Biology

This tab shows you how to incorporate citations into a Microsoft Word document.

The instructions in this guide apply to version 5 of Zotero and Word 2016.

Please note, if you are using a newer Mac computer with an Apple designed processor chip (M1) and are encountering problems using Zotero in Word, try updating to the newest version of both Word and Zotero, and restart both programs. If your problem persists, please contact a librarian. 

You can add an in-text citation from the Zotero tab in Word or Google Docs. To create an in-text citation:

1. Place your cursor where the citation should appear. Click "Add/Edit Citation" on the Zotero tab. A Zotero search box will appear. Search your library – by author, title, or keyword – for the citation.
2. You can cite multiple sources simultaneously – just enter them all in the Zotero search box. For citation styles like APA that require that multiple sources be cited alphabetically (rather than chronologically), Zotero will automatically correctly sort the sources. If you wish to turn this off (if a particular style or publication does not require it), click on the Z in the Add Citation search bar and uncheck the "Keep Sources Sorted" option.
3. If you want to add a page range, click inside the blue citation in the Zotero search box. Enter a page range in the dialog box.
4. When done, click inside the Zotero search box and hit Return.
5. If you later need to edit the citation, DO NOT edit the citation directly in Word. Instead, click on the citation to select it. When the citation has a gray background, go to the Zotero tab and choose "Add/Edit Citation" again – the search box will reappear and you will be able to add or edit your citations, including adding page numbers.

Position the cursor in Word or Google Docs where you would like the works cited list to appear. In the Zotero tab click on "Add/Edit Bibliography" and a list of sources cited within the paper will appear. If you add or edit citations in the body of the paper, go to the tab and select "Refresh." Double check the citations and bibliography to make sure everything is correctly formatted according to your chosen style guide.

Zotero can also make a stand-alone bibliography. First select multiple references in the Zotero center column using Ctrl+Click (Cmd+Click on a Mac). Then there are two methods for creating a bibliography:

1. Drag the highlighted references to Microsoft Word or Google Docs.
2. Right-click on one of highlighted references. Choose "Create Bibliography from Items" from the drop-down that appears. On the menu that appears, choose your citation style, and set the Output Mode to "Bibliography" and the Output Method to "Copy to Clipboard."

When you paste your bibliography into Word or Google Drive document, Zotero will not automatically copy notes associated with a record. See the Annotated Bibliographies tab for information on creating a bibliography with notes.