RefWorks Tutorial: Entering information

Entering information about references

Overview

There are three ways of getting references into a RefWorks collection: typing them by hand (boring), cutting and pasting them field by field (not much better), and importing a set of saved search results from a database. The last method works very well when it works at all. This page gives examples of different methods for entering information about references into RefWorks.

How to enter information by hand

1. Click New Reference
2. Select the type of reference (for example, a website)
• Changing the type of reference changes the specific blank fields offered
3. Enter data in fields
4. Click Save

Information about documents published on the web cannot be imported directly into RefWorks. However, entering them into RefWorks is often worth the trouble, as it makes them easier to include in the final bibliography. Because websites are so changeable, it is especially important to document them accurately.

Note that there are five user-definable fields that can be used to annotate your sources.

How to import information from a Northwestern Library catalog (NUcat) search

First, search NUcat, Northwestern's web-based catalog. When you find sources you want to keep, follow these steps:

1. When searching, set the number of records to display to 50 records per page
2. Check the boxes next to the titles you want to save. If you want all of the results, select All on this page
3. Make sure the "Select Format" is set to Long View
4. Click Format to print or save (see an example)
• Note: If the total number of records retrieved is more than 50, click Save to Bookbag
5. Save the resulting document as a text file OR copy its contents to the clipboard (Ctrl-C on most computers).

Then, import the saved records:

1. In RefWorks, click Import
2. Select Endeavor Voyager from the list of filters.
3. Select Northwestern University (long view) from the list of databases
4. Select the text file containing the saved search results (see example) OR copy and paste directly into the web-based form
5. Click Import (below form)

Oddities:

• The name "Endeavor Voyager" is not an obvious choice when selecting a filter.
• Call number information is currently stored in the “Notes” field

How to import information from other types of searches

• If a RefWorks import filter exists for a specific database (such as a periodicals index), the procedure for importing search results is similar to that described for NUcat.
• If there is no RefWorks filter, or if the database does not offer a means of saving results in the proper format, importing results is not posssible.

In the latter case, the only way to get information about the references into RefWorks is to create a new reference, and copy and paste the search results from one web browser window to the other.

Understanding Northwestern's Electronic Resources collection

The Electronic Resources collection has over 200 indexes and abstracts, as well as electronic journals, e-books, and other sources. Some yield search results that can be imported directly into RefWorks, many cannot.

To select the correct RefWorks filter (if one exists) it is necessary to know the name of the database publisher as well as the name of the database: EBSCOHost and Academic Search Elite, OCLC and ArticleFirst, etc.

If you use a specific database that RefWorks doesn't support, let RefWorks know by letting us know.

Importing information from OCLC searches

First, search an OCLC source such as ArticleFirst.

1. Check the boxes of the sources you want, and click the Export icon (see an example)
2. In the next screen, click the Export.button (example)
3. When the file download dialog box appears, save the file.

Note: Some Northwestern-accessible databases (e.g. WilsonSelect) are not currently available under the OCLC filter

Next, import the saved results:

1. In RefWorks, Click Import
2. Select OCLC FirstSearch from the list of filters
3. Select ArticleFirst from the list of databases
4. Select the text file containing the search results
5. Click Import (below form)

Importing information from EBSCOhost searches

First, search an EBSCOhost database such as Academic Search Elite. When you find sources you want to keep, follow these steps:

1. In EBSCOhost, click Add to save information about a database record to your folder (see an example)
2. When finished, click Folder has X items to see the contents of the folder
3. Click Save to disk (see example)
4. IMPORTANT: Click the tab labeled Bibliographic Manager (see example) or the import will not work!
5. Click Save (see example)
6. Save the resulting document as a text file OR copy its contents to the clipboard (Ctrl-C on most computers).

Next, import the saved results:

1. In RefWorks, Click Import
2. Select EBSCOhost from the list of filters
3. Select Academic Search Elite from the list of databases
4. Select a text file containing the search results OR copy and paste directly into the web-based form
5. Click Import (below form)

How to import information from other bibliographic software packages

RefWorks can import lists of references generated by EndNote, ProCite, and other software. Moreover, the file format used by EndNote is also used by other bibliographic packages, making it a kind of "common tongue."

1. In RefWorks, click Import
2. Select Desktop Biblio Mgt Software from the list of filters
3. Select EndNote 5.0 (Mac or Windows) from the list of databases
4. Select the text file containing the saved search results
5. Click Import (below form)

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