Which reference manager is right for you?

This table compares the features and functionalities of common reference managers. Open the PDF to access hyperlinks within the table.

EndNote is a reference management system that helps students and researchers collect, store, manage and share resources. Go to the EndNote user guide for instructions and videos on adding references, finding full text, creating groups, sharing an EndNote library and managing citations & bibliographies. Register for an upcoming EndNote training session via our calendar of events.

EndNote User Guide

Library Webinars Calendar

You have 4 options for accessing EndNote:

1. Access EndNote 20 software on all PCs in Monash Health libraries  - MMC, Casey, Dandenong, Moorabbin

2. Purchase licence via Monash Health IT Online Shop [details here]. Supervisor or manager approval is required. Must be installed on a Monash Health device. 

3. Purchase an individual licence for $460. Install on personal device or request Monash Health IT to install. 

4. Free download of EndNote to your personal device from a University (if you are a student or affiliated researcher). 

EndNote Online is a free, simplified online version of the EndNote Desktop. You can access EndNote Online on any device, effectively allowing you to access, manage and share your references from any computer. 

In this section:

• Create an online account
• Sync your EndNote Online to EndNote desktop
• Add references to your library
• Export your EndNote Online library 
• Share your EndNote library 
• Cite While You Write - using EndNote Online

For detailed information see User Guide here

There are two ways to create an account:

Method no.1  - Via web browser:

1. Go to http://my.endnote.com
2. Click on 'Register'
3. Follow the prompts to create your new account with your Monash Health (or other affiliated institute's) email address.

Method no. 2 - Via EndNote Desktop:

1. Open EndNote on your Desktop
2. Click > Edit > Preferences > Sync > Enable Sync
3. If you don't already have an EndNote online account click > Sign Up
4. Follow the prompts to create your account
5. You can now open your browser and login to your online account -  http://my.endnote.com

Note: You must complete the 'Via EndNote Desktop' steps if you want to sync your desktop library to your online account.. 

Once registered you have access to your references from any computer with an internet connection. You can also Sync your desktop and online libraries. 

Important!! It is recommended you make a backup copy before starting synchronisation

• Open EndNote on your Desktop
• Click on  in the top left hand side or go to Tools >  Sync
• Click on Sync icon 

Tips!!

• You can only Sync one of your EndNote Desktop libraries to your online account. The one that you have "Enabled" 
• EndNote Online or EndNote Desktop are a mirror of each other and both versions reflect changes you have made in either. EG. If you have added references into EndNote Desktop and added different references into EndNote Online, all references that you have added will be present in both versions once you have Synced. If you edit or delete a reference from one account the reference will be edited or deleted in the other once you have synced.
• All references and groups will be synchronized, BUT group sets, smart groups, and combination (from) groups will not be displayed in your online library.

The following quick reference guides outline the steps for configuring EndNote Sync (for Windows and macOS).

• EndNote 20 (Windows) guide: library syncing

• EndNote 20 (macOS) guide: library syncing

Add manually

In EndNote Online  - Click the Collect tab > New reference

1. Select the reference type from the drop down menu
2. Fill in required information for your style. 
3. Click Save 
4. There is no Preview function - you can only see how your record displays when the reference list is created.

Import a file (e.g. PDF or RIS)

In EndNote Online  - Click the Collect tab > Import References

1. Click choose file and find the file you want to import from your hard drive
2. Select the Import Option - this is relevant when importing a file that you has exported from a specific database 
3. Select the group for imported references
4. Click Import.

From a database 

Export references from a research databases (such as Medline; Embase; Cochrane etc.) to EndNote Online.

1. In the research database - Mark selected records 
2. Look for a Save or Export option in the database
3. If given options, choose full records and EndNote format e.g. RIS 
4. Save the file to your Downloads folder (or somewhere you can find it)
5. In EndNote Online - click Collect  - Import References
6. Select the database filter to allow your records to be imported correctly.

You can export your library as a file that can be uploaded to an EndNote desktop or emailed to yourself or a colleague. 

In EndNote Online - Click the Format tab > Export References

1. Select the references you want to export - can be a specific group, quick list or 'All references in my library' 
2. Select the export style:
   • Choose Refman (RIS) export if you will be uploading to EndNote Desktop 
3. Click either SAVE or E-MAIL

In EndNote Desktop, click File > Import. Find the RIS file that you have just created and references will be added to your EndNote desktop library 

In EndNote Online -  Select Organize > Manage My Groups 

1. Click the Manage Sharing button next to the group you’d like to share
2. Enter the email addresses of the people with whom you’d like to share*
3. Choose whether to give your colleagues Read only access or Read & Write access**
4. Click Apply

Note:
*You can only share with people who have an EndNote online account and you must use their account email address
**Read-only access allows designated users to view references, use them in Word documents, or copy them to their library
**Read & Write access allows the designated user to do everything as read-only access and editing, adding, or deleting references

You can enter citations and a bibliography in a word document using your EndNote Online library.  However, you cannot use this feature simultaneously with both applications.  Follow these steps to set up your word document so that it will connect with your EndNote Online library: 

1. In Word, click on the EndNote tab in your top ribbon
2. Select Preferences – a box will appear
3. Click on the Application > Select EndNote Online
4. Enter your EndNote online login details. NB: You may need to enter the online subscription URL -  https://my.endnote.com
5. Insert citations to your word document as you normally would from the EndNote ribbon

!!! When you return to your EndNote desktop, repeat these steps but chose application - EndNote 

Zotero is a free online reference management tool which can be used on desktop and mobile devices. It collects citations, lets you to create your own libraries for storage and management. It can be used for sharing citations in your study, research and group work. It can search, save and store relevant references while you are using online resources.

To use Zotero, you will require both the Zotero application and the Zotero Connector, an application allowing you to save directly to Zotero from your preferred web browser.

• Download Zotero
• Installation support

UNC Park Library, 2019, Using Zotero, YouTube, 20 February

Adding items to your Zotero Library

The best way to add items to Zotero is through the Zotero Connector, an application that allows you to save directly to Zotero from your preferred web browser.

Through the use of the Connector, Zotero will automatically find bibliographic information on webpages you visit and allow you to add it to Zotero with a single click. The 'save' button will turn into an icon representing the media you're viewing (the image below shows the save icon for a journal article).

Clicking the save button will create an item in Zotero with the information that Zotero has identified. If it is available, Zotero will also save any PDF accessible from the page or an open-access PDF that can be found for the saved item.

Further instructions, information and support can be located on the Zotero website.

Import Citations

Citation libraries from other reference management software applications such as EndNote, Refworks, and Mendeley can be imported into Zotero.

To export an existing library from your current software application, locate the export option, and decide whether you want to export an individual citation, or an entire list. When saving your file, keep in mind that the following file types are supported by Zotero:

• CSL JSON

• MODS (Metadata Object Description Schema)

• BibTeX

• RIS

• Refer/BibIX

• Unqualified Dublin Core RDF

• Endnote XML

• XML ContextObject

• Web of Science Tagged

• MEDLINE/nbib

Import to Zotero

In Zotero, choose the "Import" option from the File menu. Locate the file you exported from the other application, select it, and click the "Open" button. Your exported items should then be filed in your Zotero library in a date-stamped collection.

Please note that PDF files are not included in the exportation - you will need to manually add the PDF file for each citation.

Further information

Listed below are detailed instructions on importing records from the following software applications:

• Endnote
• Mendeley

Using Zotero with Word Processor Programs

By using ‘word processor plugins’ – including Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs, you can have new citations placed in your document whilst working on it, at the same time automatically updating your bibliography.

Microsoft Word Plugin

Installing the Zotero plugin will add a "Zotero" tab to the top toolbar of Microsoft Word. The tab contains the following options:

Add/Edit Citation		Add a new citation or edit an existing citation in your document at the cursor location.
Add/Edit Bibliography		Insert a bibliography at the cursor location or edit an existing bibliography.
Document Preferences		Open the Document Preferences window, e.g. to change the citation style.
Refresh		Refresh all citations and the bibliography, updating any item metadata that has changed in your Zotero library.
Unlink Citations		Unlink Zotero citations in the document by removing the field codes. This prevents any further automatic updates of the citations and bibliographies. Note that removing field codes is irreversible, and should usually only be done in a final copy of your document.

​Google Docs Plugin

Support for Google Docs requires use of the Zotero Connector, an application allowing you to save directly to Zotero from your preferred web browser. Use of the Zotero Connector adds a new menu to the Google Docs interface:

The menu provides the following options:

Further help and support

Go to the Zotero Guide To Word Processor Integration and Plugins for Zotero for help and further information.

Mendeley is a free reference manager which can be accessed online or via a desktop app. Mendeley lets you create, store, and manage your own reference libraries, and collaborate with other researchers via shared 'Groups'. Mendeley also offers social media functions for researchers.

Key features

• Work in different locations and on any device -- just login and go.
• Automatic sync with changes backed up in the cloud.
• Insert citations while writing in Microsoft Word or Libre Office (note: the plugin is not available on Monash Health devices).
• Organize all your references in one library using collections and tags.
• Built-in notebook helps you keep your thoughts organized in one place.
• Annotate and highlight text from PDFs as you read them.
• Collaborate with others in real time –  share and annotate papers alongside team members in a private group.

Important Mendeley links

• Create an online account -- to use the Mendeley web app on any device.
• Download the desktop app -- to install on a Monash Health device, submit a request to IT Helpdesk.
• Install Mendeley Web Importer -- this browser extension lets you easily add references to your library as you search online. Access full-text papers with one click where available.
• Mendeley Cite Plug-in -- generate citations and bibliographies in Microsoft Word. Not available on Monash Health devices.

Mendeley, 2020, The new Mendeley Reference Manager, YouTube, 29 September

Adding new items to your Mendeley Library

You can add new references in 2 ways:

• Dragging and dropping -- drag and drop a PDF file, or a folder of PDF files, directly into Mendeley Reference Manager or Mendeley Web. Mendeley will create a library entry for each PDF and extract reference details e.g. title, author. Ensure that you check the accuracy of these automatically generated citations.
   
• Clicking the '+Add New' button -- select files from your computer; enter a reference manually; retrieve references using a DOI or PubMed ID (PMID); or import a library of citations from e.g. Ovid or another reference manager. See below for more details on the latter.

Further instructions, information, and support can be located on the Mendeley website.

Importing references from literature searching databases

After searching for literature in a database such as Ovid Medline, you can export your search results and add them to your Mendeley library. 

1. Export your database search results in the RIS (.ris) file format. Note: When exporting from Ovid, select 'Fields' > 'Complete Reference'.
2. In your Mendeley library, click the '+Add New' button and select 'Import library' to browse your device. 
3. Select the RIS file that you exported from the database and click 'Open' to add the library items to your Mendeley library. 

For more information about exporting from databases, see our 1-page guide.

Importing a library from another reference manager

Mendeley can import libraries in these file types: RIS (.ris), BibTeX (.bib), and EndNote XML (.xml). When exporting from another reference manager -- such as EndNote or Zotero -- select one of these three file types to ensure that the library will be compatible with Mendeley.

1. In your Mendeley library, click on the '+Add New' button and select 'Import library' to browse your device. 
2. Select the library file exported from the other reference manager and click 'Open' to add the library items to your Mendeley library. 

Note: PDFs files are not included in this process. You will need to add the PDFs to Mendeley separately.

Using the Mendeley Citation Plugin

Note: This plugin is currently not available on Monash Health devices due to IT restrictions.

The Mendeley Citation Plugin allows you to cite and reference materials in your Mendeley library. You can cite as you write and update your bibliography at the same time. This plugin is compatible with Microsoft Word or Libre Office on Windows or Mac.

You will need to have installed the Mendeley Reference Manager before you can install the Mendeley Citation Plugin. The 'Install Mendeley Cite for Microsoft Word' option can be found under the Tools menu of the Mendeley Reference Manager:

Once installed, access the Mendeley plugin via the 'Mendeley Cite' button under the References tab in Word. Click on the icon to begin inserting in-text citations and references.

To insert an in-text citation, search for a reference in the search bar and select the reference by ticking the box on the left-hand side. Click 'Insert citation'. The citation will appear at the cursor location in the Word document.

To insert a reference, select 'Insert Bibliography' under the More drop-down menu. The reference will appear at the cursor location in the word document.

Further help and support

Visit the Mendeley website for help and information on installing and using the plugin.