ENGL 758 - Scientific Communication

This guide provides information about using the citation manager Zotero for students in ENGL 758: Scientific Communication.

Library Research Guide

Before you begin

You must have Zotero Connector installed on your browser and Zotero 5.0 installed on the computer you are using. Directions for installation are provided in the Zotero basics tab.

If Zotero Connector is installed you will see either a piece of paper zotero paper or a folder zotero folder in your browser's tool bar.

Look for the Zotero 5.0 icon on your computer to know if it is installed. Zotero 5.0 icon

 

Using Zotero Connector

Step 1 Open Zotero 5.0 on your computer. It needs to be running for Zotero Connector to work.

Step 2 In a browser navigate to a page with items that you wish to add to your Zotero account. This might be a search results page from a database, a web page, or many other sources.

Step 3 Click on the zotero folder or zotero paper in your browsers toolbar.

A list of items that can be moved to Zotero will be displayed:
zotero list

Step 4 Check the items to add them to Zotero. Click OK.

Once you have done that a box will pop up by the folder in your browser tool bar to select the folder for the new items.
List for selecting Zotero folder

Step 5 Once you have selected the list it will move the items to your Zotero 5.0 on your computer. Zotero 5.0 will sync to your web account, you will see a green arrow circle to showing that the sync is working Zotero syncing

If something fails in the sync a red exclamation point appears zotero sync problem

Click the exclamation point to discover the problem. If you are not able to solve the problem Ask a Librarian.

Using database export functions

For this example, the database Scopus is used. Other databases may functions differently though they all have export functions for moving citations to a citation manager like Zotero.

Once you have conducted a search in the database of your choice. Select the items you wish to export. Most databases have a list function so that you can collect citations from several searches and export them all at once.

Scopus' export button looks like this: Export button

Once you have selected the items that you want to export and clicked the Export button, the following box will appear. Select RIS format to export to Zotero and click Export in the bottom right to begin exporting to Zotero.

Scopus RIS

Your computer will ask you if you want Zotero to open the file, click OK.

Zotero openst RIS file of citations

Zotero will ask you if you want to import the RIS file. Click OK. If you leave the box for Import into a new collection checked, the items imported will be in a new folder.

Import RIS into Zotero

Zotero will import the RIS file and Zotero 5.0 will sync to your web account, you will see a green arrow circle to showing that the sync is working Zotero syncing

If something fails in the sync a red exclamation point appears zotero sync problem

Click the exclamation point to discover the problem. If you are not able to solve the problem Ask a Librarian.