Zotero

Please follow the steps on this page from the Zotero library guide: 

Install Zotero Library and Connector 

Zotero Settings

• Open Settings menu
  • Windows: under Edit Menu
  • Mac: under Z icon
• Note: Settings were called "Preferences" in older versions of Zotero.

Sync to Zotero server

• Choose Sync from the Settings menu
• • Enter your Zotero account username and password
  • Leave the default settings as is, and save
• About Data syncing:
  • Zotero 'data' is basically everything except attachments, e.g. the description of your item, tags, etc.
  • your data is saved automatically to your personal computer
  • you can also link your account to the Zotero server to automatically back-up your 'data'; this allows you to use Zotero on multiple devices and always stay sync'd
  • Note: Zotero servers are based in the US, so are subject to US access laws
• About File syncing:
  • your files (e.g. PDF attachments) are saved automatically to your personal computer
    • to see where they are being saved, go to Settings > Advanced > Data Directory Location
  • by default, your files will also automatically be saved to the Zotero server, but you can change this
  • you have 300 MB of free Zotero server storage space; they have a tiered pricing structure for storage after that

Choose your preferred export citation style

• From the Zotero Settings menu, choose Export
• Select your preferred default citation style for quick bibliographies, and save

Pin the browser Connector 

[See screenshot from step 9 of these download instructions]

• Open the browser that you used to download Zotero and the browser connector
• open any website in this browser (e.g. https://www.kpu.ca/library)
• Check to the right of your address bar for a Zotero Connector icon [probably looks like a little sheet of paper]
• If you DON’T see this icon (common in Chrome and Safari):
  • open your Extensions, and
  • click on the Pin icon next to Zotero Connector in the list.
  • You should now see the Connector icon by your address bar.

Create a project folder (called a Collection in Zotero). You can name it whatever you want. It's just for practice today.

See screenshot

Library database: Add item using Zotero browser connector

You try it:

• Open Criminal Justice Abstracts (or other library database) in the browser you used to download Zotero and the connector
• Search for your research topic 
• Click on the title of an article of interest to display the detailed description
• Click on the Connector icon from that site (should look like a piece of paper)
• Add a tag to the Zotero record for this article: literacy

Questions to consider

• How accurately did Zotero capture the citation information?
  • did it recognize that the item was a journal article, or did it treat it like a website?
    • you can change the Item Type 'template' 
  • did it capture all of the info you would need for an APA reference? 
  • compare the quality and completeness of the description that Zotero captured from the library database compared with Google Scholar. Is there any difference?
• Did Zotero attach the full text (PDF)? If not, why do you think it didn't?
• Where did Zotero save the item? (i.e. which folder did it go into?)
  • Tip: Select the destination folder in Zotero before you start capturing items. This will save you time transferring them later.

Google: Add website using Zotero browser connector

You try it:

• Open Google in the browser you used to download Zotero and the connector
• Search for your research topic 
• Click on the title of a site of interest 
• Click on the Connector icon from that site (it will probably look like a blue page)
• Add a tag to the Zotero record for this article: libraries

Questions to consider

• How accurately did Zotero capture the citation information?
  • is your item actually a specific type of item, such as a newspaper article or report? If so, did Zotero recognize that or did it treat the item like a generic website?
    • note: you can change the Item Type 'template' 
  • did it capture all of the info you would need for an APA reference? 
  • Did Zotero attach the full text (PDF) or a snapshot of the item? 
• Where did Zotero save the item? (i.e. which folder did it go into?)
  • Tip: Select the destination folder in Zotero before you start capturing items. This will save you time transferring them later.

Add PDF using Zotero browser connector

You try it:

• Open Google in the browser you used to download Zotero and the connector
• Search for your research topic 
• Add filetype:pdf after your search terms in the Google search box [to limit results to PDF's]
• Click on the title of a PDF of interest 
• Click on the Connector icon (it will probably look like a blue page)

Questions to consider

• Did Zotero create a descriptive record for the PDF (with all the details on title, author, etc.) with the PDF attached, or did it simply upload the PDF as a standalone item?
  • if yes, how accurately did Zotero capture the citation information?
  • if no, follow these steps [see screenshot below]
    1. right-click on the PDF in the middle panel in Zotero 
    2. click on "Create Parent item"
    3. click on Manual Entry: this will create a descriptive 'Web Page' record with the PDF attached
    4. in the right-hand pane with the detailed description, click on the Item Type field and choose what type of document this is (e.g. is it a journal article? a report? a conference presentation?)
    5. fill in the information you would need to include in an APA reference for this type of item
• Where did Zotero save the item? (i.e. which folder did it go into?)
  • Tip: Select the destination folder in Zotero before you start capturing items. This will save you time transferring them later.

Library catalogue: Add book using Zotero browser connector

You try it:

• Open the KPU Library catalogue in the browser you used to download Zotero and the connector
• Search for your research topic 
• Click on the title of a book of interest 
• Click on the Connector icon 

Questions to consider

• Did Zotero create a descriptive record for the book (with all the details on title, author, etc.)?
  • if yes, how accurately did Zotero capture the citation information?
  • if no, in the right-hand pane with the detailed description, click on the Item Type field and choose Book
    • Look at the types of fields are displayed. Which ones do you need for an APA reference?
    • Usually you would need to fill in these pieces of information, but we're going to find an easier way to do this next :)

Book: Add using identifier ("magic wand")

You try it:

• Go to Zotero
• Above the middle panel, click on the magic wand icon to "Add item(s) by identifier"
• Enter the ISBN for a book into the search box
• Add a Note to the Zotero record for this article: example of item look-up by identifier

Questions to consider

• Did Zotero create a descriptive record for the book (with all the details on title, author, etc.)?
  • if yes, how accurately did Zotero capture the citation information?
  • if no, in the right-hand pane with the detailed description, click on the Item Type field and choose Book
    • Manually enter information you will need for an APA book reference into the appropriate fields 

Insert in-text citations

[screenshots]

• see page 2 of the sample Word document
• insert in-text citations for 2 of the items in your Zotero library 
• check the accuracy of the in-text citations 
• If you want to add a page number or edit the in-text citation, see step 5 on the screenshots

Insert References list

[screenshots, see step 8]

• see page 2 of the sample Word document which includes the in-text citations that you just added
• place your cursor under the heading for References
• click on Add/Edit Bibliography 
• check the accuracy of the references