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Zotero for starters

Introduction

Explanatory note

Please note: the University of Birmingham currently supports and advises on the use of EndNote not Zotero.  The simpler, web-based EndNote Online (used with EndNote 20) or EndNote Web (used with EndNote 21) is supported for students on undergraduate (UG) and taught postgraduate (PGT) courses. EndNote Desktop is a separate, downloadable software programme supported for doctoral (PhD) and other academic researchers and staff. 

This guide is for information for anyone investigating or using Zotero.  Enquiries regarding use or problems encountered with Zotero should be directed to the provider[s] or through user support channels (see below).

Zotero

Zotero is an open-source referencing software programme which can be downloaded from the web page (depending on your administration rights for your laptop or other equipment).

Zotero homepage

As with other programmes, you can store references from many sources in Zotero, and combine it with Word (or Google Docs) to add citations and generate bibliographies (reference lists) to documents. 

The browser extension saves many individual items effectively, as well as multiple items from bibliographic databases such as Ovid group, EBSCO, Proquest.

Free storage in Zotero up to 300MB is available.  For more storage space, users need to take out an individual subscription or be part of a limited group (lab) or wider institutional package

Syncing is available as described in the Zotero syncing pages.

An excellent guide to using Zotero has been produced by Jason Puckett of Georgia State University Library in the USA.

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