- James Wong
The Citation Smackdown: Zotero vs EndNote
Dealing with citations can be such a chore! Fortunately, there are easier ways to compile your references and organise the PDF files that may be scattered all over your desktop or stashed onto your PC hard disk.
Bibliography management software makes staying on top of everything in your writing and research effortless and straightforward.
What citation management software can do
Bibliographic or citation management software can help you to:
Generate in-text citations and bibliography in your document
Format your references in the citation style of your discipline
Organise and collate your references in one place
Zotero and EndNote are two popular bibliographic management software.
Zotero
Zotero ia a free software that supports Windows, MacOS, Linux, Android and iOS devices. Your citation information can also be shared between all your devices. With its simple and intuitive interface, Zotero is also easy to use. The software allows you to install Internet browser plugins. These plugins make citing of web articles or documents a breezy, one-click affair.
EndNote
This licensed software supports Windows, MacOS, and iPad devices and is available for free download for NIE staff and students. It is the de-facto powerhouse when it comes to citation management, with over 5, 000 citation styles and a range of functions for managing bibliographies. On the flip-side, newbie users may encounter a steeper learning curve because of the less user-friendly interface.
To ask the million dollar question here - which one is better suited to your purposes?
Get Help On Using EndNote
To generate in-text citations and bibliography in your paper, you have to first populate your bibliographic management software with references. Our library conducts workshops on EndNote, teaching participants how to import records from databases, the library search engine (LibDiscover), and Google Scholar. You will also learn how to create a new record by inputting information describing your reference and organise your references into group folders and sub-folders.
If you are interested in scheduling an EndNote session with the library, email us at liblearn@nie.edu.sg.
Download
Zotero: https://www.zotero.org/download/