ph.D.

Ralph Stevens, Ph.D.

Roger Stritmatter, Ph.D.

Prof. JoEllen Lofton

Prof. Ellen Carter Cooper

 

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Openwriting Source - DOCX

Linked below are the DOCX source files for Openwriting; instructors should feel free download and edit these as they see fit for use, per the Openwriting License .  

01  Overview 01:  Welcome to Openwriting

02 Overview 02: MLA Document Format

03 Overview 03: The English 101 Portfolio

04 Overview 04: Major Writing Assignments

05 Assignments 01: Narrative Essay

06 Assignments 02: Expository Essay

07 Assignments 03: Compare-Contrast Essay

08 Assignments 04: Argument Essay

09 Assignments 05: Writing Process Analysis Essay

010 Assignments 06: Short Writing Assignments

011 Composition 01: The Writing Process

012 Composition 02: Generating Ideas

013 Composition 03: Organizing a Writing Plan

014 Composition 04: Thesis Statements

015 Composition 05: Developing Details and Evidence

016 Composition 06: Introductions and Conclusions

017 Composition 07: Editing and Revising

018 Composition 08: Proofreading

019 Grammar 01: Introduction to Grammar

020 Grammar 02: Sentence Fragments

021 Grammar 03: Run-Ons and Clause Coordination

022 Grammar 04: Subject-Verb Agreement

023 Grammar 05: Possession

024 Grammar 06: Tense

025 Grammar 07: Capitalization

026 Grammar 08: Comma Usage

027 Grammar 09: Pronouns

028 Rhetoric and Research 01: Introduction to Rhetoric

029 Rhetoric and Research 02: Introduction to Research

030 Appendix 01: Sample Writing Assignments

031 Appendix 02: Grading Standards

032 Appendix 03: Glossary

033 Appendix 04: Exercise Solutions

034 Appendix 05: Readings