​Zotero is an open-source citation management software. It can be used to store and organize sources and to easily create citations and reference lists in MS Word and Google Docs.
Download Zotero and create an account at zotero.org. In addition to the desktop version, you can download a browser extension to whichever Internet broswer you are using. This is optional but allows you to quickly save digital sources to your Zotero library, rather than having to manually add source information.
The Zotero desktop is where you can access and organize your sources. From here, you can add sources by typing in source information or by the source's ISBN or DOI number, organize sources into folders and subfolders, and search for sources by tag. You can also access your group libraries, though group libraries must first be created at the Zotero website.
When you download Zotero, an extension will be added to MS Word if you have it. In Google Docs, the extension will be added if you download the browser extension. These word processor extensions allow you to easily generate in-text citations and reference lists.
To export source information from your RefWorks account into Zotero:
In Refworks, select "Share," then "Export References."
Select "All References" and keep the format as BibTeX, then click "Export." These should save to your downloads folder as "export.bib"
In the Zotero Desktop, select "File," then "Import..."
Find the export.bib file that was downloaded from RefWorks. These will save into a folder called "export" in Zotero. Note that this will only transfer the citations themselves and will not keep any folders from your RefWorks account.
For help with or questions about Zotero, contact the Research & Instruction Librarian.
