Creating formatted citations and bibliographies from sources in your collections can be done in a few different ways.
Options include:
The Docs and Word plug-ins are more powerful than the static export, allowing you to insert citations into your text while you write. When citations are added this way, linked bibliographies will be automatically generated and updated to include each added source. Edits made to sources in Zotero will automatically updated in your sycnhed documents.
After the Zotero connector has been installed, a Zotero menu and a Zotero toolbar button will appear in your Google Docs interface. Using these tools allows you to add citations and bibliographies to your documents as you write.
The first time you use Zotero in Google Docs, it will ask permission to link your Google account with your Zotero library. After you confirm this permission, Zotero will be ready to use in Google Docs.
To add a citation to your document, place the cursor where you would like to cite your source, then access the Zotero menu and select Add/edit citation.
Alternatively, you can also use the Zotero button on the toolbar to add a citation.
When you first try to add a citation, you will be prompted to select a citation style in the document preferences window that pops up. Note: this window may not pop up in front of your currently opened windows, if it is stuck on a message saying "Zotero is updating your document" try minimizing your windows to locate the Zotero-Document Preference window where you can select your preferred citation style.
After you have selected your style, when you add a citation, a small red search bar will appear. Note: this bar may be hidden behind other windows. If it is stuck on a message saying "Zotero is updating your document" try minimizing your windows to locate the Zotero search bar.
Search for sources to add by title, author, or other keywords, then select the source you wish to cite and hit the enter key.
To add a bibliography or works cited list containing the sources you have cited using Zotero, place the cursor where you would like the bibliography to appear, then use then access the Zotero menu and select Add/edit bibliography. This will create a formatted bibliography for the sources you have added to the document from Zotero, and will update if those sources are edited or if new sources are added.
More information about using Zotero with Google Docs can be found at zotero.org/support/google_docs.
To use Zotero with Word, you'll need to install the Zotero Word plugin. This plugin will be automatically installed when you first start the Zotero application. When the plugin is installed, a Zotero tab will be added to your Word toolbar.
To add a citation to your document, place the cursor where you would like to cite your source, then access the Zotero menu and select Add/edit citation.
When you first try to add a citation, you will be prompted to select a citation style in the document preferences window that pops up.
After you have selected your style, when you add a citation, a small red search bar will appear.
Search for sources to add by title, author, or other keywords, then select the source you wish to cite and hit the enter key.
To add a bibliography or works cited list containing the sources you have cited using Zotero, place the cursor where you would like the bibliography to appear, then use then access the Zotero menu and select Add/edit bibliography. This will create a formatted bibliography for the sources you have added to the document from Zotero, and will update if those sources are edited or if new sources are added.
More information about using Zotero with Microsoft Word can be found at zotero.org/support/word_processor_plugin_usage
If you don't want to integrate a synched bibliography, you can export a bibliography directly from the Zotero application to a variety of formats, including copying the bibliography to your clipboard, which you can then simply paste into your documents.
To create a bibliography from the Zotero application, select the folder or sources in your library that you wish to include, then right click and select create bibliography from items or create bibliography from folder.
A Create Citation/Bibliography window will open. In this window, select a citation style for your bibliography, and an output mode (citations or bibliography) and an output method (e.g. copy to clipboard or save as RTF)
If you select Copy to Clipboard, you can then paste the formatted citations into any document you choose.
Another alternative option is called Quick Copy. To use quick copy you simply drag and drop your references from the Zotero application into your document. When you do this, it will paste formatted citations into the document using the export style selected in the Export tab of your Zotero preferences.