Add references manually & add from PDF

Add a reference manually

While you should generally avoid adding references manually, it can be useful for adding primary documents that aren't available online. References can be added manually by clicking the New Item button in the Zotero toolbar and selecting the appropriate reference type:

Data about the reference can then be added by hand in the right-hand pane.

The option "Web page" is not available in the New Item menu, but it is possible to create another reference type and then change to Web Page in the right-hand menu. The reason for this is that it is much easier to use the Zotero Connector to save a web page rather than creating the reference from scratch.

Add from DOI or ISBN

You can also add a reference from a DOI or ISBN. Click the wand in the top menu:

Type your ISBN, DOI or other identifier, and click Enter.

Add a reference from a PDF

1. Have the Zotero app window open
2. Find the folder with the PDF (or any file) on your computer
3. Drag the PDF to My Library (or a collection of your choice)
4. Zotero will automatically create a reference and add the PDF as an attachment

If for some reason a reference isn't created for the PDF, right-click the PDF in the library and select "Create Parent Item..." and then "Manual Entry". A reference is now created and you can fill in the fields with correct information.