Zotero is free! Zotero allows you to collect your research, both citations and full text documents (pdfs). You have the ability to organize the research however you like. Later, you can integrate Zotero into Google Docs or MS Word to help you make proper citations and a bibliographies. To get started go to the Zotero site to download both the Zotero app and the Zotero connector (for use in your browser).
Try this short video (12:40) about using Zotero.
This is a very good training video from the library at the Illinois Institute of Technology.
With Zotero you can add annotations to references and then create an annotated bibliography with both citations and your annotations.
Zotero has only two citation styles that allow you to create an annotated bibliography:
If you use either of these, be sure to check your citations carefully to see if they conform to the requirements for your course!
Step 1: Install the annotated bibliography citation style of your choice.
In Zotero, go to the Edit menu and select Preferences
On the Cite tab, click on "Select additional styles..."
The Zotero style repository opens. In the search box type in "annotated" to view the two styles.
Click on the link to the style you wish to install. You should now see the style listed in your Zotero styles list.
Step 2: Add annotations to your references in Zotero
For the APA style: Add an annotation to the Abstract field of a reference. (You may wish to copy/cut the abstract text and put it into a note field of the reference first.)
For Chicago style: Add an annotation to the Extra field of a reference:
Step 3: Select citations to include in an annotated bibliography
If the references you wish to put in an annotated bibliography are all in one collection, then simply select the collection, right-click on it and choose Create Bibliography from Collection.
Or, select individual reference, right-click and select Create Bibliography from Items:
A dialog will open. Choose the Output Method "Copy to clipboard" and then paste the content into your document. You can also choose to save as an RTF file, and then open the RTF file.
