Research Assistance

What is a citation? 

• A well-constructed citation presents all of the information needed to identify or locate a specific resource (article, book, book chapter, video, etc.)
• Citations are found in print indexes, online databases (Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, etc.), and bibliographies.
• Journal articles, books, and other types of resources typically include lists of citations to facilitate access to content that has been quoted or referenced in the text.

 What's in a citation?

• The specific elements included in a citation will vary depending upon the type of material being cited.
• The examples below identify citation elements for three of the most common resource types.

 A sample journal citation is shown below:

Zotero is an online and app-based citation management tool. With Zotero, you can organize, save, and annotate references and create reference lists. Zotero also has a word processing application for Microsoft Word and Google Docs that allows you to import in-text and full citations from your Zotero account. 

Note to users: Remember when using Zotero, you have ultimate responsibility for the projects and bibliographies created. You will want to proofread all documents to determine the accuracy of the spelling, capitalization, and general formatting.  Take a look at the style manual you are using and compare your reference list and notes to the examples in the style manual

For assistance using Zotero, please visit the Zotero Research Guide or contact a Research Coach.