USING REFWORKS
RefWorks
is a software system that makes it easy to collect and organize bibliographic references,
then generate citations and bibliographies with the click of a button. It is similar to EndNote,
ProCite, and Reference Manager, but unlike these other applications, RefWorks is web-based
so it is accessible anywhere you have an Internet connection.
RefWorks is compatible with Windows, Macintosh, and Unix systems, and is
available to all Smith faculty, staff, and students at no charge.
RefWorks Topics
- Getting Help
- Getting Started
- Building your database
Import references directly from online databases
Import references in a text file
Add references manually
Check for errors
- Managing your references
Organize your references in folders
Easily sort and edit your references
Search and browse your references
- Generating bibliographies and citations
Create a bibliography
Insert a citation in a Word document using Write-N-Cite
- Backing up your data
- Accessing your RefWorks account after you leave Smith
Getting Help
General
help is available directly
from the RefWorks website: http://www.refworks.com.
From
the Learn RefWorks tab, choose:
Database-specific help is available
from the Refworks page provided by the Smith Libraries: http://www.smith.edu/libraries/research/refworks.htm
Back to top>
Getting Started
Start by creating your own RefWorks account, as follows:
- Open an Internet Explorer or Mozilla FireFox window.
- On-campus users: Go directly to the following website: http://www.refworks.com
- Off-campus users: You will be going through the library proxy server, which
requires you to enter your Novell network username and password:
http://libproxy.smith.edu:2048/login?url=http://www.refworks.com/refworks
- On the RefWorks homepage, click on the User
Login button on the toolbar.
- On the RefWorks User Login for Smith College
page, click on the link to sign up for an individual account.
Fill out the registration form, completing all fields. We recommend using your Novell username for your RefWorks login name.
Note: If at any time you forget your login name or password,
you must go back to the RefWorks website and click on the "Forgot
your log-in" link. RefWorks will then email you the correct
information.
Building Your Database
There are several different ways to add references to your RefWorks database:
- For hundreds of commonly-used databases,
you can add references directly to your RefWorks database with the click of a button.
- If a database does not link directly
to RefWorks, you can easily create a text file and import it to RefWorks. The Smith
Libraries website provides directions for importing from many frequently-used databases: http://www.smith.edu/libraries/research/refworks.htm
- For additional information, including
guidelines for importing references from EndNote, ProCite, and Reference Manager into RefWorks,
go to the RefWorks website from the Help menu select help. From the listing on the left click on "Getting References Into Your Account". Select the subtopic "Converting from Other Bibliographic Management Programs.
- You can enter a reference manually any time you want.
The sections below show examples of the three ways you can add a reference to your RefWorks database, after you've completed the initial steps for ALL on-line databases, below:
- By a direct link (e.g., EBSCOhost),
- By importing a text file (e.g., JSTOR)
- By entering a reference manually
For ALL on-line databases, start by performing the following steps:
- Minimize your RefWorks window.
- Open another browser window (Internet
Explorer or FireFox).
- Go to the Smith College Libraries database
page to begin your search:
http://www.smith.edu/libraries/research/a-z/
- Navigate to the database you plan to use.
Example 1: Direct link from an EBSCO Database
- Perform a search in any EBSCO database. In the
results list, click on the Add to folder link below any reference
you want to save.
- Locate and click on the Folder
link. This will open the Folder Contents screen.
- Check the box next to any citation you want to export.
- From the Results List, click the Export icon. This
will open the Export Manager screen.
- From the Export Manager screen,
select "Direct Export to RefWorks".
- On the left, click the Save button.
- If you already have your RefWorks account
open in another window, the window will appear with a message saying "Importing references,
please wait." The window will tell you how many references were imported and
allow you to view them. If the window does not appear, see the note
about pop-up blockers.
- If you were not logged into your account,
another window will appear asking you to log into your account. Your references will
be imported after you log in. If the "importing references"
window does not appear, see the note about pop-up blockers.
- Don't forget to check your imported references for errors.
Important Note about Pop-up Blockers
Depending
on how your browser handles pop-ups or which toolbars you may have added (e.g., the Google
toolbar has additional pop-up blockers), you may see a Pop-up blocked bar directly below
your browser toolbars.
Click on the Pop-up blocked bar
and select Temporarily Allow Pop-ups from the drop-down menu. If you have
more than one pop-up blocker, you may have to repeat this operation more than once.
(Note that selecting Always Allow Pop-ups from this menu will not help, since every time
you perform a new search you will be on a different site.)
Example 2: Importing references
from JSTOR
- Perform a JSTOR search.
- After completing your search, click on
the title of any results you plan to save. Note: This
action is required for each article you plan to import.
- Click Export this Citations.
- In the Export Citations window, select RefWorks.
- If you already have your RefWorks account open in another window, the window will appear with a message saying ‘Importing references, please wait’. The window will tell you how many references were imported and allow you to view them. If you wer not logged into your account the login window will appear and your references will be imported after you login.
Example 3: Enter a Reference Manually
- From within RefWorks, open the References drop-down menu and
select Add New Reference.
- From the View fields used by drop-down
menu, select a bibliographic output style. The green checkmarks indicate the fields
used in the selected output style.
- Select the folder you want the reference added to
and the type of reference it is.
- Continue entering information into the fields with green checkmarks.
- When you're done, click on the Save
Reference link at the top of the page.
Checking for Errors
RefWorks imports references based
on Import Filters that have been created using data samples from various service providers
and databases.
Occasionally, there is data that is not imported or data that is imported into an incorrect
reference type or field. It is your responsibility to review and edit this data.
- References are always imported to the
Last Imported folder. When you have completed an import, click the View Last Imported Folder button.
- The references you just imported will
appear on the screen. Click either the View or Edit link
to the far right of the reference. If you are in the View mode and you notice an
error, click the Edit link in that window to begin editing.
- Use standard keyboard commands to edit
this information. See appropriate chart below.
Windows: Standard keyboard commands
Backspace Deletes to the left of the cursor Delete Deletes to the right of the cursor Select Click hold and drag or shift + arrow Copy Ctrl + C Cut Ctrl + X Paste Ctrl + V
Macintosh: Standard keyboard commands
Delete
(main key board)
Deletes to the lefts of the cursor Delete
(center keypad)
Deletes to the right of the cursor Select Click hold and drag or shift + arrow Copy Apple Command + C Cut Apple Command + X
Paste Apple Command + V
- When editing is complete, click Save Reference.
Managing Your References
RefWorks provides several tools to manage your references. New accounts have one folder, Last Imported. Each time you import only the latest references go to this folder. References imported prior to the last import that have not been assigned a specific folder remain in the folder, "References not in a folder".
Putting references into folders
- From the Folders drop-down menu, select Create New Folder.
- Type a name for the folder then click OK.
- From the View menu select Folder, References
not in Folder. A list of references within your main database appears.
- Just above each reference in a shaded bar is a Ref ID number
and checkbox. This checkbox is for selecting. Select any or all references
that you would place in the same folder.
- From the Put in Folder drop-down,
select the desired folder. All selected references will be added to this folder.
- Note that you can save a reference in more than one folder. To see where references are saved, open the View menu and select All References. The shaded bar just above each reference shows the folders it is saved in on the far right.
Removing a reference from a folder
- Open
the folder and locate the reference to be removed. Click in the Ref ID check-box.
- Click the Remove from Folder button.
Note: Do NOT click Delete, as this will permanently remove the reference from all folders.
Sorting references
You can change the sort order for your references at any time:
- From the Folders drop-down menu, select the folder to be sorted.
- Click on the Sort by drop-down menu in the upper right of the window, and select the sort order of your choice.
Generating Bibliographies and Citations
Format a bibliography from your references
- Click the Bibliography button.
- Select an Output Style from the dropdown listing. (You can click on Preview
Styles to see how the references will appear in a bibliography, as text, or in notes.)
- Click on Format a Bibliography from a List of References.
- Select a type of file to create
from the dropdown.
- Select which references to include.
- Click on Create Bibliography.
- A new window will open
with your bibliography file. Save this file to your C: or H: drive.
Entering Citations using Write-N-Cite
Write-N-Cite
is a utility that allows Microsoft Word users to cite references in a document with the click
of a button.
Before
you can use Write-N-Cite, you must first download the Macintosh or Windows version of the
program from the Tools menu
in RefWorks.
Windows Users only: After
you've downloaded and installed Write-N-Cite,
if you wish to use it
off-campus:
- From the Start menu, select Programs, then RefWorks.
- Select the WNC Proxy Configuration Utility.
- Enter the following URL, exactly as shown:
http://libproxy.smith.edu:2048/login?url=https://www.refworks.com/Refworks/?WNC=true
Once that's done, you should be able to use the program even when you're off-campus.
All users:
After you download the software:
- Windows users: Open
Word. You should see that the Write-N-Cite toolbar button has been added. Clicking
this button will open a Write-N-Cite login screen. Log in using your RefWorks username
and password.
- Mac users: You will have the Write-N-Cite program added to your Application folder. Open Write-N-Cite and log in using your RefWorks username and password.
Note: When you are ready to insert references into your Word
document,
always open your Word document before you open Write-N-Cite.
To confirm
that there is a link between Write-N-Cite and your open document, check the MS Word status
bar across the top of the Write-N-Cite window. It should display the name of your open
Word document.
Using Write-N-Cite
By default, Write-N-Cite displays All References. However, you may be working from one particular folder. From the View menu select that folder. Write-N-Cite will now display the references from that folder.
- Going back to your Word document, place the blinking
cursor in a paragraph if you want to cite-in-text, or from the Insert menu select Reference/footnote. Complete
the MS Word Footnote/Endnote dialog box. This will place a blinking cursor in the
note reference area.
- From the Write-N-Cite window click the appropriate cite link. Write-N-Cite
will place a placeholder between curly brackets it does not place the full reference at
this time. Example:
{{2 Anonymous 2006; }}
- Continue to place citations. When all citations have been placed SAVE the Word document, but don’t close it, do not close Write-N-Cite.
- From the Write-N-Cite window click on Bibliography, and then select
an output style.
- Click Create Bibliography. Write-N-Cite
will interact with your word document by formatting the citations placeholders in your
document. It
will also create a Works Cited at the end of your document.
- Office 2003 users: When complete note the Title bar across the top of
your word document will have the word Final- before the document name. This is
your finished document.
Office 2007 users: you will not see a title change as Write-N-Cite writes to the orginal document.
- Office 2003 users: Review the new document paying close attention
to the citations and Works Cited. If all is well you will have two documents,
your original with the citation placeholders and the Final. Save the Final document if all is correct. If you have found errors in the citations do not save this Final document.
Office 2007 users: Review the new document paying close attention to the citations and Works Cited. If all is well you, either save this document over the top of the old document or Save As giving it a new file name. If you have found errors in the citations do not save this document.
- At this point you will have to open your RefWorks
account and edit any reference that were not correct, being sure to save the changes. See
Checking for Errors section.
Backing Up Your Data
RefWorks backs up your data several times daily, however, your database resides on the RefWorks server not a Smith Server. You can create a backup of your references on your computer by using the Backup/Restore feature.
- Select Tools, then Backup/Restore. Now select the option to
Include References and/or Include Output Styles.
- Click on the Perform Backup button. A copy
of your database will be downloaded to your computer in a zipped file. This file
can only be used in the Restore feature of RefWorks.
- If you restore your RefWorks database, it overwrites all information currently
stored in your account.
Accessing your RefWorks Account After You Leave Smith
If you are leaving Smith and want to take your references with you in a readable text file, you can Export a text file:
- From the References menu select Export.
- Select Bibliographic Software from the listing.
- Click the Export to Text File button.
- From the File menu select Save As, and change the location
to either your C or H: drive.
If you set up an individual Refworks account at Smith and have used it within the past six months, you can continue to access your RefWorks account after graduation by going to:
http://www.refworks.com/refworks
Note that if you are off-campus, this access method requires you to provide a RefWorks group code when you log in. The access code is reset every spring. To be sure you always receive an email message with the new group code, make the following changes to your Refworks account settings while you are still on campus:
- Log in to your RefWorks account.
- From the Tools menu, select Update User Information.
- Enter the email address you will be using after graduation.
- Change the Type of User to Alumni.
- Click Update.
If you plan to access your account through another
subscriber after graduation, and/or want to save your collected references
in a format you can use with a different database program, please follow the instructions
below before
your Novell account expires.
If your Novell account has expired and you need your saved RefWorks references,
please contact the User Support Center at 413-585-4487.
Accessing your RefWorks Account through a Non-Smith Subscription
If, after you leave Smith, you will be enrolled at a college or university with a RefWorks subscription,
or employed by an organization with a RefWorks subscription, you can move your account.
To move your account, first save a backup copy of your RefWorks database:
- Go to the Refworks login page and enter your RefWorks group code (if you are off-campus) or your Novell username and password if you are on-campus, then log in to your RefWorks account.
- On the Tools menu, select Backup/Restore.
- Use the Backup option to save a backup of your database as a .zip or
.rwb file.
- Save the backup file on your hard drive or a portable storage device.
Once you have access to your account through a different RefWorks subscription:
- Go to the Refworks login page and log in to your RefWorks account, or use the login page provided by your new institution.
- On the Tools menu, select Backup/Restore.
- Use the Restore option to add the .zip or .rwb file to your new account from your hard drive or portable storage device.
Saving your RefWorks References for Use with Another Database Program
RefWorks offers several export options that allow you to save your references
for use with other programs. These options (available in Tools/Export
References)
are:
- Bibliographic Software (EndNote, ProCite, Reference Manager). Saves
the database in a tagged format that can import into another bibliographic management
program. It is the format sometimes called the RIS Format or Reference Manager
Format, and can be imported into Reference Manager, ProCite, EndNote, or any
other program that supports the RIS Format.
- BibTeX - RefWorks ID. Saves the database in the file format used
with the LaTeX document preparation system.
- Citation List. Creates a list to use when writing your paper offline.
The format includes the RefID, Authors Primary, Title Primary, and Publication
Year only. This format is probably not usable by another bibliography manager.
- RefWorks Tagged Format. Saves the database in a format similar to the
bibliographic management software format. This is a tagged format. However, the
data layout is patterned after the RefWorks database, as opposed to
tags that match with other bibliographic programs. Use this format for backup
purposes and for sharing data with other RefWorks users.
- Tab Delimited. Saves all your data in an organized manner with each
field separated by a tab. It may then be loaded into other programs that are
designed to read this type of format.
- XML. Use this format to create your export file in an XML format.
For more information about Refworks, see: http://libguides.smith.edu/refworks














