Keeping Track of Your Sources
All citation styles include the basic elements necessary to identify your sources. The order they go in and the level of detail you need may vary by citation style and the type of material you are citing. Information includes:
- author
- title
- date of publication
- page numbers
- volume and issue numbers (for journal articles)
- doi (Digital Object Identifier)
Citation Manager
What is a citation manager? A citation manager is a digital tool which collects, organizes, and preserves information about the sources you engage with. Additionally, it enables you to add sources together in different lists, switch citations from one style to another, and share sources with classmates and collaborators.
Which Citation Manager Is Best For Me?
Can't decide which citation manager to use? The BU Libraries recommend Zotero, a free app that easily captures bibliographic information from any web resource. The app can be synced to a free online account to back up your data and share it with others. Zotero integrates with Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, and Google Docs to make citing sources quick and easy. See the Zotero page on this guide for more information and tips on how to get started.
If you'd like to compare your options, the University of Toronto has created an extensive comparison table.
