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Zotero: Creating Bibliographies

Create a Bibliography from Zotero

  1. Start by selecting the references or collections you wish to include.
  2. Hold the 'control' key to select multiple items at once. 
  3. Right-click a selected item and select create bibliography. 
  4. Choose the bibliographic style and choose which format to save the file: either as RTF or HTML, copy to clipboard, or print. 

Tip: Drag and drop the references directly from Zotero into a document and the references will turn into to formatted citations. This feature works with all word processors, including Google Docs

* Always check automatically generated references as they may not be perfect.

Creating a Bibliography While Your Write

Zotero offers plugins for Word and OpenOffice. 

The plugin adds a toolbar to both word processors. It will either be located under the 'Add-Ons' tab or 'Zotero' tab in the word processor. This tool bar makes it easy to add citations directly to the document while writing.

To add a citation: 
  1. Click the 'Add/Edit Citation' on the Zotero toolbar.
  2. A dialog box will appear. Search for the citation in this dialog box and select the reference.
  3. To add a page number to the citation, click into the citation in the dialog box and edit the page number field in the citation.
  4. To add another citation, click after the first citation in the dialog box and repeat step 2.
To insert a bibliography:
  1. Place the cursor where the bibliography should appear. 
  2. Click 'Insert Bibliography' in the Zotero toolbar.
  3. A bibliography will be generated from the citations present in the document. 

To change citation styles click 'Document Preferences' icon.

Zotero Word Processor Plugin Directions provides further instructions on how to cite while writing. 

 

Additional Bibliographic Styles

While Zotero comes with the most common bibliographic styles, additional styles are available for download at the Zotero Style Repository. Only Firefox users can install a new style to Zotero Online.

To install a style in Zotero for Firefox:

  1. Open the Zotero Style Repository in Firefox.
  2. Search for the citation style needed.
  3. Select the title for the style and a box will appear asking 'Add citation style to Zotero?,' select 'OK.'
  4. The citation style should now be available in Zotero online.

To install a citation style in the Zotero desktop app:

  1. Open the Zotero Style Repository.
  2. Search for the citation style needed.
  3. Select the title for the citation style and it will start downloading.
  4. Open the downloaded why in the downloads bar. 
  5. A popup should now appear in the Zotero asking to install the style, click install.
  6. The citation style should now be available in the Zotero app.

Annotated Bibliographies

There are two citation styles in the Zotero Style Repository that can be used to create annotated bibliographies. Search the repository for annotated and choose either the Chicago or APA styles. 

To use Chicago:

  1. Enter the annotation in the 'Extra' field of the Zotero reference.
  2. Select a citation in the Zotero library, right click and select "Create Bibliography" using the Chicago annotated style to copy/paste, OR
  3. Generate the bibliography within a document using the Chicago annotated style.

To use APA:

  1. Enter the annotation in the "Abstracts" field.
  2. Select the citation in the Zotero library, right click and select "Create Bibliography" using the APA annotated style to copy/past, OR
  3. Generate the bibliography within a document using the APA annotated style.