Citing Sources

The current version of Zotero is Zotero 7. If you're unsure which version you have installed, go to About Zotero from the menu.

Need to update? Go to Help > Check for Updates.

Download & installation

1. Download Zotero and Zotero Connector (browser extension) from zotero.org
   • Note: Be sure that Microsoft Word is closed during installation so that the Word plugin will install correctly
2. Create a free Zotero account at zotero.org/user/register
3. Set up syncing:
   1. PC: Edit > Settings > Sync > Data Syncing (check your preferred boxes)
   2. Mac: Zotero > Settings > Sync > Data Syncing (check your preferred boxes)
4. Sign in to your Zotero account to begin syncing your library and associated files
   • Note: If you're concerned about storage, you can choose to download files as needed

Recommended setup

1. Under the General > Miscellaneous section in settings, uncheck the Automatically tag items with keywords and subject headings box if you wish to create your own tagging system (this will also reduce unwanted clutter)

2. Under the General > Locate section in settings, add the following URL to the Base URL field: https://duke.userservices.exlibrisgroup.com/openurl/01DUKE_INST/01DUKE_INST:Services. This will allow you to link the Duke Libraries catalog when looking for full-text PDFs.

3. Under the Cite > Word Processors section in settings, check the Use classic Add Citation dialog box. This allows you to see your entire library when adding a citation into your work as opposed to manually searching by keyword.

Basics

1. Install Zotero Connector in your browser to easily add references from the web (e.g., databases, Google Scholar, library website) into your Zotero library. Works in Firefox, Chrome, Edge, and Safari browsers.
2. Want to share your library with classmates or colleagues? Log in to your free Zotero account and click on Groups to begin sharing libraries.
3. Use tags and collections to organize your references by class, topic, or project.
4. Use Zotero to easily add citations into your writing use Microsoft Word and Google Docs. No more manually typing out your bibliographies!

Advanced

Helpful plugins

For a full list of compatible plugins, check out the Zotero Plugins Directory. To manage your plugins, simply go into your settings and they will be listed under the menu on the left side.

Bulk editing metadata

Sometimes you need to change the same error across multiple records, such as replacing "U.S. Environmental Protection Agency" with "EPA" across your entire library. You can do so using the Bulk Edit Script—no plugin necessary! Open the JavaScript editor that comes with Zotero (Tools > Developer) and use one of these prewritten scripts.

Citation styles

You can edit citation styles within Zotero using the built-in Zotero Style Editor (Tools > Developer > Style Editor). However, it requires understanding of Citation Style Language (CSL) markup. There are several tools that can help validate edited CSL styles:

You can find a full list of 10,000+ citation styles supported by Zotero in the Zotero Style Repository.

Librarian contacts

Haley Walton (Social Sciences) haley.walton@duke.edu	Science Librarians askscience@duke.edu

Zotero Help