What are they?
Referencing and citation tools are tools that aim to simplify the process of managing reading lists and references, and streamline the citation process and bibliography creation.
They allow the collection of fully referenced sources in one place with functionality to export them into word-processing applications and other programs. Often these tools are integrated with library catalogues and online resource banks or repositories to provide a seamless experience of searching, finding and referencing sources. Frequently they allow annotation of references. They can also help you implement a referencing system uniformly across citations, so that all your sources are cited in the same way.
How could they help me with my learning?
Correctly citing sources is a key part of good academic writing, for example in essays. These tools make it easier to keep track of your reading, and to reference correctly the sources you use in your written work.
How can I start using citation tools?
The Bodleian Libraries at the University of Oxford have developed extensive guides to help students get started with reference management tools. You can refer to their comparison table to decide which is the most suitable option for you. In terms of free tools, Zotero is a good option – please refer to the information on the Bodleian Libraries website to learn more.
Further help
If you found this page useful you may like to explore the information on our other Study help pages.