APPLMath 4999z Library Session and Project Support

Reference/citation management software helps you organize the information sources that you find, and automates the process of creating your bibliography when you are writing. Many reference management software packages are available. Each of them has its own strengths and weaknesses. Western Libraries doesn't subscribe to any of these packages, but we can help you get started using some of the more common ones, e.g. Mendeley.

Mendeley is a free reference management software system.  Its features include the ability to manage, share, read, annotate, and cite reference papers.  It supports private and public collaborations, and offers 2 GB of online storage. 

Creating an account

Mendeley has a desktop and an online component. You need an account to use Mendeley.. Click the "Create a free account" tab on the Mendeley website.

Importing citations

Citations can be imported from websites, databases, and PDF documents.

1. PDF file: drag and drop a PDF file on your computer into your Mendeley Desktop. The bibliographic information will automatically be extracted and organized by title, author, year, journal title, etc.
2. Webpage: For the first time, go to Mendeley Web Importer. Click the "Download browser extension" to add the "Import to Mendeley" button to your browser's toolbar. Find the article you needed on the Web, click the "Import to Mendeley" button, and the article's details will display on the right hand side of the page. If all looks good, click the "Save" button.
3. Databases: Import references from databases, using Mendeley's Web Importer OR using the BibTex (.bib), .ris or .nbib formats.

Inserting citations in LaTex

Export Citations to BibTex Format from Mendeley

1. Select references you wish to export to BibTex in Mendeley
2. From "File" > "Export"
3. Choose file type BibTex (*.bib), save your BibTex file with file name like filename.bib

Or, you can follow the steps below to have an automatically syncing BibTex file for your LaTex Document

1. On Mendeley Desktop, click on the "Tools" tab then select Options
2. Click the "BibTex" tab then select "Options"
3. Tick the "Escape LaTex Special characters" button
4. Tick the "Enable BibTex syncing"
5. Tick the "create one BibTex file per group option"
6. Press the Browse... button to select the destination of your BibTex file

Check the following websites as needed:

Bibliography management with BibTex

BibTex bibliography styles

How to include a bibliography using BibTex

Inserting citations within Word

(It should be noted that you are required to use LaTex in APPLMATH 4999z. This part of information is for you to edit your paper in MS Word for any other courses/projects.)
Download the Word plugin (from the Tools menu of Mendeley Desktop). Have both your Word document and your Mendeley Desktop library open. Keep in mind, you cannot insert citations from Mendeley Web.

1. Place your cursor in the place you want the citation to go in your Word document;
2. On the References tab of Word, click the "Insert Citation" button;
3. In the search window, enter a search term to locate the citation you need;
4. Select the citation to insert and click OK.
5. When you are done with the in-text citations, you can create a bibliography from the Style dropdown list, choose a bibliographic style. Place your cursor at the end of your document, then click Insert Bibliography.

Check Mendeley's Videos and Tutorials Site for more tutorials.