Library DIY (beta)
- Library DIY
- How do I start research on my topic?Toggle Dropdown
- How to develop a search strategy?Toggle Dropdown
- Search for ResourcesToggle Dropdown
- I have a question about articlesToggle Dropdown
- Evaluating resources for my researchToggle Dropdown
- I need help citing or using sources
- How do I scan, log in, or get resources?Toggle Dropdown
Using citation management systems
Save and Organize your Sources
For your research project, set up a simple system for keeping track of your resources and any other research information:
- Sign in to the PSU Library catalog and use the pin icon to save your library resources in My Favorites;
- Create a folder in your pdx.edu email to save articles, citations, and drafts of your assignment;
- Save all of your sources to the same place, such as your PSU H: drive;
- Create a Google Doc with your notes and citation information.
If you need assistance with citations, PSU Library's Cite Your Sources guide offers more instruction on citation, plagiarism, and citation generators.
Use Citation Management Systems
With a Citation management system, you can download and store citations from various websites and databases in a specific citation style (MLA, APA, Chicago). In addition, you can insert citations and a bibliography into your paper. If you work collaboratively on projects, you can also use citation managers to share your citations. Most importantly, citation management systems are best for managing a large number of citations.
There are several citation management tools available as well as tutorials on how to use them. PSU provides support for:
Zotero and Mendeley are the most popular and free on the web. For more information about citation management tools, visit the Library's Manage Citations with Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote.
Learn more about how these free citation managers, Zotero and Mendeley, can help you organize your citations and research articles. Watch this video, What are Citation Managers: