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Citation and Reference Management

Choosing a Reference Manager

There are some questions you might ask yourself before choosing a reference manager:

  • Is the tool free or paid?
  • Do you prefer open source or proprietary software?
  • What kind of user support is available for the tool?
  • What operating system do you use, and which tools work on it?
  • Which word processor do you use, and which tools support it?
  • Which web browser do you use, and which tools have extensions for it?
  • What are your friends, collaborators, or PI using?

Comparing Reference Managers

Comparison of reference managers supported by the OHSU Library
Software Cost Online PDF Storage Open Source Browser Integration Word Processors Mobile Apps
EndNote Provided by OHSU Library Unlimited No EndNote Click

Microsoft Word
Word Online
Google Docs
OpenOffice
Apple Pages

iOS
Zotero Free 200MB Free Yes Zotero Connector

Microsoft Word
LibreOffice
Google Docs

iOS
Android (in beta)

 

Other Considerations

The completely redesigned Zotero 7 launched in August 2024

  • The new version has many improvements
  • As might be expected with redesigned software, there have been bugs, but there has been a steady stream of updated releases
  • At the moment (September 2024), Google Docs users seem to be reporting more problems than users of other word processors are
  • Many plugins are no longer supported in this version

Reasons to choose EndNote over Zotero

  • Works with more word processors
  • Has more advanced citation and bibliography features
  • Bulk reference de-duplication is built-in (Zotero requires installing the Zoplicate plugin) and supports moving duplicates to another library, which may be useful for tracking duplicates during systematic reviews

Reasons to choose Zotero over EndNote

  • Better features for sharing libraries with others (EndNote can sync/share only one library per person)
  • The Browser Connector
  • Zotero is open source
  • Zotero users will always have access to the desktop software, even after leaving OHSU

Reasons to try more than one citation manager

  • Your choice of tool may be limited by what external collaborators have access to
  • Your instructor or PI may require you to use the tool they choose
  • Your chosen software may go out of production
  • See Wikipedia's comparison list of reference managers for a detailed listing of all available software and comparison of important features

Learn More and Get Help

The Library offers introductory workshops during Fall, Winter, and Spring terms. OHSU Members are welcome to take both.

Need more than beginner assistance with the features your reference manager offers? Meet with a librarian.

Is your citation manager broken and you need technical support? Reach out to the developers.

  • EndNote users should reach out to EndNote Support; OHSU's site license entitles all members to free technical support
  • Zotero users should search the Zotero Forums for posts from other users having the same problem, and create a new post if none are found. Be prepared to generate a Debug ID so the developers can investigate your problem.