Citationmanagement

Citation management, sometimes written as citation-management, is the practice of organizing and handling bibliographic references for scholarly writing. It encompasses collecting sources, storing metadata, tagging and annotating entries, and producing properly formatted citations and bibliographies. The goal is to streamline research workflows, ensure accuracy, and facilitate collaboration among authors.

Software tools commonly used for citation management provide libraries or databases to store references, import records from databases and catalogs, deduplicate entries, and attach full-text PDFs or notes. They offer search, tagging, and annotation features, as well as support for group libraries and sharing.

Many citation managers generate citations and bibliographies in standard styles such as APA, MLA, Chicago, and Vancouver, and they integrate with word processors to insert citations while writing. They often support export/import in formats like BibTeX, RIS, EndNote XML, and MODS, and may synchronize data across devices via cloud services. Integrations with ORCID IDs and COinS/OpenURL improve metadata linking and author identification.

Typical deployment options include desktop applications, cloud-based services, and browser extensions, with collaboration features enabling multiple researchers to work on a shared library. They are used across disciplines to manage references for articles, theses, grants, and books.

Key considerations include data quality, deduplication accuracy, compatibility with preferred citation styles, privacy and data ownership, and the learning curve for new users. While powerful, effective citation management relies on consistent metadata curation and clear workflows.