PREP - Module 6.8

Zotero

Once a person finds a number of research articles, they will likely want to store these articles in an organized manner. There are some tools to help with this. Zotero is a software program that can be used as part of a desktop application or via an internet browser. One can upload their articles to Zotero and it will store a PDF copy of the article as well as allow the user to add notes and tag keywords about the article. Once a person starts to write a research paper, the software will help generate in-text citations and references for the article in many different formats (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.), which saves the researcher a lot of time! There are other similar software programs to Zotero (e.g., EndNote, Mendeley), so check out which one is right for you!

Note: Research Methods Vary. The research methods used for any given project depend heavily on what methods are necessary to answer the research question at that time. New methods are constantly being developed and refined. In some cases, the research you assist with may not use the above methods. It is important to remember that your professor can help guide you in learning new methods specific to the research question at hand. When in doubt, ask your professor and/or senior lab members for guidance or assistance. There might be times when others assume you already know a certain program or skill. When this happens, you can ask them for help. They want you to succeed, but they can only help you if they know you need help.