Project #2: Zotero

For this project, you’ll be using Zotero, a citation management program, to collect and organize the secondary sources you’re using for your research. Zotero is a bit like a personal research assistant. It helps you collect, organize and cite your sources. It helps you keep track of where you’ve gotten information and helps you create citations to properly credit those sources. It’s always important (and ethical!) to give credit where credit is due, both for yourself and the person you’ve learned from as well as other people who may come along later and want to know where you’ve gotten an idea from.

Part 1: Installing Zotero

For the first part of this project, you’ll need to install Zotero and sign up for an account to get started.

1. Install Zotero on your computer by going to Zotero.org. Click on the “Download” button and install BOTH Zotero AND the Zotero Connector for your browser. This connector will allow you to add sources to your Zotero library straight from your browser.
2. While that’s downloading, click on “Register” in the top right hand corner to sign up for a Zotero account.
3. Now that Zotero is installed, open up Zotero. Sync your newly created account to your Zotero app by clicking on “Zotero” in the top menu and then “Preferences.” Go to “Sync” and enter your log-in information. (This will allow you to access your library from other computers and back-up your library on to the Cloud.) Once you’ve entered your log-in information, close the Preferences menu and click the Sync button in the top right corner of the main Zotero screen. It’ll look like this:

Part 2: Adding Sources to Your Zotero Library

Now that your Zotero library is set up, you’ll need to find some sources to add to it! Using the techniques we talked about in class, go to the GMU library catalogue and find sources for your research. Don’t just choose the very first ones that show up on your very first search. Make sure the sources you’re using will actually help you have a deeper understanding of your research topic.

Search for sources on the GMU library catalogue and add them to your Zotero library using the Zotero Connector. The Zotero Connector will be up in the top bar of your browser. The icon will change depending on what kind of source you’re adding to Zotero. If it’s a book, it’ll be an icon of a book. For example, here’s what it would look like if we were adding this book to Zotero:

For this project, you’ll need to find and add the following sources to your Zotero library:

1. TWO books that you can see in their entirety, whether a full-text version online or a physical copy in the library.
2. TWO scholarly journal articles that you can see in their entirety. Make sure they are from scholarly journals!
3. ONE website that is NOT an encyclopedia, Wikipedia or History.com that you deem to be reliable source.

Once you’ve added the sources to Zotero, check on each sources’ metadata. Make sure it is complete and accurate. Don’t rely on the auto-filled information to be correct or complete! Add or fix any missing information.

Part 3: Write a Blog Post

To finish this project, write a blog post that includes the following things:

1. Explain why each of your chosen sources should be considered reliable, based on the criteria we discussed in class, and why each is a good source for you to use for your research. Remember: the first source you find may not be the best for your purpose! You should write one paragraph for each source.
2. A bibliography of your sources generated with Zotero. Use this tutorial to generate it. Please use “Chicago Manual of Style (17th Edition) (author-date)” as your selected citation style.

Submit your completed assignment by posting a link to your public blog post in the #week-04-zotero channel on Slack.