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Zotero: Bibliographies & Citations

Create a Bibliography While You Write

The Zotero plug-in for Google Docs allows you to add citations to your document while you write.

To add a citation: 

  • Put your cursor where you want the citation inserted
  • Click "Zotero" > "Insert Citation" 
  • Select the reference you want to cite and click OK. 

Finished writing? Add your Works Cited page:

  • Put your cursor at the end of your paper
  • Choose "Zotero" > "Add Bibliography" 
  • A list of the sources you CITED in your paper will appear. Simply proofread and give the list a title (Works Cited)

If you need to change the bibliographic styles, choose "Set Document Preferences"

You will get this window where you can choose a different style. 

  • MLA - English, Spanish, History courses
  • APA - Sciences, Psychology, Economics, Business courses
  • If in doubt, ask your teacher

Create a Bibliography

It's easy to create a bibliography from your Zotero library.

Select the references or collections you want to include. Hold the control key and click to select multiple items. Right-click one of the selected items and choose Create Bibliography. Choose the bibliographic style you want, and select the output format: Save as RTF or HTML, copy to clipboard or print. (The RTF file format is compatible with all word processors.)

Or you can just drag and drop references from Zotero into your document! They'll turn into fully formatted citations. This works with any word processor including Google Documents.  To insert an in-text citation, hold the shift key before dragging. (To use a different style, change your Quick Copy settings in the Export pane of the Zotero preferences.)

Zotero Bib

ZoterboBib: Fast and easy citing - Auto and manual options - proofread the auto option carefully!