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Citation Management Software
Citation Managers are software applications that allow you to:
Use the chart below to choose the correct application for you:
Zotero | RefWorks (New) |
RefWorks (Legacy) |
EndNote (Desktop) |
EndNote (Basic) |
Mendeley (Desktop) |
Mendeley (Web) |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Description | Web-based tool and standalone software that helps you collect, organize, share and cite sources | Web-based bibliography and database manager that allows you to create your own personal database by importing references from text files or online databases and other various sources. | Older version of RefWorks | Citation management software that helps you collect, store, organize and cite sources | Web-based service that helps you collect, organize, share and cite sources | Reference manager and academic social network that helps you organize your research, collaborate with others online, and discover the latest research | Online version of Mendeley (limited features) |
Best For | Small or large research projects | Large research projects (thesis, book) written using your own computer | Smaller research projects, and when internet access is more reliable than access to a specific computer | Cost | Free for everyone | Free download through the library with Hunter e-mail and group code | Citation management software that helps you collect, store, organize and cite sources | Web-based service that helps you collect, organize, share and cite sources | Reference manager and academic social network that helps you organize your research, collaborate with others online, and discover the latest research |
Sharing | Yes - set up groups, share libraries | Yes - share citations through folders | Yes - share citations through folders | Yes - through included EndNote Web account | Yes - create groups to share lists | Yes - use groups to share | |
Download software? | |||||||
Work offline? | |||||||
Integration with Word Processors? | Yes - download plugins for Word and OpenOffice to create in-text citations and bibliographies | Yes - Write-n-Cite plugin allows integration with MS Office | Yes - Write-n-Cite plugin allows integration with MS Office | Yes - create in-text citations and bibliographies with Cite While You Write plug-in for Word | Yes - create in-text citations and bibliographies with Cite While You Write plug-in for Word | Yes - download plugin for Word integration | |
Import citations from databases? |
University of Texas Libraries guide to Citation Managers.
For a more in-depth comparison see this Citation Management Software Comparison Chart