Your first citation in 5 steps

Zotero + Word / LibreOffice / Google Docs · one-page job aid · Research Tools Academy

  1. Open Zotero. The desktop app must be running — your document talks to it. (Google Docs: the Zotero menu loads through the browser connector.)
  2. Set your style once: in the document, Zotero tab → Document Preferences → the style your program requires (APA 7, Chicago 18, …).
  3. Insert the citation: place the cursor → Add/Edit Citation → type author/title/year → pick the item → (for quotes: type p. 12 first) → Enter.
  4. Insert the bibliography: cursor at the end → Add/Edit Bibliography. It builds itself from every citation in the document.
  5. Keep it correct: edited an item? Fix it in Zotero, then click Refresh in the document. Never retype a citation in the document.
If it doesn't work: no Zotero tab → reinstall from Zotero's Settings → Cite → Word Processors. Seeing ADDIN ZOTERO_ITEM codes → press Alt+F9 (Windows) / Option-Fn-F9 (Mac). Anything else → Troubleshooting tool.

Disclaimer: This is an independent learning project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Zotero or its developers. Always check the official Zotero documentation for the latest instructions. Last verified against Zotero 10.0.6 documentation on 2026-10-25. License: CC BY 4.0.

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