Reference Management Software: An Introduction to Zotero and Mendeley by V. Sriram. In Two day Workshop on Academic Writing and Publishing, The Kerala State Higher Education Council, October 24-25, 2014.
Reference Management Software: An Introduction to Zotero and Mendeley
1. Reference Management Software:
An Introduction to Zotero and Mendeley
V. Sriram
Chief Librarian, K.N. Raj Library
Centre for Development Studies
Thiruvananthapuram
India
email: vsrirams@gmail.com
2. Contents
Literature – What and How to manage
Basics of referencing – What and Why
Reference management software
Zotero – Features
Zotero –– WWoorrdd iinntteeggrraattiioonn
3. Literature
Research requires engagement with
literature at each and every stage starting
from exploring the topic to submission of the
paper / theses / report.
Researchers gather a huge mound of
literature in the research pprroocceessss aanndd aarree
often shocked to find that they are not able
to manage it well.
Making literature manageable involves
assessing their relevance, systematically
keeping track of the sources, and maintaining
notes / annotations
4. Managing Literature
Systematic gathering of sources:
Using proper tools to gather literature –
Google Scholar, Journal Databases, …
Creating bibliographic records and making it
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Organizing by topic, subject, research area…
Linking the soft copy full text for easy
retrieval
Assigning a unique primary-key for print
items.
5. Managing Literature
Annotation / Notes:
Incorporating the following -
Author and the audience
SSuummmmaarryy
Critical comments
Notes on relevance
6. Referencing
What is referencing?
It is a method used by the researchers to
demonstrate that they have conducted a
thorough and appropriate literature search,
and reading. To accurately aacckknnoowwlleeddggee
other people's work and ideas when writing
your own work, you need to use a
referencing style. There are many types of
referencing style such as Chicago Style, MLA,
MPA …
7. Referencing
Need for referencing
Accurate referencing reflects good academic practice
and enhances the presentation of your work: it
shows that your writing is based on knowledge and
informed by appropriate academic reading.
You need referencing to ensure that anyone reading
your work can trace the sources you have used in the
development of your work, and give you due credit
for your research efforts and quality.
If you do not acknowledge another writer's work or
ideas, you could be accused of plagiarism.
8. Reference management software
To record the details of all the information
you find. You will need these details to
provide accurate references, and to enable
you to locate the information again at a later
date
BBeenneeffiittss::
search easily for a particular reference to
which you need to refer back
print or save lists of references
insert citations into your document and
automatically produce a bibliography in
whatever style you require
9. Zotero
Free – Open Source
Platform independent
Works Offline and Online
Over 6700 rreeffeerreenncciinngg ssttyylleess
Data Sharing
26 fields
34 Types of Sources
Linking full text / pdf
Integration with MS-Office / Open Office
31. Mendeley
Free – Open Source
Platform independent
Works Offline and Online
Over 6789 rreeffeerreenncciinngg ssttyylleess
Data Sharing
66 fields
19 Types of Sources
Linking full text / pdf
Integration with MS-Office / Open Office