Comments on: A Tale of Two Citation Tools

By: Leissa Kimball

Leissa Kimball — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 14:39:38 +0000

The only problem I see with Zotero & Mendeley is that both require a download which one cannot often do on campus computers.

Students can access Refworks from our library website and EasyBib is available free online, with the EasyBib app and now there is an EasyBib Google Toolbar. Refworks has a toolbar also called Grab-it, but it also requires a download so that feature is not useful for our patrons.

I agree with the original post. If you’re going to use it for the basic undergrad paper, EasyBib is a fine thing. In fact, the free options on EasyBib are becoming better. EasyBib also offers many Information Literacy teaching tools like a Website Evaluation Guide, so it is evolving into something much more useful to all players.

If you want/need more in-depth coverage, and you have access to Refworks might be a little bit better. It’s just, really, a matter of preference.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 20:24:12 +0000

I completely agree that as librarians we’re often trying to find the sweet spot between our research ideals and actual student/user behavior. And as a hospital librarian, I’ve become increasingly comfortable with this gap because I’m well aware of the very important work my users are doing when they’re *not* searching for articles.

@MendeleyTips, as you might guess, posts tips for using Mendeley. I found the “Mendeley Minute” videos through there, and have found them useful for introducing librarians & library users alike to the software.

Happy experimenting!

By: Andy Burkhardt

Andy Burkhardt — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 19:04:56 +0000

Sarah, I do agree that RefWorks can be useful for undergrads at some point. We have students who have to do a huge lit review for one assignment and a number of them find RefWorks really useful keeping all their stuff organized.

I like your idea though of something like Zotero or Mendeley being a intermediary between the robustness of RefWorks and the quick and easiness of EasyBib. I think as librarians, we are often trying to find that balance between what we’re trying to teach students and what students are actually doing.

And I actually hadn’t heard of Mendeley before, so now I’m gonna check it out. Thanks!

By: Sarah

Sarah — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 15:15:11 +0000

EasyBib is definitely popular among undergrads for the reasons you bring up. And it’s a fantastic idea to get more undergrads involved in designing library services.

I still think full-fledged tools like RefWorks can be useful for undergraduates, particularly those who have to complete long senior research projects or hope to go on to graduate school. Of course, if they go on to a grad school that uses EndNote, experience using Refworks will only get them so far.

I started using Mendeley a few years ago when I was still an undergrad. The big advantage of this program (or Zotero) is that it’s not tied to a specific institution, so I’ve used it at 2 universities and continue to use it as a hospital librarian.

I’d be curious to hear (non-library-inclined) undergraduate opinions on Mendeley. I think of it as somewhere between lightweight options like EasyBib and the complex programs like Refworks.