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Getting Started with Mendeley: Quick Guide

Mendeley is a free reference manager to help you collect, organize, and cite your research sources. Follow this guide to set up Mendeley, add references, and create citations in Word.

Table of Contents

1. Create a Mendeley Account

  1. Visit mendeley.com
  2. Click Create Account (top-right corner)
  3. Use your Torrens University email address
  4. Fill in the details and verify your email

2. Download & Install Mendeley Tools

A. Mendeley Reference Manager (Desktop App)
B. Mendeley Web Importer (Browser Tool)
  • Go to Mendeley Web Importer
  • Click Install Browser Extension (Chrome, Firefox, Edge)
  • Look for the Mendeley icon in your browser toolbar
C. Mendeley Cite (Word Add-In)
  • Open Microsoft Word
  • Go to Insert > Get Add-ins
  • Search for Mendeley Cite
  • Click Add and sign in
  • Now you can insert citations and bibliographies directly in Word

3. Understanding Your Mendeley Library

  • Library: All your saved references
  • Collections: Organize by topic or project
  • Groups: Share and collaborate with others
  • Notebook: Take general notes not linked to a paper
  • Sync: Keep your library up-to-date across all your devices

4. Mendeley Reference Manager vs. Mendeley Web

  • Reference Manager (Desktop): Store, edit, and read PDFs. Extracts citation data from PDFs.
  • Mendeley Web: Access your library online and collect references as you browse. Great for use on-the-go.

Tip: Click the Sync button in Mendeley Reference Manager (top right, next to your name) to update your library across devices.

5. Adding References to Mendeley

A. Add Manually
  1. Open Mendeley Reference Manager
  2. Click + Add New > Add Entry Manually
  3. Choose source type (e.g., journal, book, website)
  4. Enter citation details and click Save
  5. Tip: Add a DOI and click Lookup to auto-fill fields
B. Import from Library Databases
  1. Search in a database (e.g., Proquest, EBSCO)
  2. Select articles and Export Citation (choose RIS or BibTeX format)
  3. In Mendeley, click Add > Import RIS or BibTeX
  4. Select the file—your references will appear in your library
C. Add PDFs (Drag & Drop)
  1. Download PDFs to your computer
  2. Open Mendeley, drag the file into your library
  3. Mendeley extracts the reference data—double-check for accuracy
D. Use the Web Importer
  1. Find an article online (PubMed, Google Scholar, etc.)
  2. Click the Mendeley Web Importer icon
  3. Select the reference(s) and click Add to Library
  4. Sync to view it in your desktop app
E. Search in Mendeley
  1. Go to Mendeley Search
  2. Search by keyword or article title
  3. Click Save to add to your library

Tip: Always check imported references for accuracy!

6. Organize Your References

  • Collections (Folders): Click New Collection, name it, and drag references in
  • Favorites: Click the star icon for key references. Use the filter to find them later
  • Tags: Add custom tags (e.g., “to read”, “methods”) for sorting and filtering

7. Notes & Annotations

  • Notebook: Click Notebook > New Page to jot ideas or summaries. You can export notes to Word.
  • PDF Annotations: Open a PDF and use highlight/comment tools. Notes are saved with the reference.

8. Using Mendeley Cite in Microsoft Word

  1. Open your document and go to the References tab
  2. Click Mendeley Cite and sign in
  3. Choose your citation style (APA7)
  4. Insert citations: Place your cursor and select references in the sidebar, then click Insert
  5. Edit citations: Add page numbers or prefixes, or suppress the author name if needed
  6. Insert a bibliography: Click More Options > Insert Bibliography. The list is auto-formatted

Always review your citations for accuracy and formatting!

9. Collaborate with Groups

  1. Click New Group to create a shared workspace
  2. Name your group and add members by email (up to 25)
  3. Drag references to share with the group

10. Help & More Resources

Video Introduction: Introduction to Mendeley Reference Manager

Need more help? Have a look at the Support Portal or Contact Mendeley Support here