Citation Management Tools

Which citation manager should I use?

A citation manager is a software tool that can help you track and cite sources throughout your research process. Most citation management software offer similar features:

• Collect, organize and take notes on your citations as you discover them
  • Make use of organizational systems (tagging, controlled vocabulary, file naming conventions)
  • Import citations from a PDF or directly from a database
  • Use browser extensions to facilitate imports
• Share your citations with colleagues
  • Create bibliographies in MS Word or Google Scholar
• Format and automate in-text citation in your papers

The three citation manager products discussed below—EndNote, Zotero and Sciwheel—are very similar, and each can support extensive research. The products fall on a spectrum, with EndNote being somewhat more complicated but powerful, Zotero being simpler but more limited, and Sciwheel falling between the two, with most of the capabilities of EndNote while being free to UC Davis.

Costs

For the downloadable desktop versions, EndNote is the only one that requires a fee. The campus discount has expired, and individual licenses must be purchased. For information on how to do this, contact EndNote directly or librarian Matt Conner.

EndNote Basic (online) and Sciwheel products are free, but Zotero charges annual fees for optional increases in storage and groups. 

Security Considerations

Note that as of August 2021, Sciwheel has upgraded its MS Word plug-in to the 365 Office version. Because this version may pose an online security risk, you may need campus authorization to download it to your machine. If you find the download blocked, contact IT Express, and they will create a ticket to have the plug-in installed.

In Summary

Among these tools, Sciwheel stands out for several reasons. By virtue of the library subscription to the Faculty Opinions science database, all UC Davis campus members are eligible for a free account. Sciwheel is entirely cloud-based and has all the essential features of the other products, and it is the only one besides EndNote that has dedicated technical support. 

Citation Manager Comparison

Please note: we do not provide technical support or help users download or install software. Refer to your selected product’s technical support page or user community for assistance.