Why Use a Citation Manager?
Citation or reference management tools allow you to maintain a "personal library" of references, citations, and documents.
Citation managers enable researchers to:
- Capture and organize reference and citations
- Automatically create in-text references, bibliographies and footnotes in a variety of citation styles, MLA, Chicago, APA, etc.
- Manage collections of various types of research materials, including citations, charts, documents, PDFs, links, equations, etc.
- Import citation information directly from the Library's Catalog, online indexes and databases, and the Web
- Share your library of citations with other researchers
Which One Should I Use?
The Bowdoin College Library provides assistance with four citation managers, EndNote desktop, EndNote Web, Zotero, and EasyBib. (Bowdoin College has a site license for EndNote desktop.) Choosing a tool to use depends on your individual research process, methods, and needs. In the chart below we have listed the most common uses for citation management tools and have provided our recommendations to meet each need.
| I want to | We recommend you use.. | Because... |
| Generate a bibliography of a few print resources | Easy Bib........... Zotero.................. |
For MLA style Will work on Firefox, but you have to download a plug-in |
| Quickly learn a citation manager for MLA if you need other styles |
EasyBib............... |
For MLA only If you need any other styles |
| Work from several computers on and off campus | Both tools are web-based and do not require that the manager be loaded on the computer | |
| Work offline | EndNote Desktop | EndNote resides on your computer's hard drive |
| Do a major research project with many citations | EndNote Desktop | EndNote allows for an unlimited number of citations and storage capacity is based on the available space on a computer. EndNote is best for managing large libraries of citations. |
Help and Instruction
Individual instruction and workshops are available throughout the year.
Spring Workshops
(all workshops will take place in the ECR, basement HL Library)
EndNote
Tues., Feb. 12: 3PM-4PM
Mon., Feb. 25: 3PM-4PM
Tues., March 5: 2PM-3PM
Zotero
Thurs., Feb. 7: 3PM-4PM
Wed., March 6: 11AM-12PM
If you would like to register for the classes above, please contact Karen Jung, 725-3311
For questions about EndNote and citation managers or to arrange an individual session, please contact:
Karen Jung
Mike McDermott
Sue O'Dell
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