Citation Management with Zotero

Zotero 7.0 is the current version of Zotero. It's a standalone program, or "client," not a browser extension.

The installation takes place in two steps. You can follow them at the Download Zotero link:

1. Download Zotero for your operating system.
2. Install Zotero Connector for the browser or browsers you use. Connectors are available for Firefox, Chrome, Safari.

If you'd like to use Zotero with other browsers or on mobile, you'll need the Zotero Bookmarklet.

Open up Zotero and go to Edit → Settings to make some basic modifications to Zotero's functionality.

• Sync (this is important!)
  • If you haven't already done so, enter your account information to ensure your Zotero library automatically syncs online and to any other computers on which you've installed the client. Zotero stores a copy of your library on the Zotero.org server and check it for updates whenever you open your library on a different computer. All your computers must be running the same version of Zotero and be configured to sync to the server.

• Export 
  • Set your default citation style using the drop-down menu.

• Cite
  • ​Under Styles, use the Get additional Styles... link to add any citation styles not currently listed in the Style Manger.
  • Under Word Processors, install the Microsoft Word and/or LibreOffice add-in, so you can cite as you write.
     

You may also want to modify the size of the standard display font. To make this change, go to View → Font Size.

Zotero offers a Lookup tool to help you get to the full-text of articles for which you have only a citation in Zotero. Located on the right side, near the bottom of the icon list is a black arrow in a circle pointing to the right.  The lookup drop-down menu includes Google Scholar by default, but you can add our library's full-text linking, too. This works just like the Get It @ UMassD button in our library databases. 

1. Go to Edit → Settings and choose the "General" tab.
   
    

2. Under "Locate," in the "Base URL" box, paste this link: 

   https://umassd.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/openurl/01MA_DM_INST/01MA_DM_INST:umassd_library?

    

3. Your settings should save automatically.

One of the best features of Zotero is the way it automatically pulls in digital files, such as PDFs. Zotero offers 300 MB of free storage; after that, they have a tiered pricing plan.

Zotero strongly recommends you backup your data in addition to syncing it.