Research Guides: Citation Management Software: Introduction

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RefWorks Subscription Ending May 2025

The library's subscription to RefWorks is not being renewed and will end May 2025. If you need assistance switching to a new citation manager please contact your liaison librarian.

Overview of Citation Management Software

What is citation management software?

Citation management software can help you:

Collect citations from online databases and library catalogs
Organize, edit, and search through the citations you've saved
Insert in-text citations, footnotes, and bibliographies into your Word document
Create bibliographies in well-known styles like APA, Vancouver, and even specific journal styles like Nature
Share your citations and collaborate with colleagues on projects

What are the options?

The library supports 3 options:

Access to RefWorks will cease at the end of May 2025. Contact your liaison librarian if you have any questions.

Comparison Chart

Citation Management Software Comparison: Additional Information Chart
	RefWorks	EndNote Desktop	Zotero
Cost	Free for UC users	Discount pricing for UC users	Free open source software
Storage Capacity	Unlimited	Unlimited	300MB free; option to pay for more cloud storage
Ease of use	Easy to set up & learn basics	Steeper learning curve	Easy to learn
Import citation from web page	Yes, using 'Save to RefWorks' tool; but doesn't always work	No	Yes, also archives the page
Duplicate detection	Yes	Yes, for author(s), keyword(s), and journal title	Yes, for author(s), journal title, tags; does not add duplicates to the same folder
Cite while writing	Integrates with Word & Google Docs	Integrates with Word & Apple Pages	Integrates with Word & Google Docs
Collaboration support	Easy for groups at the same institution; not supported across institutions	Free sharing of citations & attachments up to 100 EndNote users	Create public & private groups
Availability after UC	Yes	Yes (personal account)	Yes
Librarian's Opinion	Can be quite glitchy. Not our favorite option.	Is a very nice citation manager but is quite expensive.	Consistently performs well. If you are wanting a free citation manager this is your best bet.

Citation Manager Plug-ins

Citation managers offer a variety of Word plug-ins. However, UCIT does not support all options! Make sure to choose appropriately based on the version of Word you will be using.
Citation Manager	UC Supported	Browser Extensions	Desktop App	Desktop Word - Office 365	In-Browser Word - Office 365	Google Docs
Refworks	Yes, subscription	Bookmarklet	Online-only	Write-n-Cite	In browser - RCM	In-browser plugin: Refworks for Google Docs
Mendeley	Free, limited account for individual researchers	Chrome, Edge, Firefox, & Safari	Mendeley Desktop App	Word plugin - install from Mendeley Desktop App	Not available to UC due to security concerns	Not supported
Endnote	Individual must purchase	Capture Endnote Reference & Endnote Click	Endnote Software	Cite While You Write	Cite While You Write, EndNote Web	Not supported
Zotero	Open Source	Chrome, Edge, Firefox, Safari, & bookmarklet	Zotero for Windows, macOS, & Linux	Zotero word plugin	No add-in compatible	In-browser plugin - Zotero Connector