Is Zotero right for you?

Zotero is a free, open source program created by a nonprofit organization.

  • Do you use different computers when doing research?
    • Zotero allows you to create an online account, so you have to access your work anywhere you have internet access.
  • Do you need to share your research with others?
    • Zotero allows you to create or join groups to collaborate remotely.
  • Do you need to occasionally work without internet access?
    • Zotero has a desktop version.  You can sync your desktop library with your online account when you have internet access and are able to login to your account.
  • Do you like to mark up documents that you read?
    • You can add notes to and highlight documents. 
  • Are you using the Office 365 click-to-run version of Word?
  • Are you fairly "tech savvy"?
    • Zotero hosts a forum to assist users with troubleshooting issues with Zotero.  If you are not comfortable troubleshooting minor software issues, Zotero may not be the best tool for you. 

Overview

How to start:

  1. Go to Zotero's webpage: www.zotero.org.
  2. Download Zotero to your computer.
  3. Install a Zotero browser connector for every browser you intend to use.

How to use:

  1. Open Zotero on your computer
  2. Conduct research using your connected browser
  3. Click on the icon in your browser bar to save documents to your "library": or

See these pages for more detail:

Adding items to your Zotero library

Adding files to your Zotero library

Zotero 6 video tutorials