Create Citations Using Reference Managers

Do you ever wish you could click a button that would instantaneously create citations and references for your papers? Believe it or not, reference managers can help you format references quickly, maybe even with the click of a button.   

There are many reference managers out there to help you save and format search results using your preferred citation styles. Some of them cost money, and others are free to use and download to your computer. These reference managers make it easy to save articles and books, take notes, and format both your citations and references, which can be imported directly into your Microsoft Word documents. At Idaho State University you can gain access to Endnote Online, and everyone can freely access the programs Mendeley and Zotero.

It may take some time up front to learn how to use these reference managers, but once you have learned the basics, you can begin saving yourself time and organize your sources more quickly. They also make it easy for researchers to collaborate with other researchers, because you can share folders of sources with others in the group

The library has created several guides to help you get started. Each guide includes instructions on downloading or creating accounts, videos, and other helpful tips to help you become a master at documenting and organizing your sources with these powerful online research tools.

Take a look at the guides:

• Zotero

• Mendeley

• Endnote Online

If you have any questions or want additional help with these resources, contact a librarian.