Reference Management

Roger Mills and Angela CarrittFebruary 2010

So what’s the problem?

•References come from many different sources:

E-mails

Databases

Alerts

Articles

Library catalogues

And many different formats…Harvard: • AHERNE, J., SVERDRUP, H., FARRELL, E. P. & CUMMINS, T. (1998)

Application of the SAFE model to a Norway spruce stand at Ballyhooly, Ireland. Forest Ecology and Management, 101, 331-338.

Numbered:• 1. Aherne, J., et al., Application of the SAFE model to a Norway

spruce stand at Ballyhooly, Ireland. Forest Ecology and Management, 1998. 101(1-3): p. 331-338.

Author-date:• Aherne, J., H. Sverdrup, et al. (1998). "Application of the SAFE model

to a Norway spruce stand at Ballyhooly, Ireland." Forest Ecology and Management 101(1-3): 331-338.

Nature:• 1 Julian Aherne, Harald Sverdrup, Edward P Farrell et al., Forest

Ecology and Management 101 (1-3), 331 (1998).Science:• 1. J. Aherne, H. Sverdrup, E. P. Farrell, T. Cummins, Forest Ecology

and Management 101, 331 (Feb., 1998, 1998).

So what can reference management software do?•Store references to items in many different formats and

material types•Search, select and output references in a variety of pre-

determined styles, or one of your own making•Import references direct from databases like Scopus or

Web of Knowledge, or library catalogues like OLIS•Search external databases from within the reference

management software, and save references retrieved•Insert references into a word-processed document and

format them in a particular style at the touch of a button•Store links to documents – pdf’s, images – or copies of

them within database

Products available• The Thomson-Reuters family:

• ProCite - Reference Manager – EndNote - EndNote Web• Thomson own Web of Knowledge, Biosis etc

• The ProQuest family:• RefWorks - RefWorks Scopus Edition – RefShare• ProQuest own CSA, Dialog, Chadwyck-Healey etc

• For LaTeX users:• BibTex

• Also consider:• Zotero

Which product for me?•RefWorks and EndNote both allow direct export from selected

databases•RefWorks is web based – access your records anywhere, so

long as you are online•Others have to be installed – work without web access, so long

as you have your own machine•Features very similar•RefWorks free to members of university, others c.£90•EndNote must be purchased, c.£80•EndNote on the Web is free to members of university, but has

limited feature set – designed to be used alongside desktop version

•Zotero is a free plug-in for Firefox browser (only) – limited but growing capability

•BibTeX tools are free•Social bookmarking sites such as CiteULike and Connotea are

free and convenient for storing and sharing references but do not provide word processor interaction, text formatting etc.

Factors influencing choice: 1•Want to use direct export a lot?

• Check which product your usual database supports

•Normally working offline on your own machine?• EndNote

•Want of work online on any machine?• RefWorks or EndNote Web/EndNote

•Don’t want to pay for software? (while at Oxford)• RefWorks

•Already familiar with Reference Manager or ProCite?• EndNote

Factors influencing choice: 2•Need to share reference database with others?

• RefWorks or Reference Manager

•Like plenty of on-screen help?• RefWorks

•Prefer a cleaner, bare-screen presentation?• EndNote

•Need to work in a particular reference style?• Check it’s supported in your preferred product

•Already have a database of references in another product?

• Easy to export/import between all main products• But NOT untagged references in Word!

Factors influencing choice: 3•Need to work in foreign languages?

• Check support in your preferred product. RefWorks and EndNote both support Unicode fonts.

•Need to work with complex mathematical expressions?

• Prefer BibTex

•Need to save searches to re-run within product?• EndNote

•Want to create your own import filters?• EndNote [RefWorks can create for you on request]

•Want to edit or create output styles?• Both EndNote and RefWorks allow this

Factors influencing choice: 4•Want to organise your references in separate folders?

• RefWorks; latest versions of EndNote

•Want to capture references from web pages? (eg Amazon, JSTOR)

• RefWorks (RefGrabit) or Zotero

•Want to store links to full text?• RefWorks, EndNote both allow this

•Want to store pdf’s, other files?• EndNote, RefWorks [total storage limited]

•Need citation data?• RefWorks Scopus Edition links to Scopus data; EndNote links to

WoS data

EndNote, EndNote Web & RefWorks compared

Compare features: EndNote Web EndNoteDesktop RefWorks

Save references + + +

Organize & edit references + + +

Storage capacity (number of references) 10,000 unlimited unlimited

Import from many databases and OPACs + + +

Cite & format papers with bibliographies + + +

Create & save advanced searches + create (not save)

Customize views & displays + +

Edit reference import filters & output styles +RW can add or edit import filters

Users can edit output styles

Use term lists for auto-entry + +

Cite tables, figures, & equations + +

Work Offline (anytime/anywhere) + With Cite-while-u-Write III

Local Personal Files and Documents + +

High Performance Desktop Environment +  

Demonstrations•Setting up a database•Importing records•Formatting records•Adding references and bibliography to a Word document

Creating a RefWorks account•RefWorks stores your data in an account on their servers (in USA)

•Access your account online anywhere•Outside Oxford use group code ‘oxymoron’•You can have as many accounts as you wish

EndNote•Now in version 12 – EndNote X2•Good backwards compatibility with earlier versions•Easy to import/export to earlier versions and other reference management software

•ALWAYS KEEP BACKUPS!

Creating an EndNote Library•EndNote stores your data in an ‘EndNote library’ file with (in Windows) a .enl extension

•.enl files are transportable between Windows and Mac versions – if opening in Windows a file created on a Mac, first save it with the .enl extension

Tip sheets•http://www.EndNote.com/s

upport/entips.asp

More on RefWorks & EndNote•half-day courses on RefWorks and EndNote are held regularly

at OUCS•Company websites give useful information, tutorials, tips etc:•www.refworks.com – follow ‘Learn RefWorks’ links•www.endnote.com – follow ‘support and services’ links•If you run in to problems, ask any subject librarian – if we

can’t sort it out, we’ll find someone who can!

Play for ever•Or get a life•Reference management software is meant to save time….

•Have fun…