Reference Management

Reference management software allows you to:

• Collect references and PDFs of papers
• Organise references
• Automatically output a bibliography or reference list in whatever referencing style you need e.g. for a thesis, or for journal or book publishing.

Edinburgh Napier offers training and support with Endnote, Mendeley and Zotero reference management software - use the one which suits your needs best, or choose another reference manager.

See Choosing a Reference Manager to compare software.

• Look at the reference management software we support, whether they work with your setup, and which referencing guidelines you should use.
• Talk to colleagues about their experiences with reference management software, how they use it and why they chose a particular product. Subject librarians can also advise.
• Be aware there will be a learning curve while you explore the software – get training if you can. See the Training & Events Calendar.
• Reference management software contains many standard academic journal referencing styles. When publishing your research you will be able to make one click edits to fit with the style of the journal(s) you are submitting to.   
• Always organise your references in a manner that suits you. – Consider using folders,  keywords,  themes, concepts, authors, methodologies, etc. This ensures easy retrieval of all your references when you start writing.