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Zotero for Law

An expert guide to using Zotero reference management software.

Zotero and Word Processors

Zotero can be used with Microsoft Word, Libre Office and Google Docs.

For information on using Zotero with other text editors and programs, see this list of additional plug in options.

Word processor plug ins should automatically download with the Zotero program. If you can't see a Zotero tab in Word or Libre Office, follow the steps on this Troubleshooting Page (find your relevant Operating system and word processor version). 

In Google Docs, the Zotero menu item will appear when using Chrome or Firefox if you have added the Zotero connector to the browser. The first time you use Zotero in Google Docs, you will be asked to authenticate with your Google account details. 

Zotero menu items enable the following functionalities.

Zotero Tab in Microsoft Word screenshot: Menu items to add citations, bibliographies and notes.

Add/Edit Citation:

Add a new citation or edit an existing citation (including pinpoint) in your document at the cursor location.

The pop up also enables users to add prefixes, suffixes and pinpoints (click on the citation in the footnote first). 

Add/Edit Bibliography: Insert a bibliography at the cursor location or edit an existing bibliography.
Insert Note: Insert a note at the cursor location. If there is a citation on the note, this will be added to the footnotes in Word.
Document Preferences: Open the Document Preferences window, e.g. to change the citation style.
Refresh:

Refresh all citations and the bibliography, updating any item metadata that has changed in your Zotero library.

Unlink Citations:

Remove Zotero field codes from the document. Field codes allow Zotero to generate your references in your chosen style within your document. 

Removing field codes changes your references in to plain text and prevents any further automatic updates of the citations and bibliographies. This is irreversible.

Choosing a referencing style

Make sure you have the AGLC style, instructions for getting this style in Zotero are available on the Getting Started page of this guide.

When you first add a citation, Zotero will ask you to select your referencing style. You can choose from the default list, along with any other styles you've installed, in a pop up window.

To change your citation style, click on Document Preferences to select a citation style. Where a footnote citation system is used, Zotero will create the footnotes at the bottom of the page. 

Adding a citation

Place your cursor where the footnote is to be inserted. Click on the Zotero tab in your word processor and select 'Add Citation.' 

  • Quick View - default single search bar to add citations via a keyword search. Enter your terms (author, words from the title) in the search bar, the references  that match will be displayed. Select the item from the drop down options and press enter.

Word Screenshot: Insert item from Zotero visual

  • Classic View - displays your library. Click on the 'Z' in the pop up bar and select reference/s from the library pop up. Click OK to insert them into your document. For multiple items, select 'Multiple Sources', select each item and use green arrow to add to far right citation pane.  Within classic view you can also add prefix/s, suffix/s and pinpoints (reference to a specific page, paragraph, footnote or section of a source) to the footnote. 

TIP: To make the classic view the default view from Zotero select Edit > Settings > Cite > Check box 'Use classic Add Citation dialog’  

Word Screenshot: Insert item from Zotero using Classic View visual

Adding a bibliography

To generate a bibliography place your cursor where you want the bibliography and click the Add/Edit Bibliography button. Add/Edit Bibliography button

All sources cited in your document will be listed.

To add additional sources to your bibliography, click anywhere within your bibliography, click the Add/Edit Bibliography button. Select the references to be added and click the green arrow to add more sources to the right hand column. These will be added to your bibliography.

For bibliography style rules, refer to rule 1.13 of the AGLC Guide.

Note, where a bibliography is required, it should list all sources that where relied upon (not only those refereed to in the text and footnotes.)
AGLC requires that it is split into the following sections:

A. Articles/Books/Reports

B. Cases

C. Legislation

D Treaties

E. Other

An authors first name and surname should be inverted and separated by a comma for works by two or more authors, only the first author's name and surname should be inverted

Full stops should not follow citations.

Finishing your document

Removing field codes should only be done when you are ready to finish and/or submit your document.

It is an irreversible process.  You should save a back-up copy of your document in case you do need to make changes.When you are ready, click unlink citations OK

Choosing a referencing style

When you first add a citation, Zotero will ask you to select your referencing style. You can choose from the default list, along with any other styles you've installed, in a pop up window.

To change the citation style, click on Document Preferences to select a citation style

  • Where a footnote citation system is used, Zotero will create the footnotes at the bottom of the page. It is easy to change between in-text and footnote styles. 

Zotero Screenshot: Citation style preferences


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