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RefWorks Suggestions and Directions

Organizing the References You Collect

You might want to organize the references you collect by creating separate folders for each class or each paper or project. Feel free to copy a reference into many different folders, but note that when youedit the reference in one folder those edits also appear when you view the reference in another folder.

Getting References into RefWorks

• You can export references from a number of EMU's subscription databases directly into RefWorks (Direct Export). After you do a search in one of these databases you can select/mark the references that appeal to you in the database and then automatically open RefWorks and have the references placed in the Last Imported Folder. You can then transfer the references to the appropriate folder(s) for the paper(s) or project(s) you are working on. This chart lists the databases that support the Direct Export of references into RefWorks and also provides links to instructions as to how to perform the process in each database.
• While not all of EMU's subscription databases support Direct Import into RefWorks, most of them do allow you to select/mark the references that appeal to you and then save them as a text file for import into RefWorks. This chart lists the databases that support saving references as a text file for import into RefWorks and provides links to instuctions as to how to perform the process in each database.
• If a database is not listed on the above chart, you might look for alternative export or save options. If a database provides an export/save option for EndNote,you can use the Refer Format import filter in RefWorks;or if it provides an export/save option for Reference Manager,you can import into RefWorks with the RIS Format importfilter. If there is an export/save option for Medline, youcan use the NLMPubMed importfilter in RefWorks.
• You can always enter references into RefWorks manually, either typing the text or cutting and pasting from another open window on your desktop. RefWorks provides these instructions for entering references manually.

When you Direct Export or save references as a text file for import into RefWorks you should always check the accuracy and completeness of your references. It is best to do this at the time you transfer the references from a database into RefWorks, with the marked database references still open in a browser window and available for comparison with the content transferred into RefWorks.

To properly check the accuracy of the information in RefWorks you should:

1. generate a test bibliography for the reference style you are interested in with the newly transferred references
2. compare the formatting in the test bibliogrpahy with the desired output for the reference style you are using, e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago, etc. If you are not familiar with a particular bibliographic style, you should consult your teacher, a librarian, or check some of these style guide resources.

Here is an example of checking the accuracy of the imported reference information in RefWorks. You should always review the choices in the drop-down menu adjacent to Ref Type (Reference Type) to insure that the descriptive elements that were transferred into RefWorks correspond to the correct 'type' of material described in the database, e.g., whole book by one or more authors, edited book by one or more editors, chapter in an edited book, journal article, magagine article, music score, video/dvd, etc. If the descriptive elements were transferred into the 'Generic' RefWorks Ref Type, change this by selecting the correct Ref Type from the menu.

If the full-text of a reference is also available online, this is a good time to add the required information that is NOT inserted into RefWorks when you use the Direct Export or save references as text file import to get references into the service. [See the next section]

Manually Adding Information to References for Online Full-Text Sources

When you cite something in a bibliography whose full-text you read online, the style guidelines of the American Psychological Association (APA), the Modern Language Association (MLA) and others require the inclusion of information that is not inserted into RefWorks when you Direct Export from databases or import saved text files from databases. For example:

• both APA and MLA require the date you read the full-text online (formatted as 4 July 2005 for MLA and July 4, 2005 for APA)
• both APA and MLA require the name of the database or website containing the full-text
• MLA requires the name and location of the library providing access to the full-text, and the URL of the database

This information should be manually added to your RefWorks references so that when you create a bibliography the information will automatically be included in the citations.

In RefWorks,

• search for each reference whose full-text you read online
• click Edit
• Following View required fields for: select the style guideline you want to use, e.g., APA - American Psychological Association, 5th Edition; MLA 6th Edition.
• Scroll down the page to see the fields marked with red asterisks (*) [which are required fields if data is available] and click on the asterisk for instructions

Creating a Stand-Alone Bibliography

Using RefWorks, you can create a stand-alone bibliography without also creating a formattted document with embedded citations. RefWorks provides these instructions for creating a stand-alone bibliography.

Creating a Formatted Paper (with Embedded Citations) AND a Bibliography

RefWorks offers three ways to create formatted papers with embedded citations and an accompanying bibliography when using Microsoft Word:

1. Using One Line/Cite View
2. Using Write-N-Cite
3. Working Offline and Manually Putting References into a Paper