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Zotero

A guide to using Zotero, a free tool for collecting information about your research sources and creating citations.

Getting Started: Zotero Online Introduction

What is Zotero? It's an open-access, easy-to-use citation software and reference management tool that allows you to collect, organize, cite, and share your research sources. Zotero allows you to save and cite sources from the library, research databases, and the internet.

Zotero Online Video Series

Downloading Zotero (https://www.zotero.org/)

This video will show you how to download Zotero and the Zotero Connector to your computer as well as show you how to create an online account.

Setting your Preferences in Zotero

This video demonstrates how to set your preferences like your choice of citation style guide and which account you would like to sync your Zotero library with.

Increasing full text gathering in Zotero by adding Ohio University to the OpenURL advanced preference setting

By adding Ohio University's OpenURL, you will increase Zotero's ability to identify Ohio University Libraries' full text subscriptions and gather the full PDF to your library.

Steps to add Ohio University to the OpenURL:

  1. In the Zotero software, click on Edit and then Preferences
  2. Navigate to Advanced within Zotero Preferences
  3. Under OpenURL, click on the drop down menu and click on "North America" and then "Ohio University"
  4. Save preferences

Screenshot below demonstrates what to look for in Zotero's Preferences

screenshot of edit zotero preferences, advanced preferences, click on OpenURL, and select ohio university

Pulling Citations from ArticlesPlus into Zotero

This video will walk you through how to bring citations into Zotero from ArticlesPlus, one of our most popular databases.

Pulling Citations from Google Scholar into Zotero

This video will demonstrate how to pull citations into Zotero from a Google Scholar results list.

Pulling Citations from Desktop into Zotero

If you have PDFs already saved to your computer this video will show you have to pull them into Zotero.

Manually Input a Citation into Zotero

This video will demonstrate how to put a citation into Zotero on your own, if you are not importing from a a database or some other source.

Increasing full text gathering in Zotero by adding Ohio University to the OpenURL advanced preference setting

By adding Ohio University's OpenURL, you will increase Zotero's ability to identify Ohio University Libraries' full text subscriptions and gather the full PDF to your library.

Steps to add Ohio University to the OpenURL:

  1. In the Zotero software, click on Edit and then Preferences
  2. Navigate to Advanced within Zotero Preferences
  3. Under OpenURL, click on the drop down menu and click on "North America" and then "Ohio University"
  4. Save preferences

Screenshot below demonstrates what to look for in Zotero's Preferences

screenshot that demonstrates directions: edit zotero preferences, advanced, click on OpenURL to select Ohio University in the drop down menu

Organizing your Collections in Zotero

This video will describe your collection (folder) options within Zotero, including shared/collaborative collections.

Using Tags to Organize in Zotero

This video will describe how the tagging feature works in Zotero and will demonstrate how you create your own tags for your records.

Using Notes to Organize in Zotero

This video shows you how to add notes to your records.

Using the Related Feature and PDF Marks in Zotero

This video explains how the related feature works as well as demonstrates how Zotero saves your PDF mark ups.

Getting Zotero in Microsoft Word and Google Ribbon

Before you can cite as you write in Microsoft Word and Google Documents with Zotero, you must first have the Zotero plug in in your ribbon (toolbar) within these writing programs. This video will show you how to ensure the Zotero plug in is in your ribbon.

Understanding Zotero Functionality in Word and Google

This video will describe the functionality of each button of the Zotero plug in so you can use the plug in to cite as you write.

Adding Citations to Word and Google with Zotero

This video will show you how to insert citations into your writing document using the Zotero plug in (cite as you write) and then how to create your reference list (bibliography) at the end of your document.

Citing with Drag and Drop and Export with Zotero

This video will show you how to create a reference list (bibliography or citation list) by dragging and dropping your records into a writing platform as well as how to create a bibliography via export.

Entire Zotero Online Workshop

This video has all 16 segments of the Zotero Online Workshop combined, in order and looped, if you would prefer to set back and watch in sequence.

Why Zotero

Zotero is useful from the start of your college career! 

1. Zotero is free: it comes at no additional cost to you even after you graduate from college 

2. Research can be organized quickly and easily: extensions can be downloaded on your browser of choice; safari, firefox, and chrome

3. Zotero can be synced across multiple devices: The cloud based version can be downloaded onto multiple devices

4. Easy sharability: Private and public groups can be created and you can add members to view/ add resources 

5. Adding citations is easy: when using word processers like Word and Google Docs adding/editing citations is easy with the Zotero Connector that should automatically appear in your menu

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Subjects: Interdisciplinary