collect, store, organise and format references
create bibliographies and in-text citations in a particular reference style
They are sometimes called citation tools. They work by storing the bibliographic information of items such as articles, and connecting with word processors so in-text citations and bibliographies can easily and automatically be created in a document.
Cost - Is there a cost involved?
Desktop/Online- Will you want to access the tool both off and online?
Storage - How many references and attachments (such as PDFs) can you store?
Word Processor - Is the tool compatible with the word processor you use?
Reference Style - Does the tool format in your preferred style?
Advantages - Does the tool offer specific features that meet your needs?
Take this short survey to identify what matters to you before you explore the guide!
Software | Cost | Desktop/Online | Storage | Word processor | Citation styles | Advantages |
EndNote | Under the JISC Collections Endnote agreement (at no additional cost to the University) staff and students are able to install the software on their own devices for free. | Both: Synchronise across your devices | Unlimited | Word, LibreOffice, OpenOffice, Pages | 6000+ | Collect the largest number of references; enhanced integration with Web of Science and PubMed; online support |
EndNote Basic | Free (with Sussex subscription) | Online only | 50,000 references; 2GB for attachment imports | Word | 21 | Free, limited version of EndNote |
Mendeley | Free (owned by Elsevier, an information and analytics company) | Both: Synchronise across your devices | 2GB free | Word, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, NeoOffice | 9000+ | Integrated PDF tools; enhanced sharing with other researchers; online support |
Zotero | Free, open source | Both: Synchronise across your devices | 300MB free | Word, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, NeoOffice | 9000+ | One-click capture with most databases; store a diverse range of sources; online community |
Juris-M | Free, open source | Both: Synchronise across your devices | 300MB free | Word, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, NeoOffice | 9000+ | Enhanced legal and multilingual referencing |
Zotero Bib | Free, open source | Online only | NA: One-off bibliographies stored in local browser | Word, OpenOffice, LibreOffice, NeoOffice | 9000+ | Create one-off bibliographies without opening an account; may be especially useful for undergraduates |
EndNote (as well as EndNote Basic)
Zotero (as well as Juris-M and Zotero Bib).
You can find a regularly updated Wikipedia guide to reference management software.
See the table below for a quick comparison.