Citation styles

Zotero comes with a small selection of popular reference styles. As soon as you start using Zotero, you can choose from these in a text document, as a style for quick export of individual references, and for previewing in Zotero.
Additionally, you can add more reference styles from Zotero's style collection with over 10,000 styles.

Choose a reference style

Style in text documents

You select the reference style to be used in a text document via Document preferences in the Zotero tab in Word, LibreOffice or Google Docs. There, you can also choose the language of the style.

• Guide to using references in text

Style for quick copy of references

Zotero allows you to quickly export references from your library as text or in HTML format. You change the style for the exported references in Zotero:

1. Go to Edit > Preferences
2. Select the Export section
3. Select the reference style under Format for item
4. Adjust the language if desired and whether you want HTML format

Style for previewing in Zotero

Zotero version 7 offers a preview of references in the chosen style directly in the Zotero library. Here’s how to activate the preview as a heading in the right panel:

1. Go to Edit > Preferences
2. Select the General section
3. Under Heading for item pane, select Bibliography entry
4. Select the desired reference style under Reference style for heading
5. Adjust the language under Heading language if necessary

Alternatively, you can bring up the preview by right-clicking on the heading in the right panel and selecting View as > Bibliography entry.

Find more reference styles

If you cannot find the desired style via Document preferences in the Zotero tab in Word, LibreOffice or Google Docs, you can add more reference styles in Zotero:

1. Go to Edit > Preferences
2. Select the Cite section
3. Click on the link Get more styles...
4. In the new window, search for a style via title search, format or subject area
5. Hover over the style to see reference examples
6. Click on the style to add it to your style selection in Zotero
7. You can then find the new style again via Document preferences and other style selection settings.

If you have downloaded a reference style for Zotero as a file, you can add the style by clicking on the + button under style selection in Preferences > Cite.