How to Use Zotero
What is it?
Zotero is free, open-source bibliographic software. Bibiliographic software "collects, manages, and creates citations for your research." Download Zotero as a Firefox browser extension, and it will be available everytime you open Firefox on your computer. If you use serveral computers, Zotero.org recommends that you download a copy of Firefox to your portable zip drive and use that copy of Firefox with whatever computer you access.
How to Get Started
Currently, Zotero does not work with the Internet Explorer browser.
To install and use Zotero, follow these steps:
- Open Firefox
- Go to http://www.zotero.org
- After reading the information on the page, click on Download (a large red button in the upper right corner)
- Zotero will be installed as a link on the bottom right of your Firefox page - just above your computer's tool bar.
Steps to Import Research Material into Zotero
- Using Zotero with VC/UHV Library EBSCOhost research databases works with the following steps:
- Go to a database by opening the Library's homepage
- Choose a subject, such as Nursing/Medicine
- Choose a journals database, such as CINAHL Plus with Full Text
- Enter a search, such as albuterol and apply the Full Text limit
- Click the Add to folder link below the citations you want to save
- Go to the top blue bar of the EBSCOhost database click on Folder
- Click on Select all under the icons for printing, emailing, saving, etc.
- Click on the Export icon > it looks like a page of typing with a green arrow pointing right
- Accept the defaults and click on SAVE
Using Science Direct and Zotero
- Science Direct is another database listed under the subject of Nursing/Medicine
- To use Science Direct and Zotero, click on the database name
- Enter your search in the box provided > sample search, albuterol
- Check the box next to the numbered citation of articles you choose to save
- Click on Export Citations > this is directly above the numbered list of citations
- Accept the defaults of Citations Only and RIS format
- Click on Export
How to Get Full-Text
- To link to full-text from Zotero, you can change your preferences to search our Library's full-text holdings.
- Along the top bar of Zotero, find the icon shaped like a small gear
- Click on the arrow next to the gear icon and select Preferences
- Open URL is at the bottom of the page of preferences
- Delete the entire link to worldcatlibraries.org and type in this link - http://ruby2.uhv.edu/login?url=http://www.tdnet.com/uhv/resolver?action=cite
- Now, any link you import into Zotero will link to full-text in our resources if it is available!
Working with your Citations
- Open the Zotero link on the lower right of your browser window
- Your citations will appear in the middle window of Zotero
- Highlight one of your citations in the middle box > the bibliographic details will appear in the right window of Zotero
- Expand the plus sign next to your first citation in the middle window
- Click on the link that appears
- If you are off-campus and have not already signed on to Library resources, a page will pop up asking for your sign-on information
- Then, the full-text of your article will appear in the window at the top half of your screen