RefWorks: The Basics
Introduction to Refworks workshop
Pre-learning assessment
Should take no more than 3-5 minutes.
Go to:
http://subjectguides.uwaterloo.ca/con
tent.php?pid=143372&sid=1220399
FALL 2011
JACKIE STAPLETON,
LIAISON LIBRARIAN
MARTHA LAUZON,
LIBRARY ASSOCIATE
What is RefWorks?
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 A personal reference management software
Manages citations
 Creates bibliographies
 Accessible from anywhere!

 uWaterloo has purchased a licence for all students, faculty and staff
 Alumni access
What We’ll Cover Today
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 Putting references into your RefWorks database
 Creating folders
 Generating a bibliography
 Using Write-N-Cite
This is a hands on presentation. Follow along with the slides.
How do I access RefWorks?
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Let’s begin at the UW Library Homepage
 Refworks link on UW Library homepage
Login welcome screen
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Login screen
Off campus?
•Personal
•Login using the Group Code
•Group (when you are working
with others)
RWUWaterloo
Write this down!
Create an account now if you do
not already have one
RefWorks Interface
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Together, let’s…
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Create a folder for today called “Refworks Basics”
www.lib.uwaterloo.ca
Putting References into RefWorks
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Three methods
 Add New (manually type in article info)
 Import
 Export
1. Direct Export
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


Most convenient method of entering information into Refworks
Automatically transfer citations from research database into Refworks
Refworks will place the information into the correct field (i.e. author, title,
journal, volume, page, abstract, etc.)
Common databases include:
• Primo (UW Library catalogue - books)
• Scopus, MEDLINE, PsycINFO (journal articles)
• Google Scholar
• and more...
Export from journal index
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Most journal indexes will offer direct export to Refworks
Important: Accuracy can vary from one database to the next. Must
watch the imported fields carefully!
The export to Refworks’ function is
usually under the following:
•Output
•Export
•Manage
Google scholar
Engineering Village
Scopus
Together lets…
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1. Import at least 5 articles from Scopus. Be sure to export complete
record
2. Move the 5 references into the Refworks Basics folder.
If you forget to do this, references will be placed in the folder:
References Not in a Folder
3. View the full information exported from Scopus for each article.
www.lib.uwaterloo.ca
Export from Primo – Book reference
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Important features
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Ref ID:
•unique ID number assigned by
Refworks
•cannot be changed
•once deleted, will not be used again
View full reference
Edit reference
View in
Scopus/PubMed
• References can be in more than one folder
• Getit@Waterloo
2. Import using Import Filters
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 Some research databases may not have an import filter including


PubMed
Ergonomics Abstracts
 The direct export feature may not be working
 Upload references from another citation manager such as Endnote or
Reference Manager
You can batch upload many citations using the import filters


Save citations to a text file
Import into Refworks using the appropriate filter
3. Enter manually
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Use if:
 There is no Direct Export option
 There is no Import Filter
 The citation is not available electronically
 You have a print copy of an article
 Entering a web page citation
Jonathan Nadel, Vaughan Rees, Gregory N. Connolly.
Disparities in Global Tobacco Harm Reduction. The
American Journal of Public Health, Volume 95, Number 12
(December 2005), pp. 2120-2125.
Manually enter citation
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If entered incorrectly...
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Refworks will only create a bibliography as accurate as the information
in the record.
Sample reference list generated using APA format for the same article.
Incorrect author format
Should not include ‘volume’ or ‘number’
Should not include pp.
Add attachments
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 Add files to an individual record



Any type of computer file (pdf article, image, word document, etc.) up to 20
MB
Access your files from any Internet location
No limit to the number of files you can attach
Organize and Share Folders
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• List of all folders
• Delete or clear folder:
• References are moved to “References not in a folder
• Share folders with both other Refworks accounts and/or colleagues
which do not have a Refworks account
Statistics (bottom
right of screen)
Delete duplicates
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• Good idea to keep only 1 record for each reference. You can
have the same record in multiple folders
• Duplicates can occur when you are uploading large lists of
articles from journal indexes
My List
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Create a temporary subset or list of references from your
database
Generating a Bibliography
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It’s as simple as clicking a button!
Let’s create a bibliography of the references in
your account.
Follow along with me
Write-N-Cite III
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 Insert references from RefWorks directly into your Microsoft
Word document
 Format your in-text citations and reference list in the chosen
output style
 Download the Write N Cite III plug-in to your hard drive
 Windows and Mac versions available
WNC in Word
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Write-N-Cite has been
linked to Microsoft Word.
Write-N-Cite accesses your
Refworks references
Find the
reference
Click on ‘Cite’
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The title of your Word
document will appear
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Code is added to your
Word document.
Select Write N Cite.
Select Output Style
Create Bibliography
Your document is now
‘formatted’
Coding is still hidden
underneath the in text
citation.
Toggle between ‘formatted’
and ‘unformatted’ versions of
your paper using WNC Tools.
You can continue to work and
edit using either version.
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Together lets…
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Write a Word document
Add citations and format a bibliography using WNC
WNC: edit the references
(don’t just highlight and delete!)
Important: Use the “Edit citation” function in WNC III to edit or
remove citations in your Word document.
 This is the only way to fully remove the coding stored in MS Word.
 Deleting by using CTRL-X or highlighting and pressing Delete may cause
problems when the document is formatted.
Not covered in this session:
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RefShare


Share a folder with another Refworks user. They can upload references to their own
account
Share a folder with a non-Refworks user
Working offline

Use Write N Cite when no Internet connection available
Google Scholar

Set up preferences to allow importing into Refworks
Customize interface




User defined fields
Language
Display folders
Add reference style as display view type
Refworks Help
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The End
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Introduction to Refworks workshop
Post-learning assessment
Should take no more than 3-5 minutes.
Go to:
http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca