What are some recommended reference managers or generators?

Answer

Note that there is a difference between citation generators and managers:

Generators

Quick and easy: Create references to copy and paste into your document. Usually requires an account if you'd like to save references and/or create entire bibliographies.

The library recommends using Citation Machine, which is good for APA and MLA style.

Managers

Store long term: Keep your sources in one place, so you can refer back to them. These require more steps but will save you time in the long term. Some are free, and some are fee-based.

The library recommends two reference managers:

Mendeley - A free reference manager and an academic social network. See more info on how to start and use Mendeley.
Zotero - A free, web-based tool to help you collect, manage, and cite your research sources. See more info on how to start and use Zotero.

For more information and help guides, check out our Citation Support: Reference Tools webpage. If you need help getting started, library staff will be happy to assist you.