Refworks vs. Zotero
Refworks and Zotero are both very capable citation tools. The HKS Library staff have found Zotero to be easier to use.
Log in to Refworks or Meet Zotero
Refworks & Zotero Feature Comparison
| Writing Features | RefWorks | Zotero |
|---|---|---|
| Citing References and Creating Bibliographies | Easy | Easy |
| Word Processor Compatibility | Microsoft Word | Microsoft Word and Open Office |
| Citation styles | >1000 | > 1000 |
| Sharing | RefWorks | Zotero |
| Sharing citations through the Web | RefWorks users can share folders; Others have read-only access. | Yes, public or private groups |
| Web-based citation storage | Yes | Yes |
| Exchange data with other citation tools | Yes | Yes |
| Organizing | RefWorks | Zotero |
| Ability to manage large collections | Search and sort. Allows grouping by subject. | Search and sort. Allows subject tagging. Full Text search possible |
| Note taking | Notes can be included with each citation. | Rich text note taking tool makes it easy to attach notes to records. Can also highlight and annotate attached web docs (not pdfs) |
| File attachments | Yes. 5GB limit per account | Yes. Can store Web pages, screen shots, and other objects. 100mb limit w/free account. |
| Linking to documents though Find It @ Harvard | Yes | Yes, can also relocate unlinked document through citation linker (SFX) |
| Importing references | RefWorks | Zotero |
| Importing citations from databases | Process depends on Database. Filters available for most databases, including HOLLIS. | Easiest. Filters available for most databases. Can import search results. |
| Harvesting citation information from Web pages | RefGrab-It tool grabs URL and sometimes more information. | Yes; allows one-click capture from compatible sites. |
| Editing and creating import filters | No | No |