I’ve been writing about tech for over seven years at this point, and the type of articles I write has changed throughout the course. Initially, I used to write news pieces that involved reading press releases and drafting short posts. Over time, though, I moved on to writing features and stories that required more technical know-how and extensive research — topics that involve explaining a feature or how a particular technology works. While I am good at finding sources to back up my claims in the form of research papers, online articles, snippets from magazines, etc., I’m terrible at organizing them in one place. I often remember finding sources for a particular section, but forget where I’d seen them. If your job description is similar to mine, or you’re a student — you can probably relate to what I’m saying.
Looking for relevant sources once again means spending a lot more time — which is far from ideal if you’re working with strict timelines. So, I decided to find a solution to this problem. I was looking for a solution that would help me collate information from PDF files, a few random tabs in my browser, research papers, etc. — in a single, easy-to-view format. A friend from school suggested I try Zotero, so I installed it on my Mac. Safe to say, it has completely changed the way I carry out research on my computer. If you’re a student, professor, writer, or just someone keen on researching new topics and trends, here’s how Zotero makes your life a lot easier.
Installing and using Zotero
It’s available on most major platforms
Whether you use a Mac or a Windows PC, you can install an instance of Zotero on either platform. In fact, it’s also available on iOS and Android. While the app isn’t necessarily useful on a smartphone, you can access your saved links and sources on an Android tablet or iPad, which is a big deal since several students and professionals use tablets as replacements for laptops. Once you have the app installed, I would also recommend adding the Zotero Connector Chrome extension to your browser. This is the simplest way to gather all your internet-based sources. Create an account on Zotero and log in with the same account on the extension, too.
Logging in helps sync your information across multiple devices. With everything in place, it’s time to create multiple folders inside Zotero to house all the required information in an organized manner. You can create folders for different projects you’re working on using the sidebar on the left. Then, import relevant files like documents, books, articles, podcasts, videos, etc. into the folder. You can even add tags like “Math” or “Project #1” to individual files for easy identification.
Using Zotero effectively
It’s a game-changer for research
Adding your files and sources manually can consume a lot of time. So, what’s a more efficient way of going about it? The Chrome extension. Head to any webpage, e-book, PDF, research paper, scholarly website, or just about anything you open inside your browser, and click on the Zotero extension to add it to your notebook. Select the relevant folder, add a tag if you would like, and click on Done. When you open Zotero, you’ll realize that not only has the webpage or document been added to the list of files in your project, but the app has also automatically populated relevant fields such as source link, names of the authors, the abstract, and other metadata. In the case of a PDF, you will also find a field that has a copy of the file.
This is the single most effective way of collating all your resources in one place when conducting research. With all the information that’s automatically collected when using the extension, Zotero can autofill citations when you’re typing in Microsoft Word or Google Docs. The app has plugins that you can install for both of these platforms. It makes the workflow super smooth and seamless. Without Zotero, you would have to manually copy and paste each link, number them, and mention the source at the bottom of the page. For long documents or research papers, that’s a lot of manual labor that you can avoid with Zotero. Finally, the biggest advantage is that I don’t have to remember when and where I saw a piece of information, and go down a rabbit hole in the future while trying to find it. I know exactly where to find it.
Give your research workflow a much-needed makeover
If you’re still using age-old methods like copying links to individual webpages and other sources and pasting them into your favorite Notes app for future reference, it’s time to upgrade your workflow. Manual labor requires a lot of time and effort; both of these can be eliminated by using a resource like Zotero. Once you have all your sources in one place, it not only makes it easy to refer to them in a pinch but also helps add citations to relevant places in your research paper or essay. The collaborative tools are the cherry on top, making the tool useful for teams that often collaborate when conducting research. If you’re in college, this feature is a lifesaver for group projects and assignments.