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Reference data audit
Upload RIS, BibTeX, Web of Science, or Scopus exports for a bibliometric readiness score, charts, and actionable recommendations.
Audit referencesFree tools for researchers & students
Researcher's Friend
Practical utilities for literature reviews and bibliometric analysis: improve reference data quality, combine citation exports, convert RIS files, format reference lists, and download Windows apps for PyBibX and Bibliometrix.
As used by students at ...
"So much simpler than managing duplicates in EndNote"
"Saved me tens of hours with Bibliometrix. Thank you."
Tools
Web tools run in the browser and email you when ready. Desktop apps are separate Windows downloads for bibliometric analysis.
Combine RIS files
Merge RIS and PubMed exports, look up missing DOIs, remove duplicates, and download unique, duplicate, and unknown sets plus a PRISMA-style report.
Combine RIS filesRIS to Bibliometrix
Convert RIS files from Zotero, Scopus, EndNote, Mendeley, and others into a filetype accepted by Bibliometrix, with a shareable report and PDF.
Convert RISReference list formatter
Import BibTeX or RIS and download a reference list in APA 7, Harvard, or Vancouver style as Word and plain text.
Format referencesJournal abbreviation normalizer
Upload RIS, BibTeX, Web of Science plain text, or Scopus CSV and download the same format with JCR/ISO4 abbreviated journal names.
Normalize journalsBibliometric apps
Download Windows desktop apps for PyBibX and Bibliometrix / Biblioshiny. No Python or R install required.
View PyBibX and Bibliometrix AppsFAQ
Quick answers about cost, the tools on this site, and how your data are handled.
Is this site free?
Yes. Researcher's Friend is free to use. The web tools allow up to 5 files and 50000 citations per job. The bibliometric desktop apps (for PyBibX and Bibliometrix) are free to download and use.
What tools are available?
Combine RIS files finds missing DOIs and removes duplicates for literature reviews. RIS to Bibliometrix converts RIS exports from Zotero, Scopus, EndNote, Mendeley, and others into a txt format to be uploaded into Bibliometrix. Reference list formatter turns BibTeX or RIS into APA 7, Harvard, or Vancouver reference lists. Journal abbreviation normalizer replaces full journal names with JCR/ISO4 abbreviations in RIS, BibTeX, Web of Science plain text, or Scopus CSV. Reference data audit scores bibliographic completeness and recommends fixes before bibliometric analysis. Bibliometric apps offers Windows downloads of PyBibX Desktop and Bibliometrix Desktop.
How long are my data available?
The files we generate for you are available for 7 days, then are automatically deleted. Public reports are available indefinitely.
Are my data stored? Where is the data processed?
The data you upload (e.g. RIS files) are stored for the duration of processing (usually a few minutes). Your report is available on an ongoing basis (there is no identifying information in the report). The files we produce for you are stored for approximately 7 days. The email addresses of our users are stored for reporting purposes. No identifying information provided to us is shared with third parties. Processing and storage is performed in Australia.
Who are you?
Gary Eckstein (Ph.D., M.B.A.) is an Australian academic. See more at https://www.linkedin.com/in/eckstein/
How do I cite this app?
Please cite as
Eckstein, Gary. 'Researchers Friend'. Helpful tools for researchers and students, 2026, https://researchersfriend.org.
The citation RIS file for EndNote, Mendeley, Zotero etc.
is available here.
