When you have a research project, you need to set up a system for keeping track of the sources you find and other information you collect during your research. Otherwise, you may find yourself scrambling at the deadline trying to remember where a quote you used came from. A system can be as easy as opening a Word document or Google Doc, copying and pasting citation information, and taking notes on your research.

There are several citation management tools available:

• Zotero is a free tool that collects, manages, and cites research sources.
• Mendeley is a free reference manager and academic social network.

Note: Many library databases also allow you to gather sources in a folder that is accessible while searching in that database. EBSCO and Proquest databases, for example, have this function. However, keep in mind that you will probably still need a way to organize your sources when no longer accessing the given database.