Cloud-Based Tools for Organizing Your Citations

Resources

RefWorks

A subscription product available to all LaGuardia faculty, students, and staff for free.

  • Many library subscription databases (and Google Scholar) allow users to export their citations right out of the database and into RefWorks
  • Has a plugin that allows users to insert citations into Microsoft Word as they work
  • Allows users to capture and import in-text citations on the fly, as they search (Firefox and Internet Explorer only). Users can also import citations manually
  • Lets users share folders, making it a solid collaboration tool. It can also be used to share citations with students
  • Integrates with Library subscription databases, showing a Find It! button that connects users to the full-text versions of their captured citations. Users can also upload full-text versions of articles and attach them to citations. The advantage of the uploaded full text is that the user knows it will always be available
  • Has a mobile site available at www.refworks.com/mobile
  • Supports an impressive number of citation styles, in addition to the most common ones. Also allows users to create custom styles.

Zotero

The browser-based client allows users to move seamlessly between finding content and then capturing it.

  • Uses browser-based plugins that allow users to import scholarly content on the fly.
  • Lets users annotate and organize article records. Users can also import citations manually.
  • Has over 2,800 citation styles
  • Has a robust collection of plugins to add functionality. One plugin allows Zotero to integrate with word processors, allowing users to insert citations from their Zotero library as they write.
  • Lets users create and join groups to facilitate the sharing of content; also allows users to follow each other
  • Offers 300MB of free storage, with the option to purchase more
  • Lets users drag-and-drop articles into its database, automatically extracting metadata from PDFs
  • Has some third-party mobile tools.

Mendeley

  • Uses browser-based plugins that allow users to import scholarly content on the fly
  • Lets users annotate and organize article records. Users can also import citations manually.
  • Lets users create and join groups to facilitate the sharing of content; also allows users to follow each other
  • Has a plugin that allows users to insert citations into Word as they work
  • Has an iOS app
  • Supports an impressive number of citation styles, in addition to the most common ones. Also allows users to create custom styles
  • Lets users drag-and-drop articles into its database, automatically extracting metadata from PDFs
  • Offers 1GB of free storage with the option to purchase more.

CiteULike

  • Lets users annotate and organize article records. Users can also import citations manually.
  • Uses browser-based bookmarklets that allow users to import scholarly content on the fly
  • Lets users create and join groups to facilitate the sharing of content; also allows users to follow each other
  • Has limited citation export formats, but includes major ones like MLA, APA, Chicago, and Turabian. There are more options on the paid tier.