How do I import BibTeX or other standardized formats?

Zotero can import bibliographic data stored in a variety of standardized formats used by databases and other reference management tools. The most popular formats are RIS, Bib(La)Tex, and MODS.

If you have a database stored in one of these formats, such as a BibTeX database you've compiled or a RIS database you've exported from another reference manager, you can import them into Zotero by clicking File → “Import…” and choosing “A file”.

See also Moving to Zotero.

Zotero can import the following bibliographic formats

  • Zotero RDF
  • CSL JSON
  • BibTeX
  • BibLaTeX
  • RIS
    • Can be convenient for quick edits between export & import because of its simple structure
  • Bibliontology RDF
  • MODS (Metadata Object Description Schema)
  • Endnote XML
    • Best format for exporting from Endnote
  • Citavi XML
    • Best format for exporting from Citavi
  • MAB2
  • MARC
  • MARCXML
  • MEDLINE/nbib
  • OVID Tagged
  • PubMed XML
  • RefWorks Tagged
    • Best format for exporting from RefWorks
  • Web of Science Tagged
  • Refer/BibIX
    • Generally avoid if any other option is available
  • XML ContextObject
  • Unqualified Dublin Core RDF
kb/importing_standardized_formats.txt · Last modified: 2018/11/04 14:44 by bwiernik