By SN Sharma
Step-by-step guide on how to use Mendeley for citation and bibliography generation — from setting it up to seamlessly inserting references into your work.
1. Install and Set Up Mendeley
Download: Go to https://www.mendeley.com and download Mendeley Reference Manager.
Create an Account: Sign up (or log in) with your email.
Install Citation Plugin:
For Microsoft Word: In Mendeley Reference Manager, go to Tools → Install Mendeley Cite for Microsoft Word.
Alternatively, install Mendeley Cite as an add-in from Microsoft Office Add-ins store.
2. Add References to Your Library
You can add references in multiple ways:
Manual Entry: Click Add New → Add Entry Manually, then fill in details like Author, Title, Year, Publisher, DOI, etc.
Import PDF: Drag and drop a PDF; Mendeley will extract metadata.
Import from Databases:
Use Mendeley Web Importer (a browser extension) to capture references from Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, etc.
Import RIS/BibTeX files: If you have downloaded citations in RIS or BibTeX format, go to File → Import.
3. Organize Your References
Folders/Collections: Group references by topic, project, or paper.
Tags: Add keywords for easy searching.
Annotations: Open PDFs inside Mendeley to highlight text and add notes.
4. Insert Citations in Word or Google Docs
In Word (Mendeley Cite):
Open your document.
Go to the References tab → click Mendeley Cite (or open it from the Add-ins menu).
Search for the reference you want → click Insert Citation.
Mendeley will insert the citation in your chosen style.
In Google Docs: Mendeley doesn’t directly integrate, but you can:
Use Mendeley Cite in Word and then paste into Google Docs, OR
Export citations as plain text from Mendeley and paste.
5. Generate a Bibliography
In Word with Mendeley Cite:
Place the cursor where you want the bibliography.
Click Insert Bibliography in Mendeley Cite.
It will auto-generate based on all citations in the document.
Bibliography will update automatically when you add or remove citations.
6. Choose and Change Citation Styles
In Mendeley Cite, click Citation Style to select from formats like:
APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, IEEE, etc.
If you can’t find your required style:
7. Export References
If you need to share or move your references:
File → Export → choose RIS, BibTeX, or EndNote XML format.
8. Tips for Smooth Use
Keep your library synced to the cloud so you can access it on multiple devices.
Double-check imported data for accuracy — automated extraction sometimes misreads author names or titles.
Backup your library (File → Export Library) regularly.
✅ Summary:Mendeley acts as both a reference manager and citation generator. You simply add your references to the library, insert them into your writing via Mendeley Cite, and let it auto-generate and format citations and bibliographies in your chosen style — saving you hours of manual formatting.
References
Dehalwar, K., & Sharma, S. N. (2023). Fundamentals of research writing and uses of research methodologies. Edupedia Publications Pvt Ltd.
Dehalwar, K. S. S. N., & Sharma, S. N. (2024). Exploring the distinctions between quantitative and qualitative research methods. Think India Journal, 27(1), 7-15.
Elston, D. M. (2019). Mendeley. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 81(5), 1071.
Holt Zaugg, Richard E. West, Isaku Tateishi, Daniel L. Randall. (2011). Mendeley: Creating communities of scholarly inquiry through research collaboration.
Jain, S., Dehalwar, K., & Sharma, S. N. (2024). Explanation of Delphi research method and expert opinion surveys. Think India, 27(4), 37-48.
Kratochvíl, J. (2017). Comparison of the accuracy of bibliographical references generated for medical citation styles by EndNote, Mendeley, RefWorks and Zotero. The Journal of Academic Librarianship, 43(1), 57-66.
MacMillan, D. (2012). Mendeley: teaching scholarly communication and collaboration through social networking. Library Management, 33(8/9), 561-569.
Reiswig, J. (2010). Mendeley. Journal of the Medical Library Association: JMLA, 98(2), 193.
Sharma, S. N., & Dehalwar, K. (2025). A Systematic Literature Review of Transit-Oriented Development to Assess Its Role in Economic Development of City. Transportation in Developing Economies, 11(2), 23.
