Skip to Main Content

Zotero

Basic Zotero training materials and custom Zotero output styles.

Steps:

Before you check for duplicates the first time, we recommend that you make sure that one of the columns in your reference list display is "Pages.  If you don't see a "Pages" column:

  • Right-click on one of the column headers.
  • Select "More Columns" from the menu that appears.
  • Select "Pages."
   A screenshot shows right-clicking on a column header, selection of "More Columns" and then selection of "Pages"
     

To Check for Duplicates:

  • Click the appropriate "Duplicate Items" option in the navigation panel. 

There are separate "Duplicate Items" options for:

  • your personal references in "My Library" and for
   A screenshot shows the "Duplicate items" option in the navigation panel under "My Library"
     
  • your various group libraries.
   A screenshot shows the "Duplicate items" options in the navigation panel under two group libraries.
     

To review a duplicate/triplicate/etc. group:

  • Click on one of the group members. Others will automatically be highlighted.
  • Do the group members have the same info in all the displayed columns including the page numbers column? 
    • If so the references are almost certainly real duplicates. Click the "Merge __ Items" button.
   A screenshot of actual duplicates shows the position of the "Merge _ Items" button.

 

    
  • Do the group members have the same info in all the displayed columns including the page numbers column? 
    • If the group members don't have the same page numbers or differ in other ways, you will need to investigate further to determine whether they are true duplicates/triplicates/etc.  Click on one or more of the little pedigree icons on the right-hand side of the page.  These will let you compare the information in that field for the various members of the potential duplicate/triplicate/etc. group. 
    • If you decide the references are true duplicates (perhaps records for online and print versions  of the same item), click on the "Merge __  Items" button
    • If you decide that the items are not duplicates, just click on a different reference in the reference list to continue checking duplicates.
   A screenshot of a pair of potential duplicates with slightly different date info

Fixing a word document containing duplicates.

If you find that you have inadvertently inserted two separate records for a single reference in your Word document:

  • Go to the Zotero desktop application. 
  • Use the "Duplicate Items" feature to find and display the pair (as discussed above)
  • Click the "Merge _ items" button for the relevant duplicate/triplicate/etc. reference.
  • Return to the Zotero ribbon in Word, and click on the "Refresh" button.
   A screenshot of the Zotero ribbon in Word showing the position of the "refresh" button.

 

What if the members of a duplicate/triplicate/etc. group are not being identified by the "Duplicate items" tool.

  • Search the "My Library" list or the relevant group library for the duplicate/triplicate/etc. records using the search box at the top of the reference list.
  • Look at each of the relevant items' "Item types".  Edit if necessary.  Items of different "Item types" are never lined up as duplicate items.
  • Look at other parts of the duplicate/triplicate/etc. groups.  Sometimes different authors, publication years or different titles are present in the records.  Edit as necessary.
  • After the final edit, be sure you click in another box/field so the last edit is saved.
  • Use the "Duplicate Items" again after editing.  Hopefully, the duplicate/triplicate/etc. group will be identified and you will be able to select and merge the references.