Inability to import Zotero citation on my MS word

talk2amadosi

Recently downloaded the Zotero reference software. However, I haven’t had a smooth experience using Zotero as I have not successfully used it for citation on my MS word. I get to the point where the red dialogue box pops up but when I type-in the author's name or article I need to cite… it doesn't bring in anything for citation.

Secondly, on the Zotero app, the section at the right hand containing "info", "Notes", "Tag", "Related" is not showing on my DELL windows PC.

Where am I getting it wrong?

dstillman

It sounds like you've only added PDFs without any parent items. It's the parent items that actually have metadata.

Read through this section specifically and the page it's on more generally:

https://www.zotero.org/support/adding_items_to_zotero#adding_pdfs_and_other_files

adamsmith

edit: I think dstillman's explanation above is more likely -- leaving this here in case it's helpful nevertheless.

1. Make sure you're using "Add Citation" and not "Add Note" in the Word add-on, that's the most likely cause of what you're seeing.
2. You've tried restarting Zotero? It's possible to minimize the right-hand pane, though restarting would re-enable that, I believe.

dstillman

(I assumed @talk2amadosi was just describing viewing standalone attachments, which don't show the tabs and would also explain why searching in the red citation dialog for metadata wouldn't work. But yes, if the right-hand pane isn't showing at all, that would be a different issue.)

talk2amadosi

Hello all,
I do appreciate your prompt responses. @dstillman, you are quite on point with the likely reason you advanced. Had an existing folder containing pdf file - articles I was hoping to just transfer into the Zotero library. Thought this process will be seamless instead of having to go through downloading them individually; I didn't reaslise it will in any way impede my use of the application. Your explanation have given me an insight into this aspect of Zotero.

Having worked with other reference management software where its possible to import existing articles that will be recognized and usable for citation, I suggest that the handlers of Zotero do something in a way that improves users experience.

I look forward sharing exciting experience working with Zotero in the near future.

dstillman

It doesn't sound like you actually read the section I linked to. Zotero absolutely will automatically recognize PDFs you drag in and retrieve metadata for them, but that can only work for some PDFs, mainly academic ones. Anything can be a PDF document, but that doesn't mean there's necessarily any metadata for it that Zotero would be able to retrieve. Read through the section I linked to and Retrieve PDF Metadata linked from there.

If you think metadata isn't being retrieved for something that should be recognizable, provide a link to the PDF and we can take a look.