Citation Management Tools

Book excerpt: With the rise of scholarly communication, proper citation and attribution practices have become more important than ever. Citation management software is an essential tool for meeting this challenge. Look no further than the proliferation of free- and fee-based packages on the market; new programs and updated versions of existing software offering innovative features seem to pop up all the time. Busy students and researchers do not have the time (or energy) to test-drive all the available options in order to make an informed decision regarding the selection of the right tool to manage their references. After finding the right tool, they need someone to help them use it properly. Librarians must be able to help their patrons navigate the many alternatives and effectively use the special features of the software they ultimately select. Citation Management Tools: A Practical Guide for Librarians was written to help librarians, teachers, and writers demystify the complex world of citation management software. Topics include: An overview of citation management software, including what it can and cannot do Advice on selecting the right program for the right researcher and the right project A comparison of citation managers on the market Leveraging citation managers to provide library services Citation management as a collaboration and networking tool Ways to use citation managers to facilitate proper citation practices and avoiding plagiarism Citation managers to tame the unruly folders on your desktop Mobile citation management Future trends This book focuses on the four citation managers commonly used in libraries (EndNote, Mendeley, RefWorks, and Zotero), but other noteworthy tools are also described. Citation Management Tools: A Practical Guide for Librarians provides librarians with the essential skills and information required to support the use of citation managers at their libraries and explore creative ways to use these tools.