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Using Zotero

  

    Zotero is available as a desktop application software and a web-based library.

Desktop Application Web-Based Library Quick Bibliography
Must be downloaded and installed. No download necessary - just create an account on the Zotero website. No download necessary. Use on a web browser.
The Zotero desktop app is the primary way of using Zotero and offers complete functionality. When people talk about “Zotero”, they're almost always referring to the desktop app. The Zotero web library is a complementary tool for accessing your Zotero data when you're away from your main computer or using a platform that can't run Zotero (locked-down institutional computers, some Chromebooks, etc.). The web library also allows you to share a Zotero library publicly with people who might not use Zotero. ZoteroBib can be used to create a citation or bibliography on the fly. No sources are collected.
There are certain features exclusive to the desktop application that can be found here. The web library can be used without the desktop application for basic bibliography creation making it easy to use across computers and locations. ZoteroBib can be used on any browser making it easy to use.

Creating a Zotero Account

Creating a Zotero Account

 

1. Go to zotero.org  

2. Click on Log In in the top right hand corner.  

3. Click Register for a Free Account above the sign in boxes.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. Fill in the registration form and click Register.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Check your email to verify your account.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

6. If you are using the desktop software, follow the steps on the Email Verification page to set up your Syncing between Desktop and Web applications. (If not, you’re all set to just use the web!)  

 

Visual Guides to Zotero Desktop Application

The Powerpoint presentations below provide step by step instructions for downloading and using the Zotero desktop application.

Note: The Powerpoints will download to your browser and must be opened and saved to your computer.

Using Web-Based Zotero

The "Magic Wand" button is in the toolbar above your list of sources. When a link is pasted into that box, Zotero will automatically pull information about the source into a new citation.

Screenshot of the Zotero software with a link pasted into the Magic Wand button box

The created citation will open on the right side of the screen so you can review the information.

Screenshot of a new citation imported into Zotero

If the information is not accurate, you can click on the text that needs to change to make edits. The box will turn blue to show it is in edit mode.

Screenshot of the information about a source in Zotero

If the "Magic Wand" button is unable to create a citation or if you are collecting information on a source that is not digital, you may have to enter the citation manually into Zotero.

To start, you must click the + button in the toolbar and select the type of source you are citing. This is an essential step because Zotero will customize the form for you to create your citation to include the necessary details. For example, a newspaper will have a different list of details than an interview.

Begin entering all of the information you have about the source in the form on the right side. NOTE: You do not need to use every field provided by Zotero. Enter as much as you can and that is relevant for your study of the source.

At the bottom of the citation, enter a note in the Abstract field. This information is valuable for 1) reminding yourself of important aspects of the source, 2) summarizing the source content, 3) connecting the source to others in your collection.

 

By creating folders, you can organize your citations into meaningful categories.

To create a folder, click the + sign next to your library name on the left side column.

You can create multiple individual folders or you can create sub-folders nested under one another.

One of the key features of Zotero is being able to create in-text citations and bibliography references.

1. For in-text citations, select a single or multiple citations (select a citation, click "shift" on your keyboard, and then click another citation to select a range). Then click the button that looks like text + a quotation mark.

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2. In the new window that pops up, you will see an in-text citation(s) in the selected style in the blue box. To change the style, click the name of the citation style (here pictured as Modern Language Association). Copy and paste the in-text citation(s) into your paper.

3. For bibliography citations, select a single or multiple citations (select a citation, click "shift" on your keyboard, and then click another citation to select a range). Then click the button that looks like a shelf of books.

4. In the new window that pops up, you will see the citation(s) in the selected style in the blue box. To change the style, click the name of the citation style (here pictured as Modern Language Association). Copy and paste the citation(s) into your paper.

1. Add a citation manually

2. "Magic Wand" function creates a citation via link or other digital identifier

3. Create a standalone note that will exist in your list of sources

4. Add the selected citation(s) to a collection

5. Remove the selected citation(s) from a collection

6. Delete the selected citation(s) from your library

7. Export the selected citation(s) to a different file type

8. Create in-text citation(s)

9. Create bibliography reference citation(s)

10. Open a new menu to click "View Online" or "Duplicate Item"

In the information menu for each citation (select a citation and see the menu on the right), there are multiple options to add information about the citation to add value to your collection.

 1. Info: This is the tab which holds your citation information. 

2. Notes: In this tab, enter additional information outside of the Abstract field in "Info". In shared libraries, these notes can be added by multiple people.

3. Tags: Tags can be added to each citation to group them by topic. For example, tags like "college life" or "zine" or "student government".

4. Attachments: Content like PDF's, screenshots, or related URLs can be added in this tab. NOTE: The web-version has a very low storage amount so this feature is better used in the desktop version.

5. Related: You can create "relationships" between individual citations.

Temporary Bibliographies: ZoteroBib

ZoteroBib can be used to create a citation or bibliography on the fly. This is a valuable tool for those who do not need to collect sources into a library.

1. Paste a link or other item identifier for a source into the box on ZoteroBib. Click Cite to create a citation.

Screenshot of citation creation link on ZoteroBib

2. If you do not have a digital identifier or there is an issue with ZoteroBib collecting the information, click the "Manual Entry" button to select an "Item Type" and enter the information into a standard form.

Screenshot of the manual entry form on ZoteroBib

3. Drop down the blue menu box to instantly change the citation style. Once you have added all of your sources, click the "Copy to Clipboard" button to paste into your paper.

4. If you need to share the link to the bibliography with others, click the "Create" button underneath "Link to this version". You can "Copy URL" to paste and share with others or "View" to review it first.

Screenshot of "Link to this version" function on ZoteroBib