An overview of citation management for graduate students in an environmental health program. Includes learning outcomes and a quiz.

1. Introduction to Citation
Management
Essential tools for 21st century
research
February 2, 2016
John Pell
Hunter Libraries

2. Session Outcomes
• Identify citation management software supported at
Hunter College Libraries
• Describe basic citation management competencies
• Describe differences in user base among citation
management networks
• Describe unique features of Hunter-supported citation
management systems
• Identify data formats used to transfer citation data and
publish stylized citations
• Describe important considerations for citation
management when using AMA style

3. WHAT SOFTWARE IS SUPPORTED AT
HUNTER?
Citation Management at Hunter:

4. Citation Software at Hunter
Here’s the
stuff!

5. Citation Software at Hunter

6. WHAT SHOULD YOU BE ABLE TO DO
WITH A CITATION MANAGER?
Citation Management Competencies:

7. Basic Citation Management
Competencies
• Can import citation data from a website or
database
• Can edit citation data for accuracy and
completeness
• Can publish citation data in stylized formats
• Can integrate citation data with a word
processor to insert in-text citations and lists of
works cited

8. Basic Citation Management
Competencies (continued)
• Can evaluate the social networks of citation
managers in relation to different research
interests
• Can collaborate with other authors and
researchers using citation managers

9. Advanced Citation Management
Competencies
• Can export citation data in formats that allow
import into other citation managers or
spreadsheets
• Can edit citation output styles
• Can select/produce the best combination of
sources and tools to import complete citation
data

10. WHAT DO THESE COMPETENCIES
LOOK LIKE IN ACTION?
Applications

11. Importing from a website or database
Citation managers usually
have some version of a
web importer (usually
javascript you save as a
bookmark.) You’ll need
to find an save it.

12. Importing from a website or database
Some resources have
built-in options for
transferring your citation
data (EBSCO and Google
Scholar are shown.)

13. Evaluating import capability
Check the documentation for
lists of supported cites. Zotero’s
directory of 479 web translators
seems the most extensive. You
should also evaluate
performance with the sites
most important to you.

14. Evaluating User Base
Search the user and group
directories for key words of
interest to you. A keyword
search for environmental health
is shown here.

15. Evaluating User Base
Endnote: 36 Hits
Zotero: 15K+ Hits
Mendeley: 94 Hits
Refworks: 1 Hit

16. Considerations when using AMA style
Your source may not have all
the data you need to accurately
cite in AMA style. Note the
missing journal abbreviation
and DOI for this title in Google
Scholar.

17. Considerations when using AMA style
Here’s the same title in
PubMed.

18. Compare Outputs from different
sources
• Rooney AA, Boyles AL, Wolfe MS, Bucher JR, Thayer KA.
Systematic review and evidence integration for
literature-based environmental health science
assessments. Environmental Health Perspectives
(Online). 2014;122(7):711.
• Rooney AA, Boyles AL, Wolfe MS, Bucher JR, Thayer KA.
Systematic review and evidence integration for
literature-based environmental health science
assessments. Environ Health Perspect.
2014;122(7):711-718. doi:10.1289/ehp.1307972.

19. Moving Citation Data
Moving citation data usually
starts with creating a text file in
a certain format. RIS and BibTeX
are the most widely supported.
You may need to specify the
format if it isn’t recognized
automatically. Certain
combinations of citation
mangers have facilitated
transfer. For example. Mendely
=> RefWorks

20. WHAT HAVE WE LEARNED?
Comprehension Check

21. Check Yourself
• What citation managers are supported at
Hunter College?

22. Check Yourself
• How would you describe the basic
competencies of citation management?

23. Check Yourself
• Which citation network seems to have the
highest number of users with interest in
environmental health?

24. Check Yourself
• Which citation manger has the largest
collection of supported sites for its web
importer?

25. Check Yourself
• Where should you try to import your citation
data when you might be using AMA style?

26. Check Yourself
• What are some of the most widely supported
formats for transferring data between citation
managers?

27. Check Yourself
• Who can you go to for questions about
citation management?