Comparison of Bibliographic Software at MIT: MIT Libraries

	EndNote	RefWorks	Zotero
Link to web guides	Technical Support & Services	Quick-Start Guides	Documentation
Type	Desktop client software; also has web interface through ISI Web of Knowledge	Web-based	Desktop software available as Firefox extension that lives in browser
Cost	Must purchase client software, available at MIT Coop; web version free for MIT	Free via MIT license. See the RefWorks guide for information on how to register.	Free; open-source Firefox 2.0 extension. Download Firefox, then download Zotero. Also works with Netscape Navigator 9.0 and Flock.
Learning curve	Takes longer to learn, but not difficult with training	Fairly quick to learn; many online user guides and demos	Quick to learn; simple design, many online user guides and demos
Strengths?	Excellent for organizing citations for papers and theses Best option for major research projects, because it offers the most options for customization and formatting Most widely used product at MIT Most output styles for formatting Most customizable	Allows users to share citations Good for organizing citations for papers Web-based Since MIT has a site license, there's no cost	Simple download of records Good for managing a variety of formats, including webpages Offers most functionality in a free, open-source product Downloads records from with several databases that don't work with EndNote and RefWorks, including Factiva, LexisNexis, and USPTO
How does it work?	You export references from compatible databases into EndNote	You export references from compatible databases into RefWorks	Zotero senses when you are looking at an item and shows an icon for it in the Firefox location bar. Click the icon to add the item to your Zotero references
Does it have many output styles and bibliographic formats?	Yes, many popular styles and formats	Yes, numerous popular bibliographic formats, but not as simple to change as in EndNote	Some popular styles, but not nearly as many as in EndNote and RefWorks
How simple is it to import records?	Simple to import records from most research databases	Simple to import records from most research databases	Very simple, as long as the resource is compatible with Zotero, but you will want to verify that the records are complete after import
What kinds of records can you import and organize (pdfs, images, etc.)?	Most helpful for organizing records for articles and books; pdfs and other file types can also be stored in the records	Records for articles and books	Books, articles, patents, and webpages; Can also store pdfs, web screenshots, files, and images in records. You can make pdfs searchable by choosing to index them in the preferences menu.
Are records in your library viewable by others?	No	Yes; Users can share references in library with other RefWorks users	No
Can you export records to other software?	Yes	Yes	Yes, but more limited in export types
Is managing and maintaining a big library (1000 records) complicated?	Not complex; EndNote is best option for maintaining large libraries	Not complex, but it can be cumbersome to manage large libraries	More difficult; takes time to sort out duplicates and verify that records are complete
Does it work with word processing software?	Clean integration with Word and powerful formatting and customization features; also works with LaTex through BibTex	Works with Word through "Write-N-Cite" feature and LaTex through BibTex	Works with Word and Open Office; also works with LaTex through BibTex and Google Docs
Other important features	PDF file management and organization features	Since it's web-based, you're not limited to a single machine	Integrated with work that you do Fastest download of records Saves snapshot of web pages Allows users to highlight text and take notes on page Allows users to tag records