Zotero is a free and open source citation management software available that helps you collect, organize, cite and share research sources. There is a web browser version and a desktop application. A web plugin is used to auto detect sources and grab citation information.

300MB free online or unlimited storage on desktop application

30 minutes to learn

WEAKNESSES

• Extracts citation information which is not always relevant.
• Grabs database tags which can be messy.
• Limited web storage.

See guide for more information:

guides.library.illinois.edu/zotero

Mendeley is a citation management tool that allows you to collect, store, cite, and share citation information. Mendeley is also an academic social networking site. There is a web browser version and a desktop application. A web plugin is used to detect sources and grab citation information.

2GB free online or unlimited storage on desktop application

45 minutes to learn

WEAKNESSES

• Has difficulty downloading PDF files.
• Limited web storage.
• Doesn’t always grab accurate citation information.

See guide for more information:

guides.library.illinois.edu/mendeley

EndNote is a citation management software that allows you to collect, organize, and cite references and bibliographies in your papers. EndNote allows you to search library databases within the application and collect citation information. EndNote is not free and needs installation.

Unlimited storage on the desktop application

1-2 hours to learn

WEAKNESSES

• Costs money but may be able to get discount through university department.
• Takes more time to learn.
• EndNote Web is not robust.

See guide for more information:

guides.library.illinois.edu/endnote