Created by Gumberg Library Reference from Duquesne University

1. Citation Management
Sampler
An overview of popular citation management tools
January 28, 2014

2. Gumberg Library’s status
• Our subscription to RefWorks will expire on June 30, 2014.
• Variety of citation management tools available, both free and at
cost.
• We will offer assistance with transitioning to several in the coming
months.
• Which one should you use?

3. RefWorks (Institutional Subscription)
• The current citation management system supported by Gumberg Library
• Web-based
• Stores references
• Formats them in hundreds of different styles
• Generate bibliographies
• Need to download and install the Write-N-Cite feature
• Format a paper with in-text citations and bibliography

4. Transitioning to Other Citation Management
Tools from Current RefWorks Account
• You CAN export your RefWorks database to other Citation Management
Software.
• You CANNOT export your Attachments; you will have to do that
manually.
• If exporting to a non-RefWorks alternative, you must take extra steps to
maintain your folder structure.

5. 4 Citation Management Alternatives
• RefWorks (Individual Subscription)
• Zotero
• Mendeley
• EndNote

6. RefWorks (Individual Subscription)
• Costs $100/year
• Same features as RefWorks (Institutional Subscription) EXCEPT:
• Attachments is NOT a feature for Individual Subscriptions
• The Find It link to full text in Duquesne databases will NOT appear

7. RefWorks (Individual Subscription)
Pros
• Most of the same features and
strengths of RefWorks
(Institutional)
Cons
• Cost = $100/year
• No Attachments feature available
• No Find It link available
• Same weaknesses as RefWorks
(Institutional)

8. Zotero
• Web-based
• Free
• Download to your browser
• Works with Firefox, Chrome, and Safari

9. Zotero
• Can add a Zotero “connector” to Firefox, Chrome, and Safari
• Features
• Stores sources
• Formats them in a variety of styles
• Generates a bibliography
• With a free account, can sync with your other devices

10. Zotero Pros/Cons
Pros
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Free
Web-based
Easy to add sources
Plug-ins for Word/Open Office
Syncs with Zotero cloud and
other devices
Cons
• Must install browser connector to
capture database/DuCat citations
• Not user-friendly with IE, which
is the DU default browser
• Must install Zotero Stand Alone
software on any computer you
use

11. Mendeley
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Free and web-based
Focused on community, research sharing
“Crowd sourced literature discovery”
Tools for annotation
“Find relevant papers based on what you are reading”
Great for collaboration

12. Mendeley Pros/Cons
Pros
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Free
Web-based w/ Desktop Version
Web Import, Drag & Drop
Ease of adding PDFs
Social Media for Research
Plug-ins for Word/OpenOffice
Made to interface with Google Scholar
Mobile access
Cons
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Syncing
Exporting (catalogs & databases)
Less intuitive than Zotero, RefWorks
Renders citations poorly
Cannot generate bibliographies
independently

13. EndNote
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Installed on desktop, but can access and manage from anywhere
Stores large number of sources
Creates bibliographies in over 5,000 styles
Can format paper with Cite While You Write (like Write-N-Cite)
Opens, annotates, and searches PDF files
Can share references

14. EndNote
Pros
• Best option for storing large
libraries
• Formats papers and bibliographies
in thousands of styles
• Allows storage and annotation of
PDFs
Cons
• Not web-based; has to be installed
on computer
• Cost

15. Citation Generators
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Meet the citation needs of many undergrads
Generate citations and immediate bibliographies (in MLA or limited styles)
Not always correct, but give a place to start
EXAMPLES:
• EasyBib
• BibMe
• NoodleBib

16. Comparison of Features
• Comparison Chart handout
• RefWorks and EndNote are citation tools
• Zotero and Mendeley are research tools that include a citation manager as
one of their features

17. Demos

18. Further Exploration
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RefWorks
• Choosing a Citation Manager, University of Washington
Zotero
• Citation Managers: Comparison of Features, UWM
Mendeley
EasyBib
EndNote
• Tool Comparisons, Harvard Library
• Comparison of Reference Management Software, Wikipedia
• Link to Research Guide for Comparison (Gumberg)

19. The Right Tool for You
• Review the different options available
• Select the software that meets YOUR needs
• Gumberg Library will be providing resources and training to help you make
the transition

20. Questions?
Emily Cantin, MLIS
cantine@duq.edu
412.396.6133
Leslie Lewis, MLIS
lewisl1146@duq.edu
412.396.5342