Reference Management with Citavi

General information about Citavi

[Translate to Deutsch:] Citavi-Einführungsvideo: "Citavi in a nutshell"

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The Trier University of Applied Sciences has licensed the Citavi Web and Desktop Bundle until the end of November 2024. As a member of the university, you can use two editions of the literature management programme free of charge:

  • Citavi for Windows: the desktop edition, which you install locally on your Windows or Mac computer. You can store your project data locally or in the Citavi Cloud.
  • Citavi Web: the platform-independent browser edition that you can use anywhere there is an internet connection. Your data is stored in the Citavi Cloud.


Both editions support you in the central phases of your writing projects. With their help, you can, for example:

  • import bibliographical data conveniently from the Internet,
  • evaluate PDF documents,
  • insert short references into your text and
  • automatically create bibliographies (with access to over 10,000 citation systems).

Citavi works with Microsoft Word and common LaTeX editors. A virtualisation solution is required to install the desktop edition on a Mac OS computer.

Installation, login & Co.

Citavi 6 Desktop edition (Citavi for Windows)

Download Citavi 6 and install it on your computer. Create a Citavi account (registration). Then you can create projects via the desktop edition and save them locally or in the Citavi Cloud.

Download: desktop edition

Registration: Citavi account

Profile:

  • Operating systems: Windows 10, 8 or 7; Mac users: virtualisation solution (e.g. Parallels), Windows 10, 8 or 7.
  • Collaboration with: Microsoft Word; LaTeX editors: LEd, LyX, Texmaker, TeXnicCenter, TeXstudio, TeXworks, WinEdt, WinShell, etc.
  • Project storage: locally on PC, network drive or USB stick; alternatively: Citavi Cloud
  • User interface: German, English, etc.
  • Functions include: Import and manage bibliographical data, record and manage citations, search for literature and freely accessible full texts, insert bibliographical references and citations into texts, automatic generation of bibliographies.
  • Citavi 6 Manual
Citavi Web edition

Create a Citavi account (registration) and then log in to Citavi Web. You can now create projects via the web edition and store them in the Citavi Cloud.

Registration: CitavI account

Login: Citavi Web

Profile:

  • Operating systems: platform-independent
  • Cooperation with: Microsoft Word; LaTeX: creation of BibTeX files possible
  • Project storage: Citavi Cloud
  • User interface: German, English, etc.
  • Functions include: Import and manage bibliographical data, record and manage citations, search for literature and freely accessible full texts, insert bibliographical references and citations into texts, automatic generation of bibliographies.
  • Citavi Web Manual
Cloud & Space

Both Citavi editions allow you to save your projects in the Citavi Cloud. The licence provides you with around 5 GB of free storage space, and you can purchase additional "Citavi CloudSpace" in the Citavi Shop if required.

You can check at any time how much storage space you have already used for one or all projects and how much is still open to you:

In Citavi Web:

  1. Open the Citavi Web start window.
  2. In the top right menu, click the three dots "...".
  3. Select "Citavi Space".

Alternative (from an open Cloud project): Information in the manual.

In Citavi 6 for Windows:

  1. Open into a Citavi project.
  2. Go to "File" in the top menu.
  3. Select "This project".
  4. Click on "Properties ...". In the case of cloud projects, go to the "Statistics" tab.

Information in the manual

Licence duration
  • The Trier University of Applied Sciences has acquired a campus licence for Citavi. The licence is limited in time and is expected to be renewed. You can check the expiry date of the current licence in your Citavi account via "Licences".
  • If the term of the current licence ends before you graduate, you will find new licence details in your Citavi account in time before the expiry date. You will receive an email informing you of the new licence data.
  • If you leave the university or, contrary to expectations, the university does not renew your licence, you can purchase a private licence via the Citavi Shop and continue to use your projects. (Note: The "Citavi Free" edition has been discontinued by the new software provider QSR International).
  • Information in the manual

Add-Ons & Assistants

Citavi Picker (browser)
  • With the help of the Citavi Picker, you can easily transfer data from the Internet into your project. You can "pick" web pages, PDF files, newspaper pages and books. The Picker works with Google Chrome, Firefox and Edge (Chromium). Javascript must be activated in the browsers.
  • Installation: If you are working with Citavi for Windows and Citavi Web, the Citavi for Windows setup will install the Picker. If you are working with Citavi Web only, install the pickers via your browser:
  • Usage: To add data to your project via the Picker, you need to either launch Citavi Desktop or log in with your Citavi account, under which you also store your Citavi Cloud projects.
  • Citavi Desktop: information in the manual
  • Citavi Web: information in the manual
Word Assistant & Add-In
  • To insert the bibliographic data and knowledge elements you have collected as citations or quotations into your Word documents, you have two helpers at your disposal: (a) the Citavi Word Add-In and (b) the Citavi Assistant.
     
  • Word Add-In:
    • Use if you have installed Citavi Desktop for Windows and save your project as a cloud project.
    • Installation: If you use Citavi Web and Citavi Desktop for Windows, the Citavi for Windows setup automatically installs the Word Add-In.
    • Information in the manual
       
  • Assistant:
    • Use if you are working on a Windows PC and you have installed Office from the Windows Store, or working on a Mac computer and using Microsoft Office for Mac.
    • Technical requirements Mac OS: Office for Mac 365
    • Technical requirements Windows: (a) Windows 10 from version 1903 and (b) Office 2019 (min. version 2012, build 13530.20376) or Office 365 (min. version 1908).
    • Installation:

      1. Restart Word.
      2. Switch to the Insert tab.
      3. Click Get add-ins.
      4. In the Search field, enter: Citavi. Click the search icon.
      5. UnderCitavi Assistant, click Add.
      6. In Word, click the Citavi Assistant.
      7. Log in with your Citavi Account information.
      8. Open the desired Citavi Cloud project.

    • Information in the manual

LaTeX Assistant
  • Citavi Desktop: If you use Citavi for Windows, you can use the Citavi LaTeX Assistant to insert source references and citations into your TeX document. The BibTeX file that your TeX programme needs to create the ready-to-submit document can be generated in Citavi.

    Information in the manual
     
  • Citavi Web: The LaTeX Assistenat is not available in the web version. However, you can create BibTeX files from your projects.

    Information in the manual

Use in a team

Citavi Desktop for Windows
  • Citavi Desktop for Windows is suitable for small and large teams. There are two options: (a) the project is stored on a network drive to which all team members have access, and (b) the project is stored in the Citavi Cloud.
  • Teamwork via network drive:

    1. Start Citavi. On the Welcome Screen, click New project.
    2. Choose a name for the project.
    3. Save the project in a folder that all team members can access.
    4. Let the other team members know where the project has been saved.

  • Teamwork via Citavi Cloud:

    1. Open the Citavi Cloud project.
    2. On the File menu, click This project.
    3. Click Share.
    4. Enter the email addresses you want to send an invitation to. You can enter multiple email addresses.
    5. If you want, enter a message to welcome your team members to the project.
    6. Click Invite. The future project member will receive an email with an invitation link. As soon as the new project member clicks the link, the cloud project will appear on his or her Welcome Screen and can be opened directly from there.

  • Information in the Citavi 6 manual

Citavi Web
  • You can share your cloud project with as many other people as you like if you are the "owner" or "manager" of a cloud project. You automatically receive the "owner" role as soon as you create a new cloud project.
  • Information in the Citavi Web manual

Citation styles

Add

Add via Citavi Desktop:

  1. Open your Citavi project.
  2. Go to the programme sections "References" or "Knowledge".
  3. Select "Citation" in the upper menu.
  4. Go to "Citation style" and click on "Browse citation styles ...".
  5. In the new window, go to "Find and add style".
  6. Search for a suitable citation style and adopt it by clicking on "Add".


Add via Microsoft Word:

  1. Open Microsoft Word.
  2. Go to the "Citavi" tab.
  3. Open your Citavi project in the "Citavi" tab if you have not already done so (via "Citavi pane").
  4. Go to "Citation style" and open the drop-down menu.
  5. Click on "Add citation style ..." at the bottom.
  6. Search for a suitable citation style and add it with "Apply".


Please note:

Some citation styles require the download of an additional data package to map the set of rules correctly ("citation key package"). If you have clicked on such a style in the citation style search window, you will find the download link in the right-hand column. Example: "Theisen, 17 ed. (Chicago style)".

Remove

To remove a citation style from your personal list, do the following in Citavi Desktop:

  1. Open your Citavi project.
  2. Go to the programme sections "References" or "Knowledge".
  3. Select "Citation" in the top menu bar.
  4. Got to "Citation styles" and click on "Browse citation styles ...".
  5. Tick the citation style you want to remove.
  6. Click on the "Remove" button.
Adjust

General: Adjust references and bibliography

The references and bibliography entries are inserted into your Word document as Citavi fields. You can recognise this by the fact that a reference or entry is boxed when you click on it. Important: If you want to edit its content, you should not type the changes into the box 'normally' - the next time you update your document, the adjustments will be removed again.

To add information such as "Cf" or "p. 34" to the references, use the option "Insert with options" when inserting them or subsequently the tab "Proofs" in the left Word Citavi column.

If you want to make further or fundamental changes, you have two options:


Way 1: Convert Citavi fields

  1. Create the final version of your Word document, including final spell check etc.
  2. Open the "Citavi" tab and activate your project, if not already done (via "Citavi Pane").
  3. Go to "Convert" and open the drop-down menu.
  4. Select "Save a copy as static text ...".
  5. A second document will be created for you. Save it.
  6. Make your adjustments in the new document. The references and bibliography entries are now no longer Citavi field functions; your adjustments will remain even after you update the document.


Way 2: Citation Style Editor

Citavi Desktop offers a citation style editor that allows you to modify existing citation styles or to create new citation systems. For example, you can use the citation style editor to ensure that references of indirect quotations are always prefaced with "Cf".

The editor can be found in Citavi under "Citation" > "Citation style" > "Edit citation style ..." > "Edit" / "Create citation style". Information and instructions can be found here:

Trier UAS: General

The Trier University of Applied Sciences does not have a citation guideline that applies to all locations and departments. Some departments offer guidelines for writing academic papers, which provide you with rules or suggestions for citing, among other things. Furthermore, the library provides you with an introduction to the internationally widely used citation system APA 7th edition - covered in Citavi as "APA American Psychological Association 7th ed.".

You can find the work aids for free download here:

Please note: Your lecturers' specifications always have priority!

Trier UAS: Department UBW

UBW guideline:

Beta versions of the footnote citation systems proposed in the guideline:

Download instruction:

  1. Click with the right mouse button on one of the two links and select "Save target as ..." (or similar).
  2. In the download window, change the "File type" to "All files".
  3. Add the abbreviation ".css" to the file name (without inverted commas).
  4. Save the file. Recommended location: Documents\Citavi6\Custom Citation Styles.

Alternatively, you can save the file as an .xml file first and change the file extension to .css afterwards (Windows Explorer > View > Check "file name extensions").


Add:

If the .css file is stored in "Documents\Citavi6\Custom Citation Styles", it can be added as usual in Citavi via the menu item "Citation" (see above). If it is stored elsewhere, you can proceed as follows:

  1. Open your Citavi project.
  2. Go to the programme sections "References" or "Knowledge".
  3. Select "Citation" in the top menu bar.
  4. Go to "Citation style" and choose "Edit citation style ...".
  5. Select "Create citation style".
  6. In the new window, go to the menu item "File" and select "Open ...".
  7. Search the .css file on your computer, choose it and save it under a new name.


Contact:

Please send any suggestions for improving the .css files to:

Note: Harvard system

The Harvard system proposed in the guideline (with in-text references in author-year form) is essentially covered in Citavi by "Theisen, 17 ed. (Harvard style)".

If necessary, the placement of the references in the text can be replaced by a placement in footnotes. To do this, go to the Word "Citavi" tab, choose "Options" and use the item "Default reference placement".

Alternatives to Citavi

Other Management Programmes
  • Bibliographix (only German):
    Offers, among other things, an idea manager for filing and managing thoughts; also for Mac OS and Linux; free of charge (support option)
  • BibSonomy:
    Social bookmarking and publication system; teamwork possible (exchange: bookmarks, literature); free of charge
  • Docear:
    Additional function: creation of mindmaps; also for Mac OS and Linux; platform independent; free of charge
  • Endnote X9:
    Also suitable for Mac OS users; web and desktop version: partly different functions; free 30-day trial version, full student version 103.95 EUR (state: 11/2018)
  • JabRef:
    As single user version or web-based; also for Mac OS and Linux; platform independent; only in English; free of charge
  • Mendeley:
    Platform independent; teamwork possible; also for Mac OS, Linux and iOS; free basic version, costs in case of more memory
  • Paperpile:
    Web application; teamwork possible (sharing links); tailored to Google applications; free 30-day trial, full student version 2.99 USD/month (state: 11/2018)
  • Papers:
    Additional function: task management; available as Mac OS and iOS version; web and desktop version: partly different functions; English only; free 30-day trial, 3.00 USD/month (state: 11/2018)
  • RefWorks:
    Web application, teamwork possible; Internet access required for use; free 30-day trial, 100.00 USD/year (state: 11/2018)
  • Synapsen:
    Hypertextual slip box; teamwork possible; also for Mac OS and Linux; free basic version, student full version 49,00 EUR (state: 11/2018)
  • teesis:
    Web application; no download required; storage of data on a German server; free of charge
  • Zettelkasten (only German):
    Hypertextual slip box; teamwork possible; also for Mac OS and Linux; free of charge (support option)
  • Zotero:
    Web application; originally Firefox add-on (or stand-alone); teamwork possible; also for Mac OS and Linux; up to 300 MB free of charge; more memory: 20.00 / 60.00 / 120.00 USD/year (state: 11/2018)

Web Editing Library

Missing information? Broken links?
Please send your suggestions and comments to:

bibliothek[at]hochschule-trier.de

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