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Citing Sources

:

Citation Tools

Links to online and print citation style guides and citation management tools.

Basics

  Zotero
Zotero
 Mendeley
Mendeley
 ProQuest RefWorks logo
ProQuest RefWorks
 EndNote
EndNote
Cost Free ($ for more cloud storage) Free for basic edition Free to BC students, staff, faculty & alumni Cost paid by individuals, labs, or departments
Access Desktop app,  browser plugin, & web account

Desktop app & web account

 Web account

Desktop app & web interface
Availability after BC Free Free Free as long as BC maintains subscription; otherwise RefWorks Lite At cost
Help Guides BC Zotero Guide Mendeley Tutorials BC RefWorks Guide Endnote Training
Help Contacts

steven.runge@bc.edu

chris.strauber@bc.edu

 enid.karr@bc.edu

kwasi.sarkodie-mensah@bc.edu

steven.runge@bc.edu

enid.karr@bc.edu

 enid.karr@bc.edu

Core Functions

  zotero logo
Zotero
 Mendeley
Mendeley
 ProQuest RefWorks logo
ProQuest RefWorks
 EndNote
EndNote
Adding References
  • Import via browser plugin from library catalog, databases, web, or via doi
  • Import bibliographic files
  • Auto-retrieval from pdf files
  • Import via browser plugin from library catalog, databases, web.
  • Import bibliographic files.
  • Auto-retrieval from pdf files
  • Export directly from catalog & databases; add manually from web
  • Import bibliographic files
  • Auto-retrieval from pdf files
  • Import from catalog & databases; reference capture from web 
  • Import bibliographic files
  • Auto-retrieval from pdf files
Creating citations
and bibliography

Add via plugins to

  • MS Word
  • Google Docs
  • LibreOffice

Add via plugins to

  •  MS Word
  • OpenOffice

Add via plugins to

  • MS Word
  • Google Docs

Add via Cite-While-you-Write to

  • MS Word
  • OpenOffice
Collaborating
  • Share group libraries via syncing or online
  • Public or private
  • Shared groups for citations
  • Limited sharing for pdf's
  • Share folders or projects with other RefWorks users
  • Public sharing available
  • Share library with up to 100 other EndNote desktop users
Storage
  • Desktop: unlimited
  • Cloud: 300mb free, more for fee
  • Desktop: Unlimited
  • Cloud: 2GB free, more for fee
  • New Refworks: unlimited
  • Legacy Refworks: 5gb
  • Unlimited

Strengths & Weaknesses

  zotero logo
Zotero
 Mendeley
Mendeley
 ProQuest RefWorks logo
ProQuest RefWorks
 EndNote
EndNote
Key Strengths
  • Open Source
  • Robust notes
  • Public folder sharing
  • Robust pdf organizer + pdf annotation
  • Crowd-sourced citation database
  • Influence metrics
  • Sharing to specific accounts, to whole institution, or publicly
  • Web-based; no syncing or backup
  • Ease of adding references
  • Comprehensive styles
  • pdf annotation
  • Unlimited file storage
Disadvantages
  • Support limited to online documentation & user groups
  • Limited storage
  • Recently bought by Elsevier
  • Institutional account web-based only, with no export option
  • Inconsistent support
  • Bugs & workarounds, e.g. footnotes challenging, plug-in installation sometimes challenging
  • $$$