Referencing software
Referencing software is a useful tool for managing large amounts of PDFs and citations. Higher Degree by Research (HDR) students may find it helpful for research projects or major theses.
Alert
For undergraduate or Juris Doctorate Law students there is no requirement or need to use referencing software in your assessments. There are limitations to using this software, especially for law students.
Many legal resources will need to be manually added to the programs.
Popular software options
Keep in mind, these programs use auto-generated citations so you need to double check citations for accuracy.
- Endnote is provided by Deakin University and supported by the Library. Check out this Endnote resource guide for detailed instructions on downloading and using this software. Once installed on your computer, you need to add references into the software, and then link to Microsoft Word to create your citations.
- Zotero is another popular option. This is free software, which is easy to use, however Deakin does not provide any technical support. Zotero offers a 'web scraping' function which means you can use the software right in your browser to save webpages and references directly. Check out the Zotero website to download (desktop program + browser connector) and learn more. The University of Melbourne has a very useful guide on Zotero for Law.
Caution
Many popular legal databases such as LexisNexis and Westlaw do not have an export references function. You will need to manually add these references, or else locate them in a compatible database.
Adding the AGLC4 style to your software
The Australian Guide to Legal Citation 4 (AGLC4) does not come standard in Endnote or Zotero. You will need to add this style manually.
After you've downloaded Endnote from the Deakin Software Library visit the UTS guide for instructions on adding the AGLC4 style.
Instruction
To add the AGLC4 style to Zotero:
- Open the 'Preferences' screen under 'Edit' in the menu.
- Select 'Cite' and click 'Get additional styles'.
- Search for and select the AGLC4.
For both programs, make sure that you select your output style in Word to be the AGLC4.
Your Task
If you decide to use EndNote, have a thorough read of the Deakin Library EndNote Guide. It provides comprehensive information on customising references, working with PDFs, creating back-up copies of EndNote files and additional support for Mac users.
If you decide to use Zotero, see The University of Melbourne Library useful guide on Zotero for Law.
OSCOLA referencing style
Note
Some researchers or academics publishing in OUP publications, may be required to use the OSCOLA (Oxford University Standard for Citation of Legal Authorities) referencing style. Instructions for installing the OSCOLA_2_4th_edn style file and the associated RefTypeTable.xml are available on the University of Oxford, Faculty of Law, OSCOLA styles for EndNote, Latek, Refworks and Zotero webpage.