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Zotero

Introduction

Welcome to our Zotero guide! 

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What is Zotero?

Zotero is a reference management tool. This is a piece of software you can use to collect, organize, annotate and cite research. 

You can use Zotero to:

  • Quickly save reference information from the web with just one click.
  • Automatically create citations and bibliographies.
  • Organise your references and notes with tags and folders.
  • Back up and share your research.
     

Is Zotero right for you? 

 Zotero logo

Zotero Storage

The University of Sussex has a subscription to Zotero, which means our staff and students have unlimited storage! 
If you register for Zotero using your Sussex university email address, you will have unlimited storage automatically. 

If you've registered for Zotero with your personal email address, you can upgrade to unlimited storage for free by following these steps:

  • Log in to Zotero in your browser.
  • Visit your Zotero account settings page.
  • Scroll down to the 'Manage email addresses' section​.
  • Add your Sussex University email as an additional email address. ​
  • Verify this email address by clicking the link in the verification email from Zotero.​ 

You should now have unlimited storage. To check, visit your Zotero Storage page.

When leaving the University, you can add your personal email address using the same method to keep your Zotero library's content (although, keep in mind, your storage limit will revert to 300MB). 

Setting up Zotero - Tutorial

To set up Zotero, follow the steps below.

Create an account: 

  1. Go to the Zotero Homepage and create an account.
  2. You'll receive an email confirmation from Zotero (do-not-reply@zotero.org). Click on the link in the email to complete your registration.
  3. Stay logged in to your Zotero account. If this is the first time you've used Zotero, your account will be empty.

Download the Zotero app:

  1. Go to the Zotero Homepage and click on "Download".
  2. Install the software.
    Make sure that Word is closed during installation. 
    If you're using a word processor other than MS Word, you can check compatibility here.
    If you have any issues with installation the software, see Zotero's Installation Instructions.
  3. Once the installation is complete, you need to sign in to the desktop app.
  4. Click on the Sync button in the top right corner.
  5. Click on ‘Open Sync Preferences’
  6. Login with your Zotero account details and click ‘Set up Sync’.

Install the 'Zotero Connector' browser extension:

  1. Go to the Zotero Homepage or go to the app and click on "Tools" ► "Install Browser Connector"
  2. Install the browser connector for your web browser.
  3. Once installation is complete, you should see a small Zotero icon in the top right corner of your browser.

Can't see the icon? You need to 'pin' the Zotero Connector to your task bar so it's visible. To do this: 

  • Click the jigsaw icon to the right of the main web address bar.
  • This brings up a list of your browser extensions, including the Zotero Connector​.
  • Click the pin icon next to the Zotero Connector to pin it to your task bar. 

Check the Word Plugin has installed: 

  1. Open Word or your preferred word-processor.
  2. You should see an additional option in the ribbon called 'Zotero'.

If the plugin hasn't installed, follow the steps below.

  1. Open the Zotero desktop app
  2. Go to Edit ► Preferences ► Cite ► Word Processors and click on ‘Reinstall Microsoft Word Add-in’.