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Zotero

This guide provides a basic overview and introduction to using the Zotero citation manager.

Adding items to My Library with Zotero Plug-In

Import an item using the Zotero browser plugin/extension

  • Pros: One-click addition, can add webpages and other media easily, works with most browsers
  • Cons: Must have Zotero Desktop open, Must sync with desktop to work properly, preferred browser is Firefox, Safari, or Chrome

Basic Instructions on Importing Using Zotero Plug-in

  1. Open Zotero Desktop on your computer. Open the Chrome or Firefox browser and make sure your Zotero plug-in icon is in the upper right corner. You should also make sure your account is synced. Select the General Library in your Zotero Desktop. 
  2. In your browser window, go to the article you would like to add to Zotero as a source. Usually, this will be the page with the most citation information. The Zotero plug-in icon will change depending on the source you find. For example, an article will change in the Zotero icon to a sheet of paper icon.
  3. Click the Zotero plug-in icon in your browser window. A pop-up should confirm that the item as been added to your Zotero library. If you selected a folder before clicking the plug-in, that is where your item will be saved to in Zotero Desktop.
  4. Look in your Zotero Desktop and confirm the source's citation information has been saved.

Zotero video

Other ways to add items

This link to the Zotero documentation offers many options for adding various types of items to your Zotero library without using the plug-in.

Here is the help page with info on the Library Lookup/OpenURL feature: https://www.zotero.org/support/locate

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