Reference Software

Reference management software—like RefWorks or Zotero—can be an incredibly useful tool for researchers. Such software can maintain an extensive list of sources, help you insert citations quickly into your text as you are writing, and even allow you to sort and search through your reference list.

However, even though researchers might fantasize about a faithful electronic secretary to take care of all the nitty-gritty details of citation formatting, no software has adequate AI to get you off the hook entirely: a human eye is still required to review and correct the output of any reference-management software, which means it's crucial to become familiar with the ins and outs of your department’s chosen citation format.

Dudley Knox Library provides a detailed online guide to Zotero. The library also offers workshops each term for students interested in some guidance on getting started with Zotero. Workshops are offered in the first four weeks of each quarter; you can sign up during workshop season through WCOnline.