Referencing Tools

Why Use a Referencing Tool

A referencing tool helps you to:

• collect accurate source information

• organise references as you research

• generate in-text citations

• create a reference list that follows one consistent style

A tool supports your work, but it does not replace careful checking. You are responsible for accuracy.

Choosing Your Referencing Tool:

You may choose any tool as long as you use it consistently. The options below are the most suitable for IB level academic writing.

My personal favourite is Zotero, which I currently use. 

Zotero

The strongest option for most EE students.

Use if you want:

• automatic saving of books, articles and websites

• stored PDFs with annotation

• project level organisation

• accurate citation and bibliography generation

Suitable for subjects with extensive reading, mixed source types and long research trails.

Ideal for History, Psychology, Economics, Global Politics, Language A and Interdisciplinary essays.

Mendeley

I used this during my MSc. It's good!

Strong choice for Biology, Chemistry and Physics essays using peer reviewed journals.

Use if you need to:

• organise and annotate research articles

• extract citation data from PDFs

• manage a large library of scientific sources

This is particularly useful for data heavy science essays or those using many published studies.

MyBib

A clear, student friendly referencing generator that is more accurate than many alternatives.

Use if you prefer:

• a clean interface

• simple citation creation

• quick bibliography building

• minimal setup

Ideal for students who do not want a full manager like Zotero, but still want reliable organisation.

NoodleTools

Many IB libraries use NoodleTools because it scaffolds the entire referencing process.

Use if you want:

• step by step prompts to build citations accurately

• source evaluation templates

• note cards and project organisation

• teacher feedback integration

Great for students who want guided referencing and structured workflows.

Tools to Use Carefully

Some online generators often produce incorrect citations. These include EasyBib, CitationMachine and Scribbr generators. If you use them, you must double check everything manually and ensure that all details follow your chosen style.

Using AI Tools with Integrity

The IB allows students to use AI tools for certain parts of the research process, such as summarising long articles or translating texts. Students must not use AI to write any part of the essay, and must not rely on AI to generate citations or bibliographies. The support material explains that any AI generated content used in the essay must be referenced clearly, including the prompt and the date of generation .

How to Reference AI Correctly

In text:

“example of wording taken or paraphrased from ChatGPT” (ChatGPT, 2025).

Reference list:

OpenAI. (Date). ChatGPT response to prompt “[insert your prompt]”.

Students must also keep a record of the exact prompt they used.

Common Referencing Mistakes

Students should avoid the following common errors:

• mixing multiple referencing styles

• missing page numbers when required

• incorrect capitalisation and punctuation

• using auto generated citations without checking their accuracy

• forgetting to cite images, figures and interviews

• leaving URLs incomplete

• failing to reference AI tools when used in the research process

How Referencing Is Assessed

Referencing contributes to Criterion A, which evaluates the clarity of the framework for the essay, including accurate citation and consistent referencing. Poor referencing weakens the structure and credibility of the essay. Accurate and consistent referencing supports a clear academic framework and strengthens the overall presentation.

Final Advice

Choose a tool that suits the way you work, check every reference, and keep your records organised from the beginning. Good referencing is a habit, not a final step.