Citations and Bibliographies
Library Research Guide
Consider Using Mendeley if...
... you often download the full text while researching.
... almost all your sources are books and articles.
... you prefer to annotate/highlight on a PDF rather than have separate notes.
... you like an out-of-the-box tool that is easy and intuitive to learn.
- Create a Mendeley accountIf you have an account with other Elsevier products (Scopus, ScienceDirect, Knovel), it will work for Mendeley too. Otherwise, use any email account to create an account with Mendeley.
Getting Started with Mendeley
Effective September 1, 2022, the Mendeley desktop will not be available for download. Video guides for using the web version, Medeley Reference Manager, are not yet available. Written instructions are available on Mendeley Help Guides.
Further information about the decision to discontinue the desktop is available on the Mendeley blog.
Setting Up Your Library
Adding Citations
To add citations that you export from databases, be sure to choose the correct file format. For the most commonly used databases, save your citations in the following formats:
- PubMed - .nbib
- CINAHL/EBSCO Databases - RIS Format
- ProQuest, Google Scholar, Web of Science - BibTeX
- PsycINFO - Direct export into Mendeley
Refine Citations List: Folders, Uploading PDFs, and Deduplication
Your Mendeley dashboard has a three-panel layout. The left-hand panel will allow you to create folders and subfolders for organizing your citations list.
Highlight the citation and look within the information that's located in the right-hand panel. Within this panel, you can include tags, URLs, DOIs, and any other details that will make it easier to find the citation again. This is also where you can find the "Files" function that will allow you to upload a PDF for that citation.
Adding citations from multiple databases will ultimately create duplicates in your library. Use the "Check for Duplicates" tool (under the "Tools" menu) to remove these duplicated citations.
Collaborating with Groups
There are three types of groups you can join to collaborate with other researchers:
- Private Groups: allow for small teams to work together and share full-text references, like PDFs. These groups do not appear in the list of Groups on the Mendeley website, and members must be invited to join.
- Invite-only Groups: much like a closed Facebook group, members must be invited to join, even though the groups are publicly visible on the Mendeley site.
- Open Groups: are completely public and can be joined by anyone with a Mendeley account.
Refer to the Mendeley guides resource to learn how to set up and join Mendeley groups.
Help Resources Created by Mendeley/Elsevier
- Mendeley GuidesThis site will get you started with guides for installing Mendeley, using the Web Importer, using the Citation Plugin, and working with Groups in Mendeley. Also detailed information for Desktop, Web, iOS, and Android users.
- Mendeley SupportThis page has a Top 10 Frequently Asked Questions about Mendeley. Half of the questions related to the Plugin for Microsoft Word.
- Mendeley VideosThese videos describe the commonly used features of Mendeley.
