In the scientific community, establishing theories and claims as facts are all based on scientific work and sources created by other researchers. Thus, it is important to always create transparency by allowing others to retrace your steps and by providing all sources used in your work. Every source that has been cited in the text should be mentioned in the list of references, and every source mentioned in the list of references should be cited in the text.
Main principles:
A reference management software helps you save and organize the materials you cite in your work and provides a useful way to keep track of your sources. You can also use different referencing styles, e.g., APA, Chicago, MLA, Harvard etc. If you decide to use a reference management software, we recommend the free version of Mendeley or Zotero because they both are compatible with Microsoft Word.
The software collects the bibliographic information of references from different sources, such as databases or imported files, and stores it. You can then modify and organize them into folders and attach or view already attached PDFs. When writing your research, you can easily add citations in the text and create a bibliography that stays up to date when you add new ones. Reference management software work with Microsoft Word, Libre Office, Google Docs and LaTex.
When choosing a reference management software, you must take into consideration your needs. Do you want it to be compatible with a certain word processor? Do you want you use it on more than one device? Do you want to be able to work offline? To help you with your decision, check out this table comparing Mendeley, Zotero and EndNote. In Wikipedia, there is also a more comprehensive list of different reference management software.
A Concise Guide to Documentation: MLA, APA, and Chicago by 
Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association by 