RefWorks Tutorial: Creating bibliographies

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Creating bibliographies

The most obvious advantage RefWorks offers to writers is the ability to create correctly formatted bibliographies, lists of works cited, reference lists, etc. from a collection of references by clicking a button (see example of a bibliography generated by RefWorks, MLA format). Writers can spend time thinking and writing (or possibly sleeping...) that would have been spent fiddling with the details of preparing the bibliography.

However, it is still necessary to edit the bibliographies generated by RefWorks in order to insure that the sources have been cited correctly and completely. Page numbers must be added to parenthetical citations, if required, and references without named authors may appear out of order. In some cases, RefWorks may apply a style inconsistently or incorrectly--not often, but the burden of proofreading is still on the writer.

Selecting a formatting style

Follow guidelines from your instructor or editor. Two common styles for college papers are MLA (Modern Language Association), and APA (American Psychological Association) styles. The Chicago Manual of Style and Turabian's Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations are also used. Advice on selecting and applying a formatting style to a manuscript can be found in any college writing handbook, or online at the Writing Place. Two good online guides to MLA and APA styles are:

Users of RefWorks should understand that there is no substitute for understanding how and why to document sources in a specific format. RefWorks can simplify the process of writing a correctly documented paper, but the writer is still responsible for preparing the manuscript.

Selecting an output format

Refworks can create bibliographies as HTML files, Microsoft Word documents (Mac or Windows), RTF (rich text format) files, and plain text. In general, Word files are most convenient if you write using Word., and RTF files are best for use with other word processors.

Creating a bibliography from a collection of references

When you create a bibliography from a collection of references, you are generating a list of sources (such as the List of Works Cited that appears at the end of an MLA formatted manuscript) that can be inserted into your paper. It will not insert parenthetical citations into the body of your paper (for that, see below).

Right: detail from RefWorks bibliography form

  1. Click Bibliography
  2. Select the preferred output format from the list (MLA, APA, etc.)
  3. Select Base Bibliography on Reference list (see example)
  4. Select file type to create (Word, RTF, etc.)
  5. Select the specific folder to use, or all references
  6. Click Create Bibliography
  7. Save the new file
    If there is a problem saving the file, you can also have RefWorks email it to you.

RefWorks bibliography detailCreating a bibliography based on a manuscript

When you create a bibliography based on a manuscript, any references inserted in that manuscript (see below) will be included in the bibliography.

Right: detail from RefWorks bibliography form

  • Click Bibliography
  • Select the preferred output format from the list (MLA, APA, etc.)
  • Select Base Bibliography on Manuscript
  • Select file type to create (Word, RTF, etc.)
  • Select folder to use, or all references
  • Click Create Bibliography
  • Save the new file
    NOTE this is a modified copy of your original manuscript. Be sure to save it!

Entering source references in the text of a manuscript

  1. Inside your manuscript (which can be a Word, RTF, HTML or text document), position the cursor where you want the reference (usually a parenthetical citation) to appear in the manuscript
  2. Insert the RefID for the particular reference inside double curly-brackets. Example: {{34}}
  3. Save your document
  4. Create a bibliogaphy based on your manuscript, following the steps above. Information about the source will be inserted at the correct point.
    NOTE: You will need to edit the citations by hand to insert the correct page number, if using a style that requires them (such as MLA style).

Using Write-N-Cite

Write-N-Cite Write-N-Cite toolbar button

Write-N-Cite is a widget for Microsoft Word that makes it easier to insert references from RefWorks into a Word document while writing. It consists of a template and macro for Microsoft Word 97 and 2000 (Windows) that can be downloaded from the RefWorks website and installed. Once installed, a button will be added to the toolbar. Clicking the button lets you log into RefWorks and insert references without typing double curly-brackets by hand.

The Write-N-Cite window is a simplified version of the RefWorks interface that can be used to insert citations, generate bibliographies, and perform some other RefWorks functions (such as editing a specific reference. For more information, see the RefWorks website and help files.

  
 

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