Research knowledge base
A better reference-management workflow
A reference manager is most useful when the team agrees how records enter the library, how duplicates are resolved and who checks the final bibliography.
01
Build one reviewable library
Begin with a project collection, a naming convention and a person responsible for library maintenance. Record where references came from and retain the search records separately when the project is a systematic review. Zotero can support collection and citation management; it does not replace a documented search method.
02
Check identity before removing duplicates
Compare title, authors, date, journal and identifier. A preprint and a journal article may describe related work but have different versions and records. An erratum is not necessarily a duplicate. Keep a decision note when merging records affects the evidence trail.
Use Crossref DOI lookup to investigate missing identifiers, then compare the result with the actual item. A DOI match establishes an identifier relationship; it does not evaluate the quality of the research or confirm that a quoted claim appears in the paper.
03
Keep annotations separate from claims
Store a short note explaining why a source matters and the page, table or section that supports the relevant claim. Distinguish the authors’ finding from your interpretation. Read the source rather than relying on imported abstracts or generated summaries for an important methodological or substantive claim.
04
Audit the manuscript bibliography
Before submission, check that each in-text citation has the intended reference, that citations are not broken after revisions and that the chosen style follows the current author instructions. Resolve missing metadata and check notices relevant to the sources. A correct citation format cannot repair a source that does not support the sentence.
05
Hand over a library that others can use
Agree access to shared collections and the permitted sharing of full text under institutional and publisher conditions. Export the bibliography and a portable library format when closing the project, retain a dated version and verify that another team member can open the export. For evidence synthesis, continue into the systematic-review workflow so that citation management remains connected to screening and extraction records.
06
Sources and tools
- Zotero — Collect, organise and cite references; verify imported metadata.
- Crossref DOI lookup — Look up candidate DOIs and compare the bibliographic record.
07
Continue with your research
External resources reviewed 22 October 2026. Check the current instructions for the selected journal, tool or institution before acting. These links identify independent resources and do not imply an affiliation with or endorsement by their providers.