LibGuides: Writing & Citing (APA, MLA etc.): Bibliography Software (Citation Managers)

Citation Management Tools

Below you will find a list of citation managers, including RefWorks which is paid for by the library. Citation managers are a great way to store, organize, and cite your references. At the bottom of the page, you'll find a citation manager comparison chart to help you choose the best manager for you.

RefWorks This link opens in a new window
- This link opens in a new window
A reference management service that supports the needs of students and faculty. Users can collect and import references and full-text, organize and save references, generate bibliographies and citations, and integrate with Word and Google Docs.
The purpose of these tools is to simplify the process of documenting sources in a research paper, master thesis, or other project requiring references. Users can create and manage collections of references using a web browser, import references from a number of online databases, create bibliographies that can be inserted into word processing documents, shared among colleagues, and more.
To learn more about the new RefWorks, go to the New RefWorks Guide.

Refworks Help Guide
This guide walks you through the steps of creating a New or Legacy Refworks account, creating a bibliography, and provides links to tools you can use with Refworks.
Zotero
Zotero is a free, easy-to-use tool to help you collect, organize, cite, and share research.
Mendeley
In addition to storing and organizing references, Mendeley offers a social research network, and tools to find funding and careers.

Citation Managers Comparison Chart

	Refworks	Mendeley	Zotero
Cost	Free after creating an account. You keep access after graduation.	Free after creating an account. Additional cost for some features.	The main version is free. Additional storage can be purchased for a fee.
Access	Online	Online or Install Software	Online or Install on your computer
Word Processor Compatibility	Word with Write-N-Cite Plugin; Google Docs with Add-On	Word; Latex with BibTex	Word; LibreOffice; Latex with Bibtex; Google Docs
Add Notes to References	Yes	Yes	Yes
Share REferences with others	Share folders with other Refworks users or export references to share (can share file attachments).	Share folders with other users.	Share folders with anyone.
Link to Full text	Yes	No	Yes
Annotate PDFs	Yes	No	No
Duplicate Reference Detection	Yes	Yes	Yes
Storage Limit	No Limit	2GB with Free Account	300MB with Free Version

[Adapted from Temple University]

University Library

Writing & Citing (APA, MLA etc.)

Citation Management Tools

Citation Managers Comparison Chart