Organizing Resources with Zotero

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We live in an exciting time with almost unimaginable quantities of information at our fingertips. The production of information in many formats shows no signs of slowing down, meaning growing amounts of information in a rapidly changing digital environment. That is intimidating for seasoned researchers, not to mention undergraduate students building new digital and information literacy skills. 

This summer, librarians at the ACU library reviewed and reconfirmed Zotero as the recommended citation management tool for the ACU campus. The Scholars Lab is committed to providing instruction and support for students, faculty, and staff using Zotero to organize information. 

If you're unfamiliar with Zotero, here's an overview of what it can do: 

  • Collect a journal article or other resource with one click
  • Organize sources in groups and folders
  • Share sources with teams
  • Rapidly create reference lists and bibliographies in Word
  • Sync data to access your Zotero library from any computer

See Zotero's official website at https://www.zotero.org/ 

Compared to other similar tools, here are some of the reasons why we like Zotero: 

  • It's free. No one loses access or work after graduating or moving to another school. 
  • It works with virtually any operating system and Web browser. 
  • It's easy to learn. Zotero is a powerful tool, but it doesn't take long to learn its features. 
  • It's not profit-driven. Your information won't be shared or sold. 

We think you'll be pleased with how much time Zotero can save you. 

Zotero is installed on all the computers in the ACU library. To use Zotero on your personal computer, install Zotero standalone, the add-on for your preferred web browser, and the add-on for Microsoft Word. See our guide for installation instructions and other tips: http://guides.acu.edu/Zotero

For assistance with Zotero or to schedule Zotero instruction in your class, contact Avery Weems at avery.weems@acu.edu 

 

Do you use something other than Zotero to manage your resources? Leave a comment and tell us about your experience.