Zotero: A Beginner's Guide

Sync your Library

Follow the steps below to sync your Zotero collections on multiple computers.

  1. Create a free account on the Zotero account page.
  2. In the Zotero software, Edit >> Settings (images above)
  3. Select the Sync tab in new window
  4. Enter your Zotero account info and sync

Optional Sync Settings - Online account space* saver (PDFs take up much of the space provided for free)

  1. Deselect the "Sync full-text content"
  2. Deselect "sync attachment files in My Library"

* Zotero provides 300MB of free space, though it is $20/yr for extra space.

Settings for 7.0

Zotero preference location (Edit >> Settings)

Citation Styles

Zotero has 12 default citation styles, but you may download others (over 10K styles available). To set your default style

  1. Open the Zotero software
  2. Select Edit >> Settings (image above)
  3. In the new window select the Cite Tab
  4. Select your preferred style from menu
    1. Skip to download other styles if not listed

Download other citation styles

  1. In the Cite tab
  2. Select Get addition styles...
  3. In new window select a style(s)
  4. New style is automatically added to style menu
  5. Select the style from the menu

Zotero: MS Word Setting

In Word, the default setting for adding a citation is a search bar, but you may change it to the "Classic"  view. The Classic view provides more options and makes it easier to browse your Zotero library for a citation. See images below.

To change

  1. In Zotero, Select Edit >> Settings
  2. Select the Cite tab in this window
  3. Scroll down to find the Word Processing header
  4. Check "Use Classic" box
  5. select OK

Default (search bar)


Classic

Location of Preference settings for 6.0 & 5.0

Setting your preferences can help your workflow for Zotero 6.0 and Zotero 5.0. 

Zotero preference setting location (Edit >> Preferences)