Zotero Citation Management

These instructions are for when you're only trying to create a bilbiography (not writing a paper where you're including references throughout and then creating a bibliography). The video below shows two different options for doing so - one if all of your citations are mixed in with other ones, and one if you use folders in Zotero and have all the necessary citations in one folder. 

You can either watch the 2-minute video below, or read the instructions below that - they cover the same material. 

Instructions if you have all your citations mixed together in your Zotero Library: 

1. In your Zotero library, search for a citation you want to include, and then right-click on it. 
2. From the pop-up menu that appears, choose "Create Bibliography from Item." 
   
3. Select the citation format you're using Make sure that Output Mode is set to "Bibliography" and that Output Method is set to "Copy to Clipboard." Go to your document for your bibliography and paste the item in.
   
4. You will need to manually alphabetize the list.
5. PRO TIP: You can also do this step by selecting multiple citations at the same time, then right-click and choose Create Bibliography from Collection. The items will already be alphabetized then.

Instructions if you have all your the citations you need in one Zotero folder/collection: 

1. In your Zotero library, click on the folder holding all your citations, and then right-click on it. 
2. From the pop-up menu that appears, choose "Create Bibliography from Collection" 
   
3. Select the citation format you're using Make sure that Output Mode is set to "Bibliography" and that Output Method is set to "Copy to Clipboard." Go to your document for your bibliography and paste the item in.

Much of the time, you're NOT only creating a bibliography - you're also inserting parenthetical references or footnotes throughout a paper, and then including a bibliography or reference list at the end. This video should walk you through those steps.