Referencing Management Software: Lite Citation Tools

Lite citation tools can be a quick and accessible way to generate references and citations. Here’s why they might work well for you:

• Use from any device – no need to install software
• Fast and user-friendly – ideal for short assignments or one-off tasks
• Help you format references without needing to know the full referencing rules
• Good starting point before trying more advanced tools like Zotero or Mendeley

These tools can help you reference more easily, but they are not a substitute for learning how to reference properly. To use them well, you need to:

• Know how to recognise the key parts of a reference so you can spot errors
• Always select the correct referencing style – for Harvard, look for Cite Them Right Harvard and choose the most recent edition
• Be prepared to edit or correct the output – these tools often make small mistakes
• Check your references against the templates on Cite Them Right 

Used well, lite tools can save you time – but they only work if you understand what a correct reference looks like.