(Allied) Health Sciences: PhD and Post-Doc Resources: Select a Citation Manager
Created by Health Science Librarians
Note regarding Mendeley
At this time, the libraries do not recommend selecting Mendeley as a new user and we no longer support this tool. If you currently use Mendeley, we recommend you get in touch with a librarian to discuss possible alternatives going forward.
Comparing reference managers
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| HSL Online Guides | EndNote | Zotero | Lean Library Workspace (Sciwheel) | |
| Classes at HSL | EndNote Classes | Lean Library Workspace (Sciwheel) Classes | ||
| Cost | $108 for students, faculty, & staff through UNC-CH |
Zotero is free | Free through UNC-CH | |
| Notes | See EndNote Basic guide for further details on the free online version | Use this link to create account. Select No, I'm a new user then select password. | ||
| How is it used? | Computer + Web |
Computer + Web |
Web | |
| Major citation styles? | ||||
| Annotation of PDFs |
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| Locate full-text using UNC-CH subscriptions | Instructions for EndNote |
Instructions for Zotero |
Instructions for Lean Library Workspace (Sciwheel) |
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| Adds citation from a PDF | ||||
| Sharing options | X7 and above users have sharing options / email compressed libraries | See group options here |
Share unlimited projects and manuscripts | |
| Free online storage | EN21- three year access to EndNote Web with unlimited storage | 700+ papers (more space can be purchased) |
Unlimited | |
| Word Processor | Microsoft Word |
Microsoft Word |
Microsoft Word Google Docs Manuscripts for Mac |
How to Choose: Balance Your Priorities
Basically, think about your needs and decide on your priorities. Possible priorities:
- Cost: There is no cost to start using EndNote Basic, Lean Library Workspace (Sciwheel), or Zotero.
- Working without internet access: You can use the references stored in EndNote, or Zotero without being connected to the Internet. This feature is coming soon from Lean Library Workspace (Sciwheel).
- Storing PDFs: EndNote, Lean Library Workspace (Sciwheel), or Zotero allow you to integrate downloaded PDFs with your reference database. EndNote will search for available full-text when you are on campus and this is a very quick way to download and organize the full-text of multiple recent references.
- Working with a team: If you are joining an established team that has already chosen a particular reference management tool, it is a good idea to learn to use that tool. If you are just forming a team, look at the sharing features in Lean Library Workspace (Sciwheel) and Zotero.
- Systematic Reviews: HSL librarians prefer EndNote Desktop or Lean Library Workspace (Sciwheel) for systematic reviews. Both allow ingestion of large result files from multiple databases and provide deduplication options.
Remember that you may move your references between programs, so if you don't like one program you can always switch.
How to Choose: Compare Features
See the PDF below for a more detailed comparison of EndNote Basic, EndNote Desktop + Basic, F1000 Workspace, and Mendeley, including application to four use cases (Public Health Graduate Students, Medical Residents, Research Lab Team, Systematic Review Team)
A Comparison of Reference Managers that Support Collaborative Research
Murphree L, White M, Renner BR. (2018) “Reference Managers that Support Collaborative Research: Dreaming of the Perfect Fit.” Medical Reference Services Quarterly, 37 (3), 219-233. PMID: 30239298. DOI: 10.1080/02763869.2018.1477706