Managing your References

Roger Mills and Judy ReadingMay 2007

What is a reference?• Now where did I see that…• …it was in that red book on the third shelf down• No, I found it when I was doing that Google search on

chocolate ice cream…• Or maybe Bill mentioned it in that e-mail – when was it

again?• No, I remember – it was that article in Nature; must be on-

line…• What was it called again?• …wish I’d written it down…

What’s your problem?• You may want to refer to –

• Books• Chapters of books• Journal articles• Conference papers• Manuscripts• Personal communications• E-mails• Web sites• Pictures• ‘Born digital’ text• Data• Spreadsheets• etc

Because you can…• Impress your readers• Document your research• Argue a case• Avoid accusations of plagiarism

by• Quoting relevant references accurately

• As a bibliography• In footnotes or endnotes

• In a consistent style• Of your choice or as required by the publisher

In the good old daysYou could:• Sharpen your quill and write a list• Type on an index card• Make multiple copies under different headings• Used edge-notched cards to select by subject• Use punched cards for computers to sort• …etc

Then along came PC and Mac• Put them in Word… or Excel… or Access…• Easier to manipulate, but hard work to design what you

want, and even harder to reformat• So specialist software emerged

• ProCite• Reference Manager• EndNote• And now RefWorks

So what can reference management software do?

• Store references originated in a wide variety of formats to a wide variety of material types

• Search, select and output references in a variety of pre-determined styles, or one of your own making

• Import references direct from databases like Scopus or Web of Knowledge, or library catalogues like OLIS

• Search external databases from within the reference management software, and save references retrieved

• Insert references into a word-processed document and format them in a particular style at the touch of a button.

• Store links to documents – pdf’s, images – or copies of them within database

Which product for me?• ProCite, Reference Manager and EndNote all now owned

by Thomson Scientific – who also own Web of Knowledge• RefWorks owned by CSA – owners of CSA Illumina • Both allow direct export from selected databases• RefWorks is web based – access your records anywhere,

so long as you are online• Others have to be installed – work without web access, so

long as you have your own machine• Features very similar• RefWorks free to members of university, others c.£90• EndNote now has web version, without all features – best

used alongside desktop version

EndNote, EndNote Web & RefWorks

Compare features: EndNote Web EndNoteDesktop RefWorks

Save references + + +

Organize & edit references + + +

Storage capacity (number of references) 10,000 unlimited unlimited

Import from many databases and OPACs + + +

Cite & format papers with bibliographies + + +

Create & save advanced searches + create (not save)

Customize views & displays + +

Edit reference import filters & output styles +RW can add or edit import filters

Users can edit output styles

Use term lists for auto-entry + +

Cite tables, figures, & equations + +

Work Offline (anytime/anywhere) + Write papers offline only

Local Personal Files and Documents + +

High Performance Desktop Environment +  

RefWorks v. EndNoteNow:• A quick demonstration of RefWorks• A hands-on exercise to give you the feel• Some comparative screenshots from EndNote• Questions

• For detailed information look out for half-day RefWorks and EndNote courses at OUCS

RefWorks: getting started• Go to www.refworks.com/refworks• Click on Sign up for a New Account• Fill in the form• Click on Register• Then login to RefWorks using your new username and

password• If accessing RefWorks from outside the University domain

you need to use the Group code first – currently Oxymoron• Help – find the Quickstart guide – very useful

Main options for importing references:

• Entering references manually• Import of usually in plain text format with tagged fields data

from other databases using saved files –• Export from “Direct Export Partners” eg SCOPUS, CSA

Direct import from Cambridge Scientific Abstracts

• 1. Conduct your search.• 2.  Select the records you want to export and click on

RefWorks • Note:  if you do not see a RefWorks link, click on the Save,

Print, Email link• 3. Click the Export to RefWorks button and the references

are automatically exported to RefWorks. (Can work better if you make sure you are not logged into RefWorks before you export)

• 4.  Your records should appear in the Last Imported Folder.

About import filters

• To see a list of Direct Export partners choose: References – Import – List of Filters and Databases – Direct Export Partners

• For instructions relevant to most databases look at:

References – Import – Import instructions

Library catalogue: Search OLIS from within RefWorks• Click on Search - Online Catalog or Database• Choose OLIS from the drop-down list• Do a search • Import ‘All in the list’• Close the Search results and return to Refworks

Create a bibliography with Write n Cite

• You need to download the Write-n-cite plug the first time you want to use it. Choose Tools – Write-n-cite

• Log out of RefWorks and open Word and type some text for your dissertation or article

• Click on the Write-n-cite plug-in on the toolbar• Log into your Refworks database and display a set of references. View – All references or View-Folder• In Word document place cursor where the citation is to be inserted• From Write-n-cite list click on cite next to the one you want• Save your document as RWcite• On the Write-n-cite window click on bibliography and choose your preferred

style eg Harvard – this will create a new document FinalRWCite• Important – always work and edit in the original document

Creating bibliography without Write-n-cite

• Type text into Word• Log into Refworks and look up a reference and choose One line / Cite

view• Choose a reference and click on cite• A box will open – select the formatted citation number and copy (Ctrl +

C)• Place cursor in Word document and paste the citation (Ctrl + V)• Close and save your document as RWtraining2• In Refworks click on Bibliography – choose a formatting style eg

Harvard – Tick Format paper and bibliography – Browse to your word file as the Document to Format – Click on Create Bibliography

• You now have a document complete with proper citations and formatted bibliography which will save as RWFinalHarvard

Exercise

A quick look at EndNote• Now in version 10 – EndNote X• Good backwards compatibility with earlier versions• Easy to import/export to other reference management

software• ALWAYS KEEP BACKUPS!

Tip sheets• http://www.EndNote.com/support/entips.asp

• EndNote X Tip SheetsChanging Regional Settings in Windows XPEntering References into EndNoteEntering ImagesSearching for References within the EndNote database Importing data into EndNote Searching Remote Databases Customizing the Library WindowCreating Bibliographies

Creating an EndNote Library• EndNote stores your data in an ‘EndNote library’ file with

(in Windows) a .enl extension• .enl files are transportable between Windows and Mac

versions – if opening in Windows a file created on a Mac, first save it with the .enl extension

Starting up

Keep everything in one place

Import data: first choose filter

Note downloading instructions

Run search as usual

Save according to instructions

Resulting file ready to import

Select right ‘import option’

Voilà

Full record display

Rest of full record

URL

Link to pdf

Export as a list

Like so – here in ‘annotated’ style

‘Show all’ style

See styles within EndNote

‘Numbered’ style exported as web page

Identifying duplicates

Check and delete

Return to full list

Choose more styles

Check those you want

Adding references to a document

Search EndNote and Insert

Temporary citation

Add more

Format bibliography

…inserts numbers in text…

…and list of refs at end

To change, unformat citations

…and select new style

Now in Harvard style

…and the list

Export direct into EndNote

‘Export to reference Software'

EndNote opens automatically

Search databases from EndNote

Choose connection file

Search

Check number of hits

And download

Add selected or all to library

BUT• Take care:• Supplied connection files work with free resources• For subscription/password-protected resources you need

an Oxford-specific file, to avoid this screen:

Find on ‘Electronic Resources’ page http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/eresources

http://www.ouls.ox.ac.uk/eresources/endnote

Save in: \Program Files\EndNote X\Connections

Restart EndNote and choose

It works!

Z39.50 + & -• One interface – don’t need to remember search rules –

maybe• Can save and re-run searches• If it doesn’t work don’t always know why• No intermediate results, can’t combine sets

Other features• Manual entry• Sort• Edit – just overtype• Search library in same way as external database• Term lists and journal lists, to allow consistency• Updated styles, filters and connection files on web, also

program updates (but have to buy new versions)

Play for ever• Or get a life• Reference management software is meant to save time….

• Have fun…