Typical questions

• • Are there any tools that will automatically format my references into APA style?

• • How can I share my references with other people in my group?

Starting points

• Reference management tools provide a place where researchers can effectively collect, organise, store and format bibliographic references to books, journals, papers and websites, etc. They can save time and effort as lists of references (and in some cases PDFs) can be directly exported from commercial journal databases. The best services automatically format citations into specific styles (such as APA and MLA), which can be output as a bibliography.

• This section introduces a selection of well-known commercial and free examples. Technology changes rapidly so more are being developed all the time. Students may need assistance in choosing the right tool for their needs.

• Particular things they may want to consider are:

• • Levels of local support. Does the university provide free access/training and trouble-shooting for any specific tool?

• • Software compatibility with existing equipment.

• • Capacity – does the free version offer enough storage space?

• • Availability of specific citation styles. Some free services have limited numbers.

• • Accessibility – is it desktop, web-based or requiring the use of specific browsers?

• • Collaboration – does the tool allow the sharing of information between groups?

• • Remember that students who enquire about reference management tools may also benefit from the general advice about Citing, Referencing and Plagiarism given in this book.

Recommended resources

EndNote and EndNote Web (Subscription) [Specialist]

www.endnote.com

Well-known commercial product that works particularly well with the Web of Science. EndNote is a sophisticated desk-based tool. It can be used alongside EndNote Online, which stores references in the Cloud. Libraries can be synchronised so they appear in both versions or the student can use either independently. Its website offers factsheets, tutorials and a user forum.

Mendeley

www.mendeley.com

Service aimed at researchers that provides access to a catalogue of all the references in every Mendeley user's library. Very easy to upload and store PDFs. While the main service is free, those requiring additional storage may have to pay.

RefWorks (Subscription)

www.refworks.com

Web-based commercial service. Website includes tutorials and free trials.

Zotero

www.zotero.org

Free system produced by George Mason University. Available as an extension for the Firefox web browser or as a standalone.