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Albert S. Cook Library

Research Tech: AI, Citations, Data, and More

This guide provides an overview of technology that supports every stage of the academic process—from reading and organizing sources to conducting literature reviews, managing citations, analyzing data, and sharing research.

Head of Research Services

Profile Photo
Shana Gass
she/hers
Contact:
sgass@towson.edu
410-704-2395

Zotero for Reading and Organization

Zotero is more than just a citation management tool! With Zotero, you can:

  • Transform how you read digital content with its built-in Reader, perfect for PDFs, EPUB books, and HTML web articles!
  • Keep your thoughts organized by highlighting key passages and adding sticky notes directly in your files.
  • Create a personalized organization system using tags, collections, and sub-collections.
  • Access your annotated readings from any device, making it easy to pick up where you left off.

Our Zotero guide provides a full overview on this tool, including how to collaborate in Group Libraries.

Categorize Sources

In addition to putting your sources in collections, you may also "tag" a source however you wish.

The benefit is that later, you will be able to search by these tags.

To tag a source:

  • Navigate to the right collection and source within Zotero (or search for the source using the search bar)
  • On the right-hand panel, click the Tags tab
  • Click Add button and type in your tag

Keep in mind: If you are using a library database that applies subject tags of its own, these will often be imported into Zotero along with the other source information.

Organize and Read Files

The image sliders below contains five total screenshots of a Zotero Library, a Collection within that Library, and the built-in Zotero Reader. These screenshots show the desktop application, since the Reader can't be used on the web version. In each screenshot, one or two elements of the interface are emphasized via an outline or icon.
Instructions: Select the arrows on either side of the image to display the next image.

Organize Your Library Overview

Zotero full library with info panel

Zotero full library with info panel

Your Library houses all Collections, which can be named by Course, Project, or Theme. When you select a source, the Info (citation information) displays by default.

Reader Functionality

Zotero PDF Reader with interaction menu

Zotero PDF Reader with interaction menu

All possible interactions are listed above the PDF, in a static menu. You can highlight, add notes, select areas, and change highlight color. To the left, you can see a personal comment tied to a text highlight.

Zotero Reader Tutorial