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Zotero: Citation Manager

Using Zotero

Now that you've created a Zotero account, you can start using it to save time during your research process. Most of our databases will let you automatically connect with Zotero at the click of a button, and you can also always add references by hand. This page will walk you through these processes.

Make sure that your Zotero Library (the part on your computer) is open in the background when you're using the browser connector or working in MS Word.

Connector: Save Citations into Your Zotero

Saving one article:

  1. When you want to save an article, click on the     in the top right corner of your browser.
  2. That's it, your article citation (and pdf when available) should now be in your Zotero library.

Saving multiple articles:

  1. When there are several articles on a page that you want to save, click on the      in the top right corner of your browser.
  2. In the window that opens, select the articles you want to save and click OK.
  3. That's it, your article citations (and pdfs when available) should now be in your Zotero library.

Saving one article:

  1. When you want to save an article, click on the     in the top right corner of your browser. 
    Item page in Smart Search, Zotero Connector browser extension is saving citation information and pdf to Zotero Library.
     
  2. That's it, your article citation (and pdf when available) should now be in your Zotero library.

Saving multiple articles:

  1. When there are several articles on a page that you want to save, click on the      in the top right corner of your browser.
  2. In the window that opens, select the articles you want to save and click OK.
    Smart Search results page, Zotero Connector browser extension is showing a list of the items it can save.
     
  3. That's it, your article citations (and pdfs when available) should now be in your Zotero library.

Add Item by Identifier (aka the Magic Wand)

You can add citations using an identifier like the ISBN, DOI or PubMed ID:

1. Locate the PubMed ID, DOI, or ISBN for the item you want to add to your library.

2. Open your desktop Zotero library.

3. Click on the "magic wand" directly above the list of stuff in your library.

4. Copy & paste (or type) the identifier, then hit enter.

5. The citation should now be in your library.

 

You can add citations using an identifier like the ISBN, DOI or PubMed ID:

  1. Locate the PubMed ID, DOI, or ISBN for the item you want to add to your library.
    Detailed record in PubMed, PMID is highlighted.
     
  2. Open your desktop Zotero library.
  3. Click on the "magic wand" directly above the list of stuff in your library.
  4. Copy & paste (or type) the identifier, then hit enter.
    Desktop Zotero Library "add item" button is selected, and the PMID is pasted into the search box.
     
  5. The citation should now be in your library.
    Item that was added to Zotero library using the "add item" button and PMID is highlighted.

 

RIS Export to Zotero (e.g. for Scopus, SciFinder, AccessPharmacy)

Scopus: Use the RIS export option to add citations to your library

  1. Select the citations you want add to your library.
  2. Click RIS export.
  3. In the window that opens if you want to import items into Zotero, select OK.
  4. The citations should now be in your library.

Note: once you set this up, it should be automatically remembered going forward.
 

AccessPharmacy or AccessMedicine: Use the RIS export option to add citations to your library

  1. Click on Get a Citation at the top of the chapter.
  2. In the window that opens click RIS (Zotero) to download the citation file.
  3. Open the Zotero library on your computer.
  4. Click File > Import.
  5. In the window that opens, click continue.
  6. Choose the .ris file from your downloads folder.
  7. Under options, deselect Place imported collections and items in new collections, then click Continue.
  8. That's it, click Done to return to your Library!

Scopus: Use the RIS export option to add citations to your library

  1. Select the citations you want add to your library.
  2. Click Export.
    Scopus search results page, one item selected and the export button circled.
     
  3. In the window that opens select RIS Format and then Export. 
    In Scopus export document settings window, RIS format selected.
    In Scopus document export process, Zotero Connector is prompting automatic file import.
     
  4. The citations should now be in your library.

Note: once you set this up, it should be automatically remembered going forward.
 

AccessPharmacy or AccessMedicine: Use the RIS export option to add citations to your library

  1. Click on Get a Citation at the top of the chapter.Access Pharmacy, chapter of an ebook, select Get Citation.
     
  2. In the window that opens click RIS (Zotero) to download the citation file.In Access Pharmacy, get citation window. 
  3. Open the Zotero library on your computer.
  4. Click File > Import.
  5. In the window that opens, click continue.
    Zotero library, import window. 
  6. Choose the .ris file from your downloads folder.
    Zotero library, select RIS file from Download folder.  
  7. Under options, deselect Place imported collections and items in new collections, then click Continue.
    Zotero library, unselect "place imported items in new collection," click continue.  
  8. That's it, click Done to return to your Library and see the item you added! Zotero library, with the record for the imported Access Medicine chapter highlighted.

Manually Add a Citation

Here's how you manually add something to your zotero library:

  1. Open your desktop Zotero library.
  2. Click on the green       at the top of your library.
  3. Choose your item type (journal article, etc.).
  4. Fill in its citation information.
  5. That's it, you've added that item to your library.

Here's how you manually add something to your zotero library:

  1. Open your desktop Zotero library.
  2. Click on the green       at the top of your library.
  3. Choose your item type (journal article, etc.).Zotero library, manual add menu of all potential item types is displaced. 
  4. Fill in its citation information.
  5. That's it, you've added that item to your library.

Add a PDF

Automatically get citation information by adding a PDF.

  1. Find the pdf of the article you want to add to your Zotero library (check your downloads folder).
  2. Drag it over your Zotero library in order to add it.
  3. Zotero will automatically go search for the item metadata and create a record with the information you need for a citation.

Note: There are a couple options if Zotero doesn't automatically find the metadata:

  1. Right click on the pdf you've added to Zotero and click Retrieve Metadata for PDF. 
  2. If the metadata can't be found, right-click on the PDF, choose Create Parent Item, and then manually fill in the item's information.

Hard to Save Sources

Some sources are hard to save to Zotero - when this happens it's often because either the website doesn't have useful metadata (citation information) for the Connector to gather, or it's a highly specialized source type that's not included in Zotero's item list. Here are our recommendations for when that what's saved in Zotero isn't what you need for a citation:

  • Manually choose the item type and add as much information as you can.
  • Edit the individual reference in your MS Word document using the Add/Edit Bibliography button.
  • Put the whole correct citation in the item title field and remove all other field information. This way when you use cite this source, you'll see the correct citation (or what Zotero considers the title) - since it's the only information included. This is especially useful for pharmacy resources.

You'll always want to double-check against the style handbook/manual and any additional guidance your professor has given you.

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