Zotero

Zotero is an internet tool which allows you to construct your own library catalogue online as you come across books on different websites, be it library catalogue websites, Google Books or Amazon. Not only does Zotero compile a list of books, it can also recognise articles in online journals which can also be added to your library with the simple click of a mouse. As well as this Zotero has tagging functions which enables you to categorise items in your library, much like genres of music in Windows media player or Itunes and it also has a function to add notes about a book or article in the library.

            I encountered no problems downloading Zotero and found it a really easy tool to use. It operates on Firefox rather than Internet Explorer which is also available on a free download. The blue book icon appears on screen when you find a book it recognises and by clicking the icon, the book is added to your library. I was able to quickly construct a list of books and articles I have consulted so far this year for my thesis topic.

            Technological developments in the last fifteen years have completely revolutionised the way in which research is carried out and can make it far easier than it was in the past. The ability to apply Zotero to Microsoft Word or Open Office is a case in point. Rather than painstakingly typing out an entire bibliography or entering footnotes for a thesis, Zotero can enter references and transfer the materials you have consulted in your article to a bibliography with a few clicks of a mouse. These references are perfectly formatted in a reference style of your choice.

            With this ability to quickly enter a bibliography Zotero eliminates ordeals of having to go through all materials you have consulted yourself in an alphabetical order. I have had the experience many times of trawling through all my footnotes to discover a typing error which I may have copied and pasted ten times, or discovered footnotes arranged in the wrong order or wrong format.

For students who have a tendency to finish their essays at 3am or later on the night before a deadline, Zotero eliminates the need to go through the mind numbing process of compiling a bibliography in the correct format. I have also experienced having to use the UCC library website to check my ‘reading history’ for information on books for a bibliography. With Zotero your books and articles consulted are readily accessible and can be applied to a Word document in a second. As a time saving exercise and an exercise in avoiding the immense frustration of referencing correctly, Zotero is an invaluable aid in study.