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Citation Managers

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Citation Managers

Citation management (aka reference management) tools enable you to:

  • Import citations from databases, catalogs, PDFs,  etc., often through a browser plug-in
  • Store and organize references and/or PDFs in either a desktop or online account
  • Find duplicate citations
  • Add notes or annotate your citations
  • Create in-text citations and bibliographies in Word and sometimes Google Docs using different citation styles (e.g. APA 7, NLM)
  • Share your library and collaborate with colleagues

The Health Sciences Library supports two citation managers, Zotero and Sciwheel:

  Zotero Sciwheel
Features
  • Desktop is primary version, some capabilities through the web interface
  • Word and Google Docs plug-ins for document citation formatting
  • Browser plug-in or direct formatting to add references to document
  • Notes and highlighting capabilities for PDFs
  • Web-based
  • Word and Google Docs plug-ins for document citation formatting
  • Browser plug-in or direct formatting to add references to document
  • Notes and highlighting capabilities for PDFs
Storage
  • No storage limit on desktop version
  • Limited storage (300 MB) on web interface
  • No storage limit
Access
  • Freely available to all; can continue using if you leave UVA
  • UVA-funded subscription to Premium version
  • If you leave UVA you can use the free Basic level or purchase Premium subscription for full functionality
Sharing
  • Create private or public group libraries through the web interface that appear in the Desktop app
  • Invite others to a Shared Project and upload shared manuscripts and notes as well
Support
  • Zotero does not provide technical support but help is available through their active online user forum
  • Guidance is available through the Health Sciences Library (Ask Us Form)
Additional Information
  • Zotero tips: see below
  • Sciwheel tips (see below)

Help

Guidance for UVA Health faculty, staff, and students is available by appointment. Just Ask Us via the link on the left - we are happy to provide help via email, phone, or in-person for:

  • Assistance choosing a citation manager
  • Basic guidance on citation management features and getting started (for Zotero and Sciwheel only)

Note: we are unable to provide assistance with citation managers other than Zotero and Sciwheel but many commercial citation management programs offer support to their users:

Zotero Guide

Zotero Guide

Getting Started

Zotero consists of an app/software and a browser plug-in. You can also create a free Zotero.org account that will a) allow you to create Groups within Zotero (e.g. to share references with another user and b) perform simple Zotero tasks through its web interface.

  1. To begin, download Zotero here. Follow the instructions to install the desktop application for your OS.
  2. From the download page, under Zotero Connector, Install Chrome Connector or click "Connectors for other browsers" to find your preferred browser. 

Help

Using Zotero with Literature Databases

1. PubMed (and many other databases) via the Zotero Connector

  • The Zotero Connector works well in most library databases. Make sure to:
    • have the Zotero desktop application open when planning to capture records
    • choose the folder you'd like to import references into
  • When viewing records in PubMed, a folder icon will appear in your browser bar. Click on it to see the references displayed on your screen. Note that if you use PubMed's checkboxes to select records in PubMed, those selections will also appear in the Zotero popup window. Or you can select records of interest in the Zotero window.

2.PubMed via Direct Export

  • If you'd prefer to export a large number of PubMed records at once, you can do so through this method:
  • Perform your search in PubMed
  • Click Send to ---> Citation Manager --> All results --> Create file
  • This will save a file with a .nbib extension. Double-click the nbib saved file and the references should be imported into your Zotero

3. Exporting from Ovid MEDLINE or Ovid journals

  • Click Export and under Format, choose RIS
  • Double-click your downloaded RIS file and it should open in Zotero

4. Exporting from CINAHL

  • Add citations to your Folder, and in Folder view, click Export, then choose Direct Export in RIS format (e.g. CITAVI, EasyBib, EndNote, ProCite, Reference Manager, Zotero)
  • Double-click your downloaded RIS file and it should open in Zotero

5. Exporting from other databases or database collections

  • This guide from Tufts has directions on exporting from many different library literature databases.

Using Zotero at UVA

While using Zotero off-Grounds, you may want to configure your settings to help you retrieve full text articles. Click on Edit, Preferences, then Proxies. Then select the option to “enable proxy redirection” and under Configured Proxies add the uva proxy: https://proxy1.library.virginia.edu/login?url=

Retrieving PDFs through Zotero

Right-click on a single citation (or multiple citations) and select Find Available PDFs. Once retrieved you'll see a small PDF icon in each row of the citation display. Or, after selecting citations, click the green arrow at the top of the page, then select Library Lookup. Windows will now open in your browser for each citation in the library's Journal Finder, with links to full text or options to order through Interlibrary Loan. 

Note that the Find Available PDFs does not retrieve all of the library's licensed content.

Organizing your Content in Zotero

Items in your libraries can be organized into folders (called Collections in Zotero), and/or tagged. Tags can be colored to make it easy to scan your library for certain tags. See this guide on Collections and Tags to learn more about how to manage your content in Zotero.

Creating Notes and Annotations

You can create Notes on each Zotero record, and/or annotate your PDFs. You can pull your notes, annotations, and screen captures from PDFs into a single note. Read more about annotating and highlighting. 

In-text Citations and Bibliographies

Zotero can be used to add citations throughout your paper as you write, and generate a bibliography at the end of the paper. This guide contains a nice overview of that process. Note that Zotero contains thousands of styles for different journals and publishers. You can also create stand-alone bibliographies with Zotero.

Using Zotero and Google Docs

Zotero works with Google Docs: see their guidance. Look at Limitations and Troubleshooting sections as there are some things that work a little differently than Word, you must have the Zotero Connector installed, and if you copy and paste citations without the Connector installed they will be unlinked. Dragging citations within the document will cause citations to become unlinked. Cutting and pasting should be fine as long as the Zotero Connector is installed.

 

Zotero Troubleshooting

Chrome Errors

In years past some students trying to add the Zotero browser extension for Chrome get an error saying "we are sorry but you do not have access to this services" (see below). Below we've copied the UVA University Library's advice troubleshooting.

A screenshot of the Chrome error message that loads when you try to add the Zotero browser extension, stating "We are sorry, but you do not have access to this service. Please contact your Organization Administrator for access."

This error message is the result of changes in the Chrome Web Store settings which were implemented by Google for all "Google Workplace for Education" users (including everyone that has a UVA Gmail account). Below we've outlined several workarounds.

Logging Out of Chrome

Since this is an issue with the UVA Gmail account, the easiest solution is to simply log out of that account in order to add the connector to Chrome. Note that you can be logged in to another non-UVA Google account, or not logged in to an account at all when installing the Zotero Connector. Therefore, log out of the UVA Gmail account in Chrome, install the Connector, and then log back in.

Change Browsers

Zotero Connector works with all major browsers, and only Chrome (and only while logged in using a UVA Gmail address) blocks the installation. Firefox, Edge, and Safari are all options.

Other Errors

The Zotero Forums are a great place to search for answers to Zotero issues, or to pose a question.

Sciwheel Guide

Sciwheel Guide

Getting Started with Sciwheel

  • Access Sciwheel site while on Grounds, though this UVA proxied link, or via the UVA VPN
  • Click on Create Free Account Now and use your UVA email to sign up for an account
  • Once in Sciwheel, at the top, under Tools, you will see links to add:
    • Chrome or Firefox extension - this tool allows you to grab references from within your browser (e.g. while viewing PubMed results) 
    • Word plugin 
    • Google Docs add-on

You can also install the mobile app for Android and iPhone.

Using Sciwheel from off-Grounds

  • When using Sciwheel off Grounds, you can add UVA's proxy address into your settings to enable you to retrieve UVA full text subscriptions.
    1. Sign in to Sciwheel and click on your initials in the upper right, then click on Account
    2. Click on Proxy settings from the left menu
    3. Under Proxy URL *, copy and paste this text: https://proxy1.library.virginia.edu/login?url=https://sciwheel.com/
    4. Click on Save

Troubleshooting

If you cannot access SciWheel or get error messages, check below to see if one of these steps can help:

  1. If you get an "account expired" message:
    1. If you have been using SciWheel from off-Grounds for more than 60 days (called off-campus roaming by SciWheel) you will need to "reset" the off-campus roaming counter. You can do this by:
      1. Using your laptop and SciWheel while physically on Grounds
      2. Accessing your SciWheel account while using the UVA VPN
      3. Accessing your SciWheel account through the UVA SciWheel link 
    2. If unable to resume normal access, email Sciwheel support or use the Sciwheel chat icon while in SciWheel F1000Workspace Support Message/Chat Button

Help and Support

Tutorials:

Sciwheel Support: