Sunday, August 21, 2011

Adding Library Folder in Zotero

With Zotero you can add a library folder so you can organize you reference into its catagory. How do you organize that it is totally you who decide. For example, you can make folder based on the subject or your reference and put all related references in that subject folder. People may also create folders based on the type of the reference such as books, journal articles, reviews, conference proceedings, etc. You can choose how to do this the most convenient way you think.
  1. To add a library folder, first you need to go to Zotero website.
  2. Click My Library button
  3. Click Create Collection as indicated in the image below
  4. Name your Collection and its Parent Collection and then Click Create

Adding Reference to Library

To add a reference to a folder or collection in your library:
  1. Select the box next to the reference you wan to add to a particular library folder. Or, expand individual reference you want add to see the reference details.
  2. Click Add to a Collection as indicated in the image below. Remember that yiu have to select the box or expand individual reference to activate the Add to a Collection button


How to Install Zotero Firefox Extension

Before you can use Zotero facility to collect and organize your reference database or library, first you need to get Zotero Firefox extension and install it. Installation process is quick. Here is how to get Zotero Firefox extension and install it:

  1. Go to download Zotero Firefox extension
  2. Click Download red button. If the web browser gives you a warning yellow band, click Allow
  3. Wait for the downloading process to complete
  4. Once downloading has completed, restart your Firefox to allow the extension to take effect. You should see Zotero button on the lower right of your screen. Click that button if you want see the Zotero window.


There is also a video on how to install the Zotero Firefox extension


Saturday, August 20, 2011

Importing bibliographic information from the web into Zotero library

One of the very important feature of Zotero you may would like to know is importing reference information automatically from the internet into Zotero library. In the internet, you can find bibliography or references that are related to your field of expertise. Let say Google Scholar. Do you know that you can actually import those references into your library in Zotero? This will save you a lot of time because you don't have to type any single reference.

Here is an example how to do that.
  1. Go to Google Scholar
  2. Type in your keyword you would like to find
  3. After you click Search, your search results will appear along with a folder icon on the browser bar (in Firefox)
  4. Clicking on folder will produce a list of items with check boxes next to them; choose the ones you want to save and Zotero will do the rest.
 

Friday, August 19, 2011

Have you been using Zotero?

Zotero is an online reference or bibliographic manager with great facilities for scientists and the like. If you a student, teacher, researcher or anyone who often produces documents with references and bibliography, then Zotero is the right facility for you. Zotero is fully integrated with Firefox web browser and there is a plugin for Microsoft Word application

Zotero is a free service and dedicated to support people in need of easy reference management system. You can go to Zotero and register yourself to use the facility.

Zotero

Thursday, August 11, 2011

How to quickly type a chemical formula in Word 2007 or 2010

If you are working in science fields, especially as a chemist or biologist, then you are likely to have documents that are created with many chemical formula in it. How do you type a chemical formula such as H2SO4 which the chemical formula of sulphuric acid? Beginner Word users will type that normally and do formatting for number 2 and 4 using subscript button so that the formula is typed correctly. But, this is not quite practical when you have to type them such chemical formulas many times. You may copy and paste the one you have typed, but that is not recommended, either.

There is a practical and quick way to do this task. With this, you do not have to manually format each chemical formula you type because it will be done automatically and correctly. Here, people use autocorrect function. Follow below steps how to do it:

  1. Type the first chemical formula (such as H2SO4) and format it manually as should be.
  2. Highlight that formatted chemical formula and click Office button (on the most upper left corner on your Word window) to select Word Option in Word 2007 (in Word 2010, this is under File)
  3. Click Proofing and the Autocorrect button to display its window
  4. In that window, type H2SO4 in the box under Replace and tick Formatted text.
  5. Click Add.
  6. Click Ok
Now the formatted H2SO4 is saved in autocorrect function. Now type another H2SO4 and press spacebar.


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