Frequently Asked Questions

How do I import references from my EndNote database?

First export records from EndNote by selecting the correct Output Style for the export.  Under the File Menu select Output Styles.  You will see a list of output styles there, and if you see RefMan (RIS) Export select it.  If you do not see this format, open the Style Manager and check the RefMan format.  Close the Style Manager and once again go to the File Menu, select Output Styles and select the RefMan format.

Next, select the references you want to export and go to the Reference Menu and select Show Selected (or Show All if you wish to export the entire database).  From the File Menu select Export and a dialog will appear for you to select the location where you want to save the file.  Type in a file name and select a location you will remember for importing into RefWorks.  Use Text as your Save As type and click on Save.

Go into RefWorks and click on Import.  Select Desktop Biblio. Mgt. Software as your Import Filter and EndNote as your Database.  Browse for and select the file you just created from EndNote.  Click on Import.  The progress in importing is measured by * for each reference imported.  RefWorks will notify you when the import is complete.  View the Imported References.

How do I open two accounts in RefWorks at the same time?

Open your browser by selecting it from the Program menu or by clicking on the icon on your desktop or task bar.  If you use Internet Explorer do not open another window by selecting the File, New, Window option.  When you do this you will not open another existing  RefWorks account it will be a second copy of the first regardless of the password or login information.

When I open two accounts at the same time they always end up being the same.  Why?

If you use Internet Explorer and opened a new IE Window by selecting File, New, Window rather than clicking on the IE icon or opening the program from your Program Menu you will be in the same account as the first window.  RefWorks uses cookies to "remember" users and to have two accounts open at the same time you must have two sets of cookies.  IE only creates two sets when you open a second IE in the manner described above.

My institution subscribes to RefWorks.  What happens to my data if they decide to cancel next year?

You will be notified prior to the cancellation.  At that time, you can purchase an individual subscription to RefWorks for $50 per year or, if you prefer, you can export your entire database in a format that is compatible with other bibliographic software.  You can also export the data in a delimited format to use in some other type of database program.

How can I use RefWorks from within my word processor to cite references?

You can do this by using the Write-N-Cite utility.  To download the program, go to your RefWorks program and click on Write-N-Cite at the top of the window.  Once the program is loaded you can launch it from within Microsoft Word by clicking on the icon or selecting it from the Tools Menu.  For details on using Write-N-Cite see the Write-N-Cite section in Help.

I want to write my paper off line.  How do I print out a list of references with RefIDs?

First, create a folder and add all of the references you need to use for the paper to this folder.  Next, Click on Export and select the folder you want to print.  Select Citation List, which includes the RefID, Author, Title and Year.  Click Export to Text File and when the file displays print it using the browser's Print function.

How do I tell which folders contain a specific reference?

From the main view area of RefWorks, click on View or Edit in the top right corner of the reference for which you want the folder information.  Click on the In Folder drop down box.  Folders with a >> next to them contain the reference.

How do I access my RefWorks account from home?

Each site and department-wide purchase is assigned a Group Code.  The person responsible for the purchase of the product will have been given this code.  If you need to create an account from off site you will need to obtain the Group Code from the appropriate person.

If you create an account from an authorized location (from a computer with a correct IP address) your e-mail confirmation will contain the Group Code as well as your login name and password.

To log into RefWorks from offsite, go to http://www.refworks.com/refworks.  Enter the Group Code in the Institution and Department subscribers login box and click on Go to Login.  You should now be at your site specific login screen.  Enter your login name and password on this screen to access your personal database.

Is there a limit to the size of my database?

Your database may contain an unlimited number of references.

Is there a limit to the data I can put in the notes and abstract fields?

The notes, abstract and user definable fields are limited to 1 gigabyte of information.  Keep in mind that if you add large amounts of data to these fields it will take the program more time to display each reference.

My data isn't importing correctly.  Why does the Source information go into the Notes Field?

First, check that the data you are trying to import is in a tagged format.  It should look something like this:

TI: Title
    Effect of rearfoot orthotics on postural sway after lateral ankle
    sprain.
AU: Author
    Hertel J; Denegar CR; Buckley WE; Sharkey NA; Stokes WL
AF: AuthorAffiliation
    Department of Kinesiology, Pennsylvania State University,
    University Park, PA16802, USA. jnh3@psu.edu
SO: Source
    Archives of Physical Medicine and  Rehabilitation., 2001 Jul,
    82(7):1000-3

Also, from the Import area of RefWorks be sure both the Import Filter/Data Source and Database have been selected correctly.  If you don't see either All Databases or the specific database you are searching in the drop down list we do not have a filter for that particular database.  In this case the data may still import but it may not be imported into the correct fields and the source information will all go into the notes field.  Selecting Multiple Databases will not work if the specific database you are importing is not in the list.

If you selected the correct Data Source and Database but the data still comes in incorrectly, please contact the RefWorks support department at support@refworks.com.  Attach a sample of the text file you are importing along with information on the source of the data.

Why does my bibliography have incorrect data included in the output document?

The output format takes the data from a particular field and inserts it into the bibliography.  If the data in the field is incorrect it will appear to be wrong in the output format.  For example, if you see a book title in your bibliography that looks like:  Economics of America [Monograph], you will find that the title in your data includes the [Monograph] - it was not added by the output format.

If you see something like this for the volume number of a journal:  Vol. 32 vol.  It is because one of the Vol. was imported with the data.  The problem may be with the way the data is imported rather than with the output format.  Always check to be sure the data in the database is correct before formatting a bibliography.