Setting up and using Zotero

Download and make an account

Zotero has three components, the standalone programme, the browser extension, and the web app,
which includes the Web Library. Download the program and then download the extension. Using
Safari, whilst possible, is not recommended.

This will install the standalone onto your home screen, and the browser extension into whichever
browser you are using.

Zotero will also install an extension into the tool bar of your chosen word processor.

Create an account by registering on the website. This allows you to sync data across your library and
the browser extension. You need an account to use the web app and Web Library, which enables
you do things like make and join groups. The web library is useful as you can access it on any device.

Zotero settings
When you first install Zotero, it will probably be set to retrieve snapshots
and available PDFs from online resources. Zotero only has a limited amount
of storage, unless you pay for extra, so you may want to turn this feature
off. To do this, go into Edit > Preferences > General > File Handling
(Windows) or Zotero > Preferences > General > File Handling (MacOS).

In this section, you can also change whether Zotero will automatically
retrieve metadata for available pdfs.

Zotero features
There are ways of organising information that do not use up as
much storage space. You can add notes to references, which will
take up less memory than full pdfs. You can alter whether these
sync across devices in the ‘Sync’ section of Preferences.
You can add tags to resources. These could be thematic, or they could be personal reminders, such
as ‘read’ or ‘unread’.

You can also use the ‘related’ tab to link related sources together. This is particularly useful to link
original research articles to review articles, or research that follows on from a founding paper.

Using Zotero for collating research

Before you start collecting resources: set up your library
A good idea is to make a folder per project/paper; or you could do it by research area, or subject –
whatever you like.

Using Zotero for group projects

You can make group folders using Zotero, which you can then use for group projects – or just to
share your research with other people.

You can adjust the settings of these groups to be anything from a public group to which anyone may
contribute, or a private group in which you maintain administrative control.

You can create a group project in the desktop app, which will then open the website. Alternatively,
you can create the group directly on the website.

Once you’ve created the group you can edit it and add members. Go into the group homepage on
the Web and open ‘group settings’.

You can then use ‘Library settings’ to control how public or private your group will be; ‘Member
settings’ will allow you to add members; ‘Group settings’ enables you to change the title and
descriptive elements of your groups.

N.B.: Any data or PDFs stored to the group will be stored on the group creator’s memory, so care
should be taken to ensure that the creator’s memory is not overfull. Adjust sync settings under Edit >
Preferences > General > Groups (Windows) or Zotero > Preferences > General > Groups.
Using the browser extension to create a reference
Zotero automates the process of collecting metadata from several different types of online resource.
You can then sort the information into the requisite folder.

Access the resource. Depending on the type of resource, the browser extension picture may change:

Click on the icon to sort the article into the appropriate folder.

The information will now be stored in your Zotero library in the folder you chose.

You can also save multiple items at once: they will appear in your Zotero library as individual items,
not as one folder.

Creating a reference from a PDF you have downloaded

You can simply drag and drop the PDF into your Zotero library. If your Zotero is set to automatically
retrieve metadata for PDFs, then the parent item should appear.

If not, you right-click the PDF within the folder and select ‘Retrieve metadata for item’.

This may or may not be possible. In the event that it is not, you can either enter a DOI, ISBN, PMID or
arXiv ID; if you don’t know any of these, you can select ‘Manual entry’ and put the data in yourself.

Creating a reference from something with no metadata such as a manuscript:

You can manually add entries by clicking on the green circle with a
cross, and filling in the required information.

This is particularly useful for adding the metadata for a book chapter.

Using the magic wand

You can add references using only the DOI, ISBN, PMID or arXiv ID. You
can click on the wand icon and copy and paste the information in. This
will then retrieve the metadata into Zotero.
N.B.: The reference that Zotero creates will only be as good as the metadata it collects from the
resources – which is not always perfect. You must check the reference to make sure that it
complies with the rules specified by your referencing style, and edit if need be.

Using Zotero to create citations in your word-processor

Choose your referencing style

Open ‘Document Preferences’ to choose your referencing
style; you find more styles by clicking ‘Manage styles…’

Adding a reference
When you’re in the word processor, put your cursor where you want the citation to go. Then open
the Zotero tab in the toolbar, and select ‘Add/Edit citation’. A red bar will open in which you can
search for the reference you require. You can add the page number in this bar. Press the Enter key to
insert the reference.

Here, it is wise to check that the reference is compliant with your referencing style. If it is not, you
can change the metadata in Zotero and click ‘refresh’ in the Zotero tab on your word processor.

How to use Zotero to create a bibliography

Place your cursor where you want to insert your bibliography.

Click Add/Edit Bibliography.

The bibliography will appear. Again, you can change the style by opening
‘Document preferences’.