Research Guides: Writing in the Health and Social Sciences: Citation Management and Formatting Tools

Citation Management Tools Enable You To...

Import citations from databases, websites, catalogs
Organize citations using folders and tags
Attach PDFs, images, etc. to your citations
Annotate your citations and/or PDFs
Output auto-formatted bibliographies and in-text citations (APA, MLA, & hundreds more styles)

How do I choose the right tool?

It depends on your personal needs and preferences. This comparison list can help.

Library Classes

Bobst Library offers (one-shot) classes that cover citation management, data use and management, high performance computing, and general research skills.

Sign up for a library class
Citation Management Software, Data Services, HPC Classes, Readiness, Health-Sciences-Specific, & Grad-Student-Specific.

Just need to format a few references?

KnightCite
Free and simple online citation building tool from Hekman Library at Calvin College.
ZoteroBib
A free and quick citation tool from the makers of Zotero.

How Do I Choose? class handout

How Do I Choose?
Handout from the library workshop: How Do I Choose?

Citation Management Tools

For help choosing a citation management tool:

See comparison list

For help using a citation management tool:

See schedule of RefWorks, EndNote, and Zotero classes (coded in pink)

EndNote
NYU has a campus-wide license to this software, which you download (at no cost to you) to your laptop or desktop computer. The software includes a less developed web-based component called EndNoteWeb, which can be used to sync across multiple personal computers.
RefWorks
NYU purchases a campus-wide subscription to this web-based service that covers all members of the NYU community. Because RefWorks is web-based, you can use it from any Internet-connected computer/device on campus or off.
Zotero
A free download that works with your web browser. There are two options: Zotero for Firefox is a Firefox-specific extension that offers the full range of functionality. Zotero Standalone -- a separate browser-independent application that can be used with Chrome, Safari, or Opera -- offers slightly less functionality than the Firefox extension.

Features and Functionality of Citation Management Tools

EndNote:

Access: Software download;* free**
Adding References: Import citation information from online databases, library catalogs, and web pages (if using web component)
Output: Create in-text citations and bibliographies
Collaboration: Share references with others; share PDFs (up to 17 group members);**** publicly share profile and citations
Storage: Unlimited

RefWorks:

Access: Web-based; free**
Adding References: Import citation information from online databases, library catalogs, and web pages
Output: Create in-text citations and bibliographies
Collaboration: Share references with others
Storage: 5GB

Zotero:

Access: Software download;* free
Adding References: Import citation information from online databases, library catalogs, and web pages
Output: Create in-text citations and bibliographies
Collaboration: Share references with others; share PDFs (unlimited group members);**** publicly share profile and citations
Storage: 300 MB cloud based and unlimited on desktop***

Notes:

*While these tools are not Web based, meaning you need to download a desktop application, they do have a web component (which can be used without being on the desktop download and which can be synced with the desktop).

**NYU Libraries licenses the use of RefWorks and EndNote for NYU students and faculty.

***Can pay for a more robust subscription, but the basic package is free.

****PDFs may be shared in private groups (size of group depends on tool, as does the amount of free storage available for PDFs).