Introduction to RefWorks
Workshop Description: Learn how to manage your references, create bibliographies, and format your
papers in a variety of citation styles using RefWorks web-based citation software. RefWorks is freely
available to all Waterloo students, faculty, and staff.
Learning Objectives: (Addresses ACRL Standards 1 & 4)
 Students will learn how to use RefWorks in order to manage their citations.
 Students will learn how to use RefWorks to generate a bibliography.
 Students will be introduced to the Write-N-Cite feature.
Standard One
The information literate student determines the nature and extent of the information needed.
Standard Four
The information literate student, individually or as a member of a group, uses information
effectively to accomplish a specific purpose.
Content Outline:
I. Description of RefWorks and what it can do.
II. How to access RefWorks
III. How to set-up your account
IV. How to export/import citations from sample databases/interfaces (direct and text file)
V. How to organize citations within RefWorks
VI. How to manually enter references
VII. Generating a bibliography
VIII. Making changes to references & citation styles
VIIII. Using Write-N-Cite
X. Getting Help
Potential Additional Content:
 How to share your database/folders including a discussion of RefShare; using RefMobile to
access references from a PDA/mobile phone; capturing bibliographic information from
RefGrab-it; utilizing the “my list” option to create a temporary folder for select references; how
to search your RefWorks database.
Methods:
1. Description of RefWorks:
 What it is and how it can help
 Available (freely) to UW students, faculty, and staff
2. How to access from the Library homepage (and Scholar’s Portal)
3. Setting up an individual account:
 Set-up process
 Confirmation email
 Log-in from off-campus
Activity 1: Setting-up a RefWorks account
4. How to conduct a direct export from a database of your choice (e.g. PsychInfo) and the library
catalogue (Primo):
 Steps for exporting
 Explanation of the RefWorks import screen
 Finding newly imported references: “View Last Imported Folder”
5. How to conduct an export from a database which does not support direct export to RefWorks (e.g.
Web of Science).
Activity 2: Export from a selected database(s)
6. Creating folders and organization of references:
 Creating folders
 Adding and removing references
 Removing duplicate records
7. How to manually enter a reference into your database.
8. Generating a bibliography:
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Where to find output styles
Previewing styles
Accessing your style manager and adding favourite styles
Formatting your bibliography
Creating the bibliography
Activity 3: Creating a quick bibliography with the references imported in activity #2
9. How to manually modify your references or a citation style & correct any mistakes.
10. Write-N-Cite:
 What it is and how it can help
 Download of plug-in
 How to use Write-N-Cite within your papers
Activity 4 (time permitting): Practice using Write-N-Cite in a Word document.
11. How to get help:
 Email RefWorks help @ refworks.library.uwaterloo.ca
 RefWorks help pages @ http://www.lib.uwaterloo.ca/libguides/1-15.html
 “Ask a Librarian”