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Managing references: Home

A guide to some of the systems you can use to help with referencing

What is reference management software?

Reference management software, also known as bibliographic management software, allows you to store details of the useful references you find. You can then use it to insert citations in your documents and it will automatically add a bibliography at the end in a style of your choosing.

There are various options available for managing your references electronically. This guide gives information and guidance on some of the software options. Use the tabs above to explore these.

The Library supports the use of EndNote and Mendeley by offering online information, training and 1-1 support. We do not formally support any of the other packages mentioned in this guide, although we have provided links to external support, such as videos and support forums.

We have selected the most frequently used tools for inclusion in this guide, but there are many others...

Why use reference management software?

  1. You can store accurate details of publications to use in your assignments.
  2. It can save you time compiling, checking and correcting references - just insert the citation and a bibliography is created automatically. You can also reformat your citations in a different style at the click of a button.
  3. You can add notes to your references, to remind yourself of specific parts you might want to use.
  4. Use it to store PDFs of the sources with your references, so that everything is together and in most cases available on any computer.
  5. You may be able to share references and highlight text on PDFs.

A consistent and accurate bibliography could make the difference between a 2:1 and a First!

Help with referencing and academic integrity

Citing references

Our detailed Citing references guide includes help on different referencing styles and includes examples to follow for lots of different types of publication.

Support with creating references and using reference management tools

Your Academic Liaison Librarian can advise on formatting references in the correct style, and with using EndNote and Mendeley for managing your references and using them in your work.

Advice on using references and avoiding plagiarism

Contact the Study Advice team for advice on using references in your work, both to support your arguments and to avoid plagiarism.