Q. Are there any tools available to help me organize my sources?
Most of our library databases have options to create your own account within their platform (e.g. EBSCO, ProQuest, Google Scholar) to save and organize sources. Beyond this, there are software options called citation management tools. These help you organize your sources across many platforms - and often have added benefits.
This FAQ outlines some of the most popular citation management software. All four have ways to:
- Export citations from most databases, and often while browsing the Web.
- Save PDFs.
- Share citations.
- Cite while writing a paper.
| RefWorks (ProQuest) | Zotero (Open source, GMU) | Mendeley (Elsevier) | EndNote Desktop (Clarivate) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating Systems Supported | Mac, Windows | Linux, Mac, Windows, Zotero for Mobile | Linux, Mac, Windows, iOS app, Android app | Windows, Mac OS X & Linux |
| Cost |
Free to RU faculty, students, and staff through DOIT's subscription. For alumni, $70 per year. |
Free | Free | One-time purchase, but may need to upgrade to maintain. |
| Storage | 100 MB to 5 GB | 300 MB (extra cost for additional storage) | 2 GB (extra cost for additional storage) | Unlimited |
| Tutorials | RefWorks Guide | Zotero Support | Mendeley Getting Started Guide |
Some researchers are successful at organizing with other technologies; spreadsheets, folders, or other avenues.
Most of the databases have resources to add sources while searching and send yourself sources; you can also create your own account in many databases to save sources, but an account does not work across different database platforms.