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A critical part of the research process is keeping track of where you found a particular idea, picture, fact, or quote so you can properly cite it in your work according to an accepted style. Reference management software programs are tools to help you do this easily and efficiently.
You can use a reference manager to organize your references by research project. No longer will you have to look through scraps of paper or email messages for that reference you need. Your references will be in your own searchable database. You can import references from online databases, library catalogs, and journal indexes. You can also include references from full-text sources like JSTOR and from Web sites. These programs make it much easier to keep track of and use your references, and it eliminates the need to type the references into your research paper. The programs will automatically format your references in any style you choose, such as MLA, APA or the style of a particular journal.
Reference management programs available at Dartmouth are EndNote and RefWorks.
RefWorks is very easy to use, with in-context guidance. It's also free to Dartmouth students, faculty, and staff. You can access your reference lists, add to them and work on your paper from any networked computer. All help files are online, so you always have access to the documentation. It is useful for groups working at a distance because they can all share the same files. You can access your RefWorks account when off campus using the Dartmouth Group Code number, which you receive when you sign up for an account. If you also use the Dartmouth Proxy Server, the URLs in your RefWorks database will lead to the full text.
EndNote is a well-established product that offers many customizable features and flexibility but is more complicated. The software has to be installed on your computer properly so that it will work correctly with word processing programs, and this varies depending on your operating system, word processor and platform. It has frequent upgrades that offer significant new features. It is important to use the manual, and you need to have the software on whatever computer you are using.
For a comparison of a few of the features in EndNote and RefWorks, see Choosing a Bibliographic Reference Manager.
There are two main options. The first option, downloading references and then importing them into the reference manager, is available for all article indexes. The second, using a direct connection to the index that is provided by the reference manager, is avaiable only for some indexes. These options are described below.
1. Downloading from the search results to article indexes requires the steps which are described here in general. For index specific instructions, see the table below:
- Do search
- Save all references you want in the specific management software package format if it is listed; if not, save in tagged format
- Save the file as text
- Use the Import function from the reference management program. In EndNote, this means finding the correct Filter from the Filters folders. In RefWorks this means choosing the source of the database and the specific database. The program will know what format the file will be in, and can download it correctly.
2. Use the Connection files provided by EndNote or the "Search Online Database" option in RefWorks to conduct the search; then the citations will be in the correct format and will be added to your EndNote or RefWorks database automatically. EndNote has a site with Connection files but in some cases you need to know the Dartmouth specific authentication information for these Connection files to work. Check with a librarian about these.
For Dartmouth Librarian assistance with any aspect of finding and managing references, e-mail:
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