Introduction to RefWorks

Part of the Writing Program Online Resources Project

WCAS Writing Program, Northwestern University
Version 1.0, Fall 2002

RefWorks index | Getting started | RefWorks at Northwestern | Entering information | Organizing information | Sharing information | Creating bibliographies | Other information | Send comments

Overview

Refworks is a web-based bibliography manager that Northwestern has recently adopted for use at the university. We anticipate that writers working on research projects will find it helpful for collecting and organizing references, documenting their sources, and creating bibliographies. The purpose of this tutorial is to give users an introduction to its major features and point out some of its idiosyncracies. If you have questions support forRefWorks at Northwestern, please contact us.

Getting started

• What is RefWorks?
• What can it do?
• Where can I get access to it?
• How do I set up a RefWorks account?

Important information for Northwestern users of RefWorks

• When creating an account, use your NU netid as your login name, but choose a different password
• To access your Northwestern RefWorks account, you must be connected to the Northwestern network or use group code RWNorthwesternU
• When importing references from NUcat, the NU library catalog, the name of the import filter is "Endeavor Voyager"
• Not all database search results can be imported directly into RefWorks. The list of available import filters is subject to change.
• Back up your reference collections, using the Export function. Keep your hard work safe!

Entering information about references

• How to enter information by hand
• How to import information from a Northwestern Library catalog (NUcat) search
• How to import information from other types of searches
• Understanding Northwestern's Electronic Resources collection
• Importing information from OCLC searches
• Importing information from EBSCO Host searches
• How to import information from other bibliographic software packages

Organizing information about references

• What are folders in Refworks?
• How to create and manipulate folders
• How to move references to a folder
• How to view your entire collection of references
• How to view only one folder's references
• Working with the "Last Imported" folder

Sharing information about references with others

• Setting up read-only access to your references
• Exporting information about references

Creating bibliographies

• Selecting a formatting style
• Selecting an output format
• Creating a bibliography from a collection of references
• Creating a bibliography based on a manuscript
• Entering source references in the text of a manuscript
• Using Write-N-Cite

Other information

• How does RefWorks compare to other bibliographic software?
• What's next for RefWorks at Northwestern?
• Fall 2002 Presentation slides introducing RefWorks (PowerPoint version | PDF version)

Links

• RefWorks
  • Refworks home page
  • Refworks help pages
  • Refworks account login page (Northwestern network only)
• Northwestern Library
  • Northwestern Library Electronic Resources page
  • Northwestern Library Reference Department
  • Northwestern Library EndNote support page
• Northwestern Writing Program
  • Writing Program home page
  • Writing Place website
• Guides to MLA and APA Styles
  • Using Modern Language Association (MLA) Format (Purdue OWL)
  • Using American Psychological Association (APA) Format (Purdue OWL)

Home | About | Refworks Tutorial
Writing Program Home | Writing Place Home
Northwestern Home | Calendar: Plan-It Purple | Sites A-Z | Search
WCAS Writing Program, Crowe Hall 2-178, 1860 Campus Drive, Evanston, IL 60208
Phone: 847-491-7414 Fax: 847-491-4840 Email: writing-program@northwestern.edu
World Wide Web Disclaimer and University Policy Statements   © 2002 Northwestern University