Searching the Literature for Animal Testing Alternatives: A Tutorial: Step 1 : Manage Your Search & Results

Keeping track of what databases you have searched, what keywords and questions you used in each database, and the results from each search can be a time-consuming and tedious enterprise, but it is critical.  UNC-CH supports several online citation management programs that can help you organize and manage your literature search results.

Citation management software programs have some major advantages over card files and spreadsheets, though these are also valid options.

• You can import abstracts from many databases directly into these programs instead of having to cut-and-paste.
• You can organize and attach notes to each included reference. 
• You can automatically format your stored citations according to a huge variety of styles, including APA, MLA, AMA, and more.
• You can export an automatic report or file of your saved citations, with or without annotation.