3 Best Reference Management Tools for Researchers

Reference management tools for research can be invaluable in relieving last-minute stresses for authors. Take this example: The deadline for your research paper or study is in two days, and you’re feeling confident about the work you’ve done. Your report is well written. The results are clear, meaningful, and impactful. The only thing you have left to do is to check the citations and references. Then…chaos. You can’t find several of the references you cited, even though you were sure you had them all in the folder. A few of the citation numbers don’t match the references. Worst of all, it’s taking you hours to properly format the entries in the bibliography section. Problem: You didn’t use any reference management tools for research.  

Why researchers need reference management tools for research 

Reference management tools for research (also called citation managers) can easily create order out of this chaos. In fact, if you had used such a tool when you started writing the paper, the chaos would never have existed. A properly used tool for reference management in research can store and organize your references and keep track of your citations. It can also produce a properly formatted bibliography, saving you a great deal of time and effort that you can spend on more important research work. 

Here are some functions that can be performed by reference management tools for research¹: 

1. Create and store citations to efficiently generate an accurate bibliography: Integrate with your word processing program to insert citations and change journal format; can use a variety of styles and journal formats 
2. Search the literature: good reference management tools for research will recommend articles based on your library or written text; external search function 
3. Organize and store PDFs: use folders and tags to organize the reference library; search for documents by author name, keywords, text, notes; highlight passages and annotate PDF files 
4. Foster collaboration: allows you to share your library with colleagues 
5. Create mobility: can sync references across multiple devices 

So how can you shortlist the best reference management software/tool for research? 

What to look for in reference management tools for research 

Reference management tools for research¹ have steadily evolved over the years. With many options and features to choose from, it can be difficult to identify the best reference manager for your needs. Here are some questions to help you identify a good tool for reference management in research.  

• Ease of use: how much time do you want to spend learning how to use this reference management tool for research? 
• Customer support: can you get potential problems addressed in a timely manner? 
• Desired features: what is important to you – uploading PDFs, integrating with Google Docs and smart literature reading apps like R Discovery, citations created while you write? 
• Price: do you need a free option, or would you prefer a stronger reference management system for a price? 
• Reference management tools for research being used by colleagues and employers (college): do you need to share documents with your collaborators? Can your employer or college provide you with a free or reduced price license? 

Limitations of reference management tools for research 

While searching for the best reference management tools for research, it’s important to be aware of what they can and most importantly cannot do. Here are some common limitations of reference management tools for research² you should know. 

• May not deliver a perfect reference list: you must still be familiar with your desired referencing style 

• Will not correct manually entered references: you must proofread the references for spelling, capitalization, and punctuation 
• May not accurately reflect reference type: you must check for accuracy, for example, book, conference paper 

Commonly used reference management tools for research 

Now that you know how to find the best reference manager, here are the three best reference management tools for research to get you started. 

1. EndNote: The most powerful, and complex, of the commonly used reference management software, EndNote^3,4 is available in standalone (installed on your computer) and online versions. The desktop version is priced at $249.50 ($115.95 for a student license); the online version is free but lacks many features included in the desktop version.

Notes: 

• Completely integrates with Microsoft Word 
• Best features for working with large documents 
• Allows for the importation and annotation of PDF documents 
• The desktop version provides unlimited storage 

• Can share library with other EndNote users 
• Well supported but because it is more complex, it takes longer to learn 

2. Mendeley: Mendeley^3,5 may be the most popular reference management tool in research. It comes in free and premium (paid) versions and allows users to manage their references quickly and effectively.

Notes: 

• Completely integrated with MS Word 
• One library to organize, store, and search references 
• Allows users to import, read, and annotate PDF files 
• Publisher support has been inconsistent; however, there is a large and active network of other Mendeley users 

3. Zotero: Zotero^3,6 is a free, open-sourced reference management tool for research that allows users to collect, save, and cite references in one place.

Notes: 

• Stores references in a single library and saves new research finds with a single click from your Web browser 
• Documents can be organized in many ways using folders and keyword tags 
• Fully integrated with MS Word and Google Docs 
• Data can be optionally synchronized across multiple devices 
• Share information with other Zotero users – unlimited and at no cost 
• Well supported and easy to use 

Other less commonly used reference management tools for research include RefWorks, Paperpile, Readcube Papers, and Sciwheel. Go through available comparisons3 of these softwares online and read the supplementary information¹ to learn more about these reference management tools for research, including their ratings⁷. 

So, do your own research on these reference management tools for research and find the best reference management software for you. Writing your next research report or paper will then be far less chaotic and much easier. 

References 

1. Perkel, J.M. Streamline your writing — and collaborations — with these reference managers. Nature https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02491-2 [Accessed June 7, 2022]. 
2. Latrobe University. Reference management for researchers. https://latrobe.libguides.com/reference-management [Accessed June 7, 2022]. 
3. University of Michigan Library. Manage citations with Zotero, Mendeley, and EndNote. https://guides.lib.umich.edu/citationmanagementoptions [Accessed June 7, 2022]. 
4. Endnote. https://www.endnote.com/ [Accessed June 7, 2022]. 
5. Mendeley Reference Manager. https://www.mendeley.com/reference-management/reference-manager [Accessed June 7, 2022]. 
6. https://www.zotero.org/ [Accessed June 7, 2022]. 
7. G2 Software Business Reviews https://www.g2.com/categories/reference-management [Accessed June 7, 2022].