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Citation Styles & Tools

What your citation looks like depends on the style that your academic discipline follows. If you don't know where to start (and if your instructor hasn't specified a style guide to follow), read through the overview of common citation styles.

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Technical Terms

Desktop app: An application that runs locally on a desktop or laptop and needs an internet, or network, connection to work properly.
Desktop client: An application running in a desktop or laptop computer.
Browser extension: Software that adds functionality to a Web browser. Typically supplied from a third party rather than the browser developer, and also called "plug-ins" and "add-ons," browser extensions are used to augment the browser's capability.

Citation Management Software Comparison Chart

 

EndNote

http://endnote.com

Zotero

http://www.zotero.org/

Mendeley

http://www.mendeley.com/

Mobile Access EndNote Web has a mobile version. Login with your email and EndNote Web password. Third Party Mobile Apps

iPhone & iPad Apps

Android Apps

Type Desktop client and browserextension for Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and Opera Desktop client and browser extension for Edge, Chrome, Firefox, and Safari Desktop client and browser extension for Firefox, Chrome and Safari

Cost*

This may change, for the most up to date pricing, please check the website.

Free: 2GB storage

(EndNote Basic)

One time purchase of $149.95 through the ThinkEDU online store

Free: 300 MB storage

$20/year: 2 GB storage
$60/year: 6 GB storage
$120/year: Unlimited storage

Other storage plans

Free: 2GB storage

$4.99/month: 5GB storage
$9.99/month: 10GB storage
$14.99/month: unlimited

Strengths

Numerous output styles     

Highly customizable

Can handle a large amount of references

Good for major research projects because it has the most options for customization and formatting

Excellent for organizing citation

Download of records is easy

Good for managing a variety of formats, including webpages

Downloads records for some databases that don’t work with Endnote and RefWorks such as Factiva

Manage PDFs

Share citations and documents

Social aspect, see what others are reading or citing

Pulls metadata from PDFs

Learning Curve Higher Learning curve Quick to learn, simple design Quick to learn, simple design