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Referencing Guide: Reference Programs

Referencing programs allow you to collect, store and manage references, insert in-text references in your document, and generate reference lists according to your selected style.

CDU Library supports the use of EndNote and is licensed to provide this program to CDU students and staff.

Minor assistance is also available with the free programs Mendeley and Zotero.

These popular citation managers all provide the same basic features and functionality with a few exceptions and some features specific to particular tools.

Use the chart below to narrow down your choices, the rest is personal preference.  Talk to people in your department – some disciplines tend to use one tool more than others.

Criteria

Zotero

Mendeley

EndNote

Website

http://www.zotero.org/

http://www.mendeley.com/

http://endnote.com/

Web-based?

Can sync with online account; connectors for Firefox, Chrome and Safari and Opera available

Not primarily, but can sync with an online account which is editable

Yes, with EndNote basic account or if you transfer library to EndNote Online

Cost

Free for basic account, some cost for more online storage space

CDU staff and students have free access to Mendeley Premium

CDU staff and students have free access

Word-processor compatibility

MS Word, Open Office, Google Docs

MS Word, Open Office, LaTex

MS Office, Open Office, iWork Pages

Number of import filters

247 "translators;" other sources captured as web page

About 50, + COinS, + integrates with Zotero's "translators"

700+

Import from databases

Yes

Yes

Direct export from specific databases

Import citation info from web pages

Yes, also archives the page and you can add annotations

Yes, with a bookmark for a limited number of sites (mostly publishers or databases)

Yes, with Web Capture tool

Storage capacity

Unlimited local storage and data syncing; 100MB free Zotero file syncing (larger syncing plans available for purchase); or can use WebDav

Unlimited local storage and data syncing; 1GB personal and 100MB shared online space (larger online storage plans available for purchase)

Unlimited local storage

Attach associated files (PDFs, etc.)

Yes, with option to attach automatically

Yes, and can highlight and annotate PDFs

Yes, and can highlight and annotate PDFs

Search full text of PDFs

Yes

Yes

Yes

Duplicate detection

Yes

Yes

Yes; fully customisable

Create group or shared libraries

Yes

Yes, free for up to 3 group members (larger group plans available for purchase)

Yes, with up to 100 people and includes attachments and PDFs

Create bibliography with different styles

Yes

Yes

Yes

Automatic citation extraction from PDFs

Yes

Yes

Yes

Other features

Sync library with multiple computers
Use tags to organise/search

Sync library with multiple computers
Sync with Zotero library

Insert figures and charts using word processor integration

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