What is Zotero?
Zotero (now Zotero 7.0) is a free downloadable citation manager that easily grabs information from the web. Zotero allows users to save, organize and share references. You can also insert properly formatted citations directly into documents using Zotero's Word add-in.
Basic Zotero Setup
To get started with Zotero, complete the following 5 steps:
- Register for a free Zotero account.
- Download Zotero 7.0 AND a Zotero browser connector.
- Activate/pin your browser connector.
- In Safari:
- Open Safari, after you have downloaded the Zotero app.
- On the top menu, click Safari → Preferences.
- In the Preferences dialog box, select Extensions.
- Check the box next to Zotero to activate extension.
- In Chrome:
- Open Chrome, after you have enabled the Zotero plugin for Chrome.
- Click the puzzle piece icon near your address bar.
- Click the pin next to Zotero to easily access the plugin in the Chrome menu bar.
- In Safari:
- Set up Sync.
- Important: Input your Zotero username and password (what you created on www.zotero.org).
- Ensure Word plugin, included automatically with Zotero download, is working optimally. It should have downloaded automatically. If you don't see the Zotero menu in Word, try quitting and restarting Word. If issues persist, review Zotero's troubleshooting guide.
Capturing Online Data
Firefox, Safari, Edge, or Chrome users can easily capture online references and import them into Zotero by clicking Zotero’s browser icon, located near the address bar. If Zotero recognizes the “type” of item displayed on the screen, an item specific icon appears. For example, a folder icon represents a bibliographic list, a book icon represents information about a specific book, a document icon represents a specific article and a webcam icon represents a video.
Downloading Additional Citation Styles
The Zotero client comes with several popular citation styles pre-installed, such as APA, Chicago and MLA.
If you need to use a style that does not come pre-loaded in Zotero, just…
- Navitage to www.zotero.org/styles on the computer on which Zotero is installed.
- Search for your desired style.
- Select the style you want.
Connecting Zotero to W&L’s Holdings
To take advantage of Zotero’s Library Lookup function, you must add an openURL resolving link to your Zotero 7.0 client. Follow the below procedure:
- Open the Zotero app (what lives on your computer).
- Select Edit on the top horizontal menu, then choose Settings.
- In the resulting pop up box, select General.
- Scroll down to the subheading Locate.
- Copy and paste the following address into the Base URL field: https://wlu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/openurl?institution=01WLU_INST&vid=01WLU_INST:01WLU&
- Simply close out of the Preferences window.
Using Zotero in the Sciences
Zotero easily integrates with your word processor of choice ; but, some additional steps are required to ensure citations comply with scientific convention. For example, some scientific words must be italicized—such as Latin names of species.
If a title in your Zotero library contains a word/phrase that requires a particular style when included in a bibliography (when outputted from Zotero into your word processor), you must insert pre-designated HTML codes in Zotero.
CITATION EXAMPLE:
Article Title:
Silk gene transcripts in the developing tubuliform glands of the Western black widow, Latrodectus hesperus
In the above example, to ensure that Latrodectus hesperus remains italicized when included as a citation or bibliographic entry, the title must be written as <i>Latrodectus hesperus</i> in your Zotero library.
See the full list of rich text formatting tags at www.zotero.org/support/kb/rich_text_bibliography.
Troubleshooting Zotero
Having a problem setting up or using Zotero? Review Zotero's Getting Help page and/or review the Zotero Forum.
Still need help? Email library@wlu.edu, jump on the library's chat service, or submit an asynchronous ticket if the service is not currently staffed.