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Product Overview of Paperpile
Paperpile is a web-based reference manager designed to help researchers, students, and academics efficiently organize, cite, and manage their research literature. Here’s a detailed look at what the product does and its key features:
What Paperpile Does
Paperpile is a comprehensive tool that integrates seamlessly with Google services, particularly Google Drive and Google Docs. It allows users to manage their research papers, citations, and bibliographies in a centralized and accessible manner. The platform leverages existing Google accounts, eliminating the need for additional sign-ups or downloads beyond a Chrome extension.
Key Features and Functionality
Reference Import and Organization
- Users can import references quickly from various sources, including Google Scholar, PubMed, ArXiv, and hundreds of supported publishers’ sites using the Paperpile Chrome extension.
- References can be uploaded directly from the web or from local files, and organized using folders and labels.
Citation Management
- Paperpile enables users to cite references in multiple formats, including Google Docs, Microsoft Word (with a plug-in in development), and LaTeX. The `Cite` button allows for easy copying and pasting of formatted citations.
PDF Management and Annotation
- Users can upload, organize, and annotate PDFs directly within Paperpile. The platform supports highlighting text, which automatically copies the highlighted text into notes along with annotations. This feature is particularly useful for research and writing.
Integration with Google Services
- Paperpile integrates seamlessly with Google Docs, allowing users to cite references directly within their documents. It also utilizes Google Drive for cloud storage, providing 15GB of free storage space.
Collaboration and Sharing
- Users can share references with collaborators via a link, although collaborative editing of the reference list requires all parties to have a Paperpile account.
Mobile Accessibility
- Paperpile offers iOS and Android apps, enabling users to access and manage their research library on mobile devices.
Migration and Compatibility
- The platform supports easy migration from other reference managers like Mendeley and EndNote, and allows users to export metadata and PDFs in formats such as BibTeX.
Research Assistance
- Paperpile includes features to help users find similar journal articles, facilitating research especially when using science databases.
Pricing and Trial
Paperpile offers a free 30-day trial with no credit card required. After the trial, users can choose between two subscription plans:
- Academic: $2.99 per month
- Business: $9.99 per month
Summary
Paperpile is a user-friendly and efficient reference manager that leverages Google’s ecosystem to provide a robust solution for managing research literature. Its key features include seamless integration with Google Docs and Drive, easy reference import and citation management, robust PDF annotation tools, and mobile accessibility. While it may lack offline capability and has some limitations compared to free alternatives, Paperpile’s unique features and integrations make it a valuable tool for researchers and academics.
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