There are a number of ways to keep your research materials organized. Here, we feature a few of our favorites.
Decide which research management tool would work best for you by comparing their basic features and functions below.
Have questions? Ask a librarian!
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| Introduction |
Zotero is an easy to use application for organizing your research materials, sharing them with collaborators, and citing them in a wide range of citation styles. |
RefWorks is a tool for storing and sharing your research materials, and citing them in commonly-used citation styles. To set up an account, use your Macalester email address. |
Mendeley allows you to store and organize your research materials, share them with others, and annotate documents. |
| Getting started | https://www.zotero.org/download/ | https://refworks.proquest.com/ | https://www.mendeley.com/ |
| Accessibility | Zotero | RefWorks | Mendeley |
| Versions | Web-based & desktop | Web-based | Web-based & desktop |
| Desktop platforms |
Windows, Mac, Linux |
N/A |
Windows, Mac, Linux |
| Web browsers |
Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari |
Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari |
Google Chrome, Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari |
| Cost & Storage | Basic account free with 300MB cloud storage | Free thanks to Institutional subscription with unlimited cloud storage | Basic account free with 2GB cloud storage |
| Word processor integration |
Plugins for Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and LibreOffice are automatically installed on your computer when you first start Zotero. |
Mendeley Cite for Microsoft Word | |
| Built-in PDF annotation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Option to share and collaborate | Yes | Yes | Yes |