Zotero Citation Manager: APA, MLA, Chicago

Citations for Google Docs

One of Zotero's strengths is the variety of citation styles that it can generate. The most common citation styles (APA, Chicago, and MLA) are included in the initial installation of Zotero. To create citations, follow the steps below:

Open your Zotero Library - go to the options menu and choose the citation style you are using for your paper.

Select a reference - hold down the shift key and drag it into your Google Doc at the location you would like to insert a citation. Do this for each item you would like to cite.

Return to your Zotero Library - then highlight all references that you want to include in a bibliography.

Select the option "Create Bibliography from Items..." - a new window will launch where you can choose your citation style (MLA, Chicago, etc.)

Choose the option "Copy to Clipboard" - your bibliography will be ready to copy to your document.

Paste your bibliography - be sure to review and edit the bibliography for any spacing, readability, and formatting issues. Zotero is great, but not perfect!

Citations for Microsoft Word

Navigate to the location of your citation -  the citation will be placed exactly where your cursor is, so be careful!

Click on the insert citation button - see the pictures on this page for examples on Mac or Windows. Your first citation will launch the options box for the document, which can be accessed later as well.

Start typing the information for your citation in the red box - Zotero will search for your item in your library while you type. You can type the author, title, or any other information that is saved in your Zotero library. Choose the item you are citing.

Add any other information to your citation - by clicking on the citation in the red Zotero box you can add dates, page numbers, or notes to your citation. You can also add multiple citations at once by searching for another item in your Zotero library. Once you have finished, hit enter to add the citation.

Add your bibliography - Add a page break and click on the Zotero Insert Bibliography option. Zotero will now automatically add any citation you add to your bibliography, including keeping it in alphabetical order. You can add your bibliography at any time during your writing process.

For additional styles, visit the Zotero Style Repository