Building student proficiency with scientific literature using the Zotero reference manager platform

Area of Science:

• Chemistry education
• Scientific literacy
• Information management

Background:

• The increasing volume of scientific literature presents challenges for undergraduate education.
• Developing scientific literacy and effective literature review skills is crucial for students.
• Traditional methods struggle to keep pace with the digital nature of modern research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the integration of Zotero, a reference manager, into a chemical literature course.
• To enhance students' ability to navigate and utilize digital scientific resources.
• To improve students' proficiency in academic citation and technical writing.

Main Methods:

• Incorporated Zotero software training into the chemical literature curriculum.
• Assigned tasks requiring students to engage with primary literature using digital tools.
• Focused on developing practical skills in managing references and citing sources.

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated improved skills in managing digital scientific resources.
• Enhanced understanding and application of proper citation techniques in technical writing.
• Facilitated more effective engagement with the primary scientific literature.

Conclusions:

• Reference manager software, such as Zotero, is a valuable tool for teaching scientific literacy.
• Integrating digital resource management improves students' technical writing and literature engagement.
• Formal instruction in citation management is essential for modern scientific education.