Zotero: A Constant Research Companion

I was first introduced to Zotero by an advisor years ago. At the time, I thought it was “just a reference manager.” Fast forward to now, and it’s the one tool I open every day.

Zotero bills itself as, "Your personal research assistant... a free, easy-to-use tool to help you

collect, organize, annotate, cite, and share research." I use both the desktop and web versions to collect, organize, and annotate journal articles, book chapters, and sometimes even drafts of my own papers. My Zotero library is a living archive of my work and interests. Each PDF (my preferred file type) is colored with highlights, notes, stars, circled passages... Honestly, I can’t imagine research without it.

Screenshot of personal annotation from: Tankelevitch, L. (2024). The metacognitive demands and opportunities of generative AI. Proceedings of the 2024 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems, 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1145/3613904.3642902

How I use Zotero day to day

When I find something I want or need to read online, I make sure I go to the DOI source, then use the plugin in my browser to bookmark the text. Almost always the fields in Zotero auto-populate and the PDF is attached. I select the folder within my Zotero library that I want to nestle the article or chapter in, and, now I'm ready to read and mark it up!

Occasionally, the plugin doesn't work and I have to manually download a PDF and attach to the plugin-loaded entry in Zotero. It's really not a chore but it isn't as instant as one click.

I will often copy/paste my highlighted text when I want to use a direct quote when I'm writing. I love this feature because it will stay true to the writing, and, includes the in-text citation.

The challenges

Zotero isn’t perfect. The free storage fills up fast, duplicates sneak in, and texts with hundreds of pages can be difficult to navigate. And while the web version is handy, it doesn’t have all the bells and whistles of desktop, and you have to remember to sync. Still, for a free tool that has carried me through years of projects, I think it’s more than worth it.

My tips for new users

• Organize! Use folders, use folders within folders...

• Start tagging early (you’ll thank yourself later).

• Clean out duplicates regularly.

• Try plugins like ZotFile if you want to export notes.

• Back up your library, it’s basically your second brain.

A segment of my Zotero library

Final thoughts

I don't even use all of the functionality of Zotero. I use it in a way that is convenient for me. I know that several libraries (including the University of Gothenburg library!) offer workshops on Zotero. It would probably be useful to attend one, especially for new users.

I also believe Zotero is a fantastic way to share annotations with groups! You can annotate the same document, or "divide and conquer" several articles and have all the notes and annotations stored in a shared place. But any tool is only as good as it's use, and if your teammates aren't on Zotero, well, maybe you can convince them. If you’re looking for a way to manage not just your sources but your learning process, I highly recommend giving it a try. Zotero is available online, or you can download for Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, and Android. https://www.zotero.org/ This blog and the auther or not affiliated with or sponsored by Zotero, we just love it that much and think you will too. Give it a try, and let us know what you think!