LibGuides: Reference and Citation Management: Getting Started

What is Reference Management?

Reference management is collecting, organizing, storing and using your references (journal articles, books, websites, videos, etc.). References are used to generate citations, which are used in scholarly articles, and other publications, to acknowledge your sources of information.

Reference management tools allow you to:

Import references from online databases, library catalogs and PDFs
Organize references in a searchable database
Share references with colleagues
Create formatted bibliographies
Insert citations and footnotes into word processing documents

Reference management tools save time and frustration when writing papers, gathering references for grant applications or reports, monitoring the literature and sharing your research.

Choosing a Reference Management Tool

With so many reference management programs available, it can be difficult to decide which one to use. This chart highlights some of the reference management tools available and some of their features. Click on the tabs above for more information about the individual programs.


Cost	Free to Duke faculty, staff and students with NetID	Free to everyone	Free to everyone	$50 for Duke faculty, staff and students with NetID	Free to Duke faculty, staff and students with NetID	Free to everyone
Operating system	Desktop software for Windows and Mac; option to sync with web account	Online	Desktop software for Windows and Mac; option to sync with web account	Desktop software for Windows and Mac	Online	Embed in Firefox browser or desktop software for Windows and Mac
Ease of use	Moderate	Easy	Easy	Moderate	Easy	Easy
Import citations from databases
Automatically create citation from PDF
Attach PDFs
Annotate PDFs
Sharing options	A Library may be shared with up to 14 people (EndNote account needed)	Share groups	Create group (free for up to 3 people)	Create shared collection	Create group account or share URL for read-only	Create group
Word processor compatibility	Microsoft Word, Open Office, Pages	Microsoft Word	Microsoft Word, Open Office	Microsoft Word, Open Office, Pages	Microsoft Word	Microsoft Word, Open Office
Major citation styles
Free online storage	5,000 MB	2,000 MB	2,000 MB (more space costly)	Not available	5,000 MB	300 MB (more space inexpensive)
Best for	People who use one to two main computers for research and writing; PDF; management; organizing references for complex projects; inserting citations and bibliographies in almost any style	Ease of use; group work; inserting citations and bibliographies in common styles (e.g. APA, MLA)	PDF management (storing, annotating, sharing) and academic social networking	People who use one to two main computers for research and writing; PDF management; collaboration with other Papers users	People who use many computers for research and writing; group work; inserting citations and bibliographies in almost any style	Capturing different types of references (e.g. Websites); group work

Attribution

This guide includes content adapted with permission from Duke University, Medical Center and Archives Reference Management guide.