Literature review [1]s are important resources for scientists. They provide historical context for a field while offering opinions on its future trajectory. Creating them can provide inspiration for one’s own research, as well as some practice in writing. But few scientists are trained in how to write a review — or in what constitutes an excellent one. Even picking the appropriate software to use can be an involved decision. So Nature asked editors and working scientists with well-cited reviews for their tips.
Tools and techniques
Most reference managers on the market offer similar capabilities when it comes to providing a Microsoft Word plug-in and producing different citation styles. But depending on your working preferences, some might be more suitable than others.
Reference managers
| Attribute | EndNote | Mendeley | Zotero | Paperpile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | A one-time cost of around US$340 but comes with discounts for academics; around $150 for students | Free version available | Free version available | Low and comes with academic discounts |
| Level of user support | Extensive user tutorials available; dedicated help desk | Extensive user tutorials available; global network of 5,000 volunteers to advise users | Forum discussions to troubleshoot | Forum discussions to troubleshoot |
| Desktop version available for offline use? | Available | Available | Available | Unavailable |
| Document storage on cloud | Up to 2 GB (free version) | Up to 2 GB (free version) | Up to 300 MB (free version) | Storage linked to Google Drive |
| Compatible with Google Docs? | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Supports collaborative working? | No group working | References can be shared or edited by a maximum of three other users (or more in the paid-for version) | No limit on the number of users | No limit on the number of users |
Here is a comparison of the more popular collaborative writing tools, but there are other options, including Fidus Writer, Manuscript.io, Authorea and Stencila.
Collaborative writing tools
| Attribute | Manubot | Overleaf | Google Docs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free, open source | $15–30 per month, comes with academic discounts | Free, comes with a Google account |
| Writing language | Type and write in Markdown* | Type and format in LaTex* | Standard word processor |
| Can be used with a mobile device? | No | No | Yes |
| References | Bibliographies are built using DOIs, circumventing reference managers | Citation styles can be imported from reference managers | Possible but requires additional referencing tools in a plug-in, such as Paperpile |
Rea the full article on Nature Careers: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03422-x [2]