Thing 16: Reference management tools

Building a reference list is not the cumbersome chore it once was. Reference management systems enable you to save, store and manage your bibliographies while you’re searching for information across databases and web based resources. A reference management tool can also insert in-text citations as you write up your research, thus automatically building your reference lists. Use these time saving tools as personal libraries and even as sites of collaboration with other researchers. In this week’s post we look at four particular tools:

EndNote, Zotero, RefWorks and Mendeley.

EndNote

EndNote is a desktop program that allows you to store, file and search bibliographic references, PDFs and images. It has a unique ‘Cite While You Write’ functionality that inserts citations and bibliographies into your written work. It is freely available to students and staff of the University of Melbourne for both PC and Mac.

Your EndNote Library is a fully searchable database that you can annotate with research notes, which is great for literature reviews.  You can link PDFs of articles to the relevant EndNote reference and also annotate these PDFs stored in your library. One of EndNote’s major strengths is its stability; it rarely fails. It has a cloud based back-up system in Endnote Online and is supported by the University of Melbourne Library, which means you can go to classes and clinics, access guides and get online help when you have questions.

Endnote X7 imports PDFs and citation information directly from a folder on your desktop: great when you are finding articles through social media or other ‘non-traditional’ sources.

 Try this: Set your PDF handling options and import a PDF into your Library.

Zotero

Zotero is a free, open-source program that can be used to create, store and organise references into folders. You can attach PDFs and other files to references in your library and insert citations into Word, Google Docs and Open Office. References can be tagged and sorted to allow advanced searching.

Versions of Zotero

• Zotero for Firefox is a browser extension enabling you to capture and organise references without leaving Firefox. A plugin is needed to insert citations into Word documents.
• Zotero Standalone is a separate program downloaded to your computer and can integrate with Firefox, Chrome or Safari. Word plugins are included.

An advantage of Zotero is that you can export lists of articles (and PDFs) or books from many major databases and websites with just a few clicks. It’s also useful for exporting references from less traditional resources like websites and wikis. You can also set up a Zotero web account to sync your library from any location.

Try this: Set up a Zotero group – either public (open to all) or private (invite only) – to share your references with others.

Zotero: Useful resources

RefWorks

RefWorks is a cloud-based application that allows you to store, organise, search and retrieve bibliographic references in a web-hosted account. Like other reference management tools, it works with Word to insert citations and create a bibliography. Access is free to Melbourne University students and staff and, unlike with Endnote, the free access continues after you leave the university.

Refworks:

• Useful resources
• Access Refworks and help through the University of Melbourne Library Homepage

Try this: If you have a RefWorks account, see if you can share a reference with a friend. Change the settings so they can see some of your folders.

Mendeley

Mendeley is a free application comprising two components – Mendeley Web and Mendeley Desktop – that allow you to generate citations and bibliographies in Microsoft Word, OpenOffice and LaTex. You can add and organise PDFs in your library from your computer, as well as import PDFs from other reference management tools such as EndNote, Papers or Zotero. PDFs can be read and annotated using sticky notes and highlighting tools.

Mendeley’s strength lies in its networking and collaboration functionality. Researchers can collaborate securely online to share papers, notes and annotations with peers and can network and discover papers, people and public groups. Users can form groups that can be either public or private. Public groups are open for new members to join and share resources and communicate with each other.

As with most contemporary reference tools, Mendeley can sync your library via the web, iPhone or iPad.

Mendeley: Useful resources.

Further Comparisons

• The Technical University Munich: Reference Management Software Comparison, June 2013.
• Wikipedia: Comparison of Reference Management Software.

 Mary-Louise Edwards, Sarah Charing, Bernard Lyons, Kristijan Causovski and Ben Gilmour.

If you’re interested in learning more, the University Library offers a number of different classes for researchers on reference management programs. Coming up in August is ‘Which Reference Manager?’, which compares EndNote, Refworks, Zotero and Mendeley. We also have a class that looks in more detail at Mendeley for researchers and, course, we have a whole series of classes throughout the year for EndNote users.

Are you using a reference management program? If so, which one do you prefer and why? Any recommendations for other programs?

Mark Shepheard