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Zotero: Citation Manager

Word Plug-ins

Zotero connects to your Word processor to create both in-text citations or footnotes and a bibliography for you right in your document. All you need is the plug-in that was already installed when you downloaded the Zotero Desktop App. To check if the plug-in has correctly downloaded, open your Word processor and look for the Zotero tab. You should see something like this: 

Screenshot of the Microsoft Word ribbon with a yellow circle around the tab reading "Zotero"

Zotero for Word or LibreOffice should automatically install

Cite as You Write!

First Things First

Select Document Preferences and select the citation style you want to use

  • Not seeing the style you need? Open your Zotero Desktop App and add it (Edit, Preferences, Cite tab, then "Get additional styles")!

Adding Citations

Open Microsoft® Word and in the Ribbon you should see a tab for Zotero. It will look something like this: 

Screenshot of the Microsoft Word ribbon with a yellow circle around the button reading "Add/Edit Citation" It is the first button on the left inside the ribbon

  1. Go to where you need a citation, and click Add/Edit Citation 
  2. Search for the correct citation. You can do this by title or author, then hit Enter 
  3. Click on the citation and enter the page number of what you are referencing, then hit Enter 

If you need to cite more than one source in the same sentence you can do that too. Highlight the in-text citation or footnote you want to add to, click on Add/Edit Citation again, then enter the additional source(s). When you are completely finished, hit Enter. 

Creating your Bibliography

When you are ready, Zotero will create a Bibliography for you containing every source you used and in the correct format for your citation style. Simply move to the end of your document, then click Add/Edit Bibliography. 

Screenshot of the Microsoft Word ribbon with a yellow circle around the button reading "Add/Edit Bibliography" It is the second button on the left inside of the ribbon; There is also a yellow arrow pointing to the button labeled "Refresh". The button is immediately right of the "Add/Edit Bibliography" button, and between the "Document Preferences" and "Unlink Citation" buttons.

Fun Fact: if you go back and add, remove, or edit any of your citations, this bibliography will update for you too. All you need to do is click Refresh. 

Some Final Tips

Editing Citations

  • You can delete any of your citations by highlighting it and then clicking the Delete button. 
  • You can edit any of your citations by going back to your Zotero Desktop App and making the needed changes there. Then go back to your Doc and click Refresh in the Zotero tab.  

Submitting Your Writing

The document you've been working in has some embedded coding because you have been using Zotero's Cite While You Write features.

  • Before you click Unlink Citations, Save a Zotero Copy of your document. Your future self will thank you. 
    • This keeps your citations editable in case you need to make revisions!

Screenshot of the Microsoft Word ribbon with a yellow arrow pointing to the "Unlink Citations" button. It is the bottom button of the three right most buttons.

  • After creating and saving a Zotero Copy of your document, unlink your citations in your Submission Copy.