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Zotero

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Introducing Zotero

Zotero is a free Firefox, Chrome, and Safari extension that helps you collect, manage, and cite your research sources.

What Is Zotero?

Zotero [zoh-TAIR-oh] is a tool that helps you collect, manage, and cite your references. Zotero automatically updates itself to work with new online sources and new bibliographic styles.

If you don't need a full citation manager and just have a few citations & bibliographic entries to copy/paste, try ZoteroBib.

Zotero was built and is supported by the Center for History and New Media at George Mason University.

Zotero 1: Introducing Zotero

Zotero 2: Download, Install, Register, & Synchronize

Download it!

Download at zotero.org

zotero.org will open in a new window.

Zotero and ChromeBooks

With a ChromeBook you have 3 options:

  1. Easiest with low functionality: Use zoterobib to find and copy/paste formatted citations.
  2. Moderately Easy, moderate functionality: Go to zotero.org and log in (or set up an account and log in) to use the online web library version. You'll still be able to send article info directly to zotero with a web connector after enabling. Things you can't do: annotate or sync pdf's, integrate with MS Word or Google Docs.
  3. Advanced, full functionality: Set up Linux on your Chromebook, and install Zotero using terminal commands. Some people have had the problem that installation seems to work but then the icon does not appear in the overflow (apps) menu.

MS Word Installation Problems?

Installing the Zotero desktop version should automatically add the Zotero plugin to Microsoft Word. Once in a while it doesn't work. After downloading and installing, check your MS Word toolbar: is "zotero" there? If so, great! If not, first try quitting MS Word and rebooting your computer. If it still doesn't appear, check this Zotero documentation about how to correct the problem.

Google Docs Problems?

The first time you use Zotero with Google Docs, it will ask for permissions; say yes. After this, it may get caught in a seemingly endless updating spiral. Solution: quit your browser and restart. Zotero should then function normally.

Credit & License

Creative Commons License
This guide is adapted from one originally created by Jason Puckett and licensed by Georgia State University Library under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 United States License. Jason's original guide is also available online.

Need help using Zotero?

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Steve Runge
he/him/his
Contact:
Senior Liaison for English Literature & Asian Studies
O'Neill Library 314
Boston College
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
617-552-2183

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