Literature Searches (Part 7): Zotero

“The man who listens to Reason is lost: Reason enslaves all whose minds are not strong enough to master her” -- George Bernard Shaw (Irish literary Critic, Playwright and Essayist. 1925 Nobel Prize for Literature, 1856-1950)

The final post in the Literature Search series covers Zotero.

Zotero  is a free tool that collects, manages, and cites research sources. It's easy to use. Just click the Zotero icon located in your web browser. It automatically downloads all the date you need to organize and cite your reference sources.  According to Wikipedia …

///////
Zotero is free and open-source reference management software to manage bibliographic data and related research materials (such as PDF files). Notable features include web browser integration, online syncing, generation of in-text citations, footnotes and bibliographies, as well as integration with the word processors Microsoft Word, LibreOffice, OpenOffice.org Writer and NeoOffice. It is produced by the Center for History and New Media of George Mason University (GMU).
The name 'Zotero' is loosely derived from an Albanian verb meaning "to master".
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zotero
///////
Let’s use the following article to explore Zotero’s features. The data items as they appear on the Taylor & Francis Online site are reproduced below, sans the Taylor & Francis formatting …

///////
Petroleum Science and Technology
Volume 32, Issue 11, 2014
Deep Desulfurization of Model Oil by Extraction with a Low-viscosity Ionic Liquid [BMIM]SCN
Access options
DOI: 10.1080/10916466.2011.653466
L. Gaoa, H. Wana, M. Hanb & G. Guana
pages 1309-1317
Published online: 01 Apr 2014
Abstract
In this work, a low-viscosity ionic liquid 1-buthyl-3-methylimidazole thiocyanate ([BMIM]SCN) was utilized as extractant for the extractive desulfurization of thiophene in model oil. Several conditions were investigated respectively, including extraction time, temperature, and volume ratio of ionic liquid to model oil. Also the kinetics of extraction of thiophene were proposed. Under the optimal extractive conditions, the removal of thiophene in model oil was 55.6%. Other sulfur compounds and real oil were also investigated. Furthermore, the total desulfurization efficiency could reach 98.3%. In addition, the ionic liquid could be recycled seven times with negligible decrease in activity.
Author affiliations
a College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering , Nanjing Tech University , Nanjing , China
b College of Sciences , Nanjing Tech University , Nanjing , China
Source: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/10916466.2011.653466#preview
///////
Here is what Zotero extracts when you click the Zotero icon located in the URL box near the top of your browser window …
///////
Deep Desulfurization of Model Oil by Extraction with a Low-viscosity Ionic Liquid [BMIM]SCN

Type	Journal Article
Author	L. Gao
Author	H. Wan
Author	M. Han
Author	G. Guan
URL	zotero://attachment/1810/
Volume	32
Issue	11
Pages	1309-1317
Publication	Petroleum Science and Technology
ISSN	1091-6466, 1532-2459
Date	2014-06-03
DOI	10.1080/10916466.2011.653466
Accessed	9/26/2014, 9:54:00 AM
Library Catalog	CrossRef
Language	en
Date Added	9/26/2014, 9:54:00 AM
Modified	9/26/2014, 9:54:00 AM

Attachments
Taylor & Francis Online :: Deep Desulfurization of Model Oil by Extraction with a Low-viscosity Ionic Liquid [BMIM]SCN - Petroleum Science and Technology - Volume 32, Issue 11
///////
To the Zotero basic record, you can add notes.  For example …

Highlight this item in the Desulfurization post titled: "Literature Searches (Part 7): Zotero"

Of course, if you are writing a dissertation, your note could indicate, for example, the page and paragraph of the relevant quote, and how it would apply to your dissertation ntopic.

You can also Tag the item. For example …

DEEP DESULFURIZATION
IONIC LIQUIDS
NANJING TECH UNIVERSITY

Choose tags that make sense to you.  I chose to add NANJING TECH UNIVERSITY, because I am interested in author affiliations. Creative use of tags can help you sort your research results in all sorts of useful ways.

By right clicking on an item, or an entire collection, you can produce a bibliography in any of the major citation styles.  Here is the APA formatted cite of our sample article …

Gao, L., Wan, H., Han, M., & Guan, G. (2014). Deep Desulfurization of Model Oil by Extraction with a Low-viscosity Ionic Liquid [BMIM]SCN. Petroleum Science and Technology, 32(11), 1309–1317.

We have just scratched Zotero’s surface. There are a number of useful guides to get you started using Zotero.  Here are two of them …

Using Zotero
Alli Buchler & Stephanie Willen Brown
Park Library
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mP5AzJHXfIA

How to manage a research library with Zotero
http://blog.oceans-campus.com/blog/bid/381943/How-to-manage-a-research-library-with-Zotero

Visit www.JeanSteinhardtConsulting.com for more tips and tricks.