George C. Gordon Library

RefWorks - Online Personal Database and Bibliography Creator

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Getting Started

RefWorks and MyWPI

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RefWorks is a web based tool that helps you to manage your many citations! WPI Gordon Library has purchased this for use by all WPI students, faculty, and staff. It helps you keep track of the sources you are using for your research, including the ability to paste in sections of the text of the documents and your own notes about the sources.

RefWorks helps you to automatically generate in-text citations, footnotes, and your bibliography. Don't know how to cite a webpage in MLA style? Let RefWorks do it for you. It will also create bibliographies for you in the format you specify (APA, Chicago, IEEE, or hundreds of other styles).

Also, you can download an add-in which allows you to Write-n-Cite while creating your paper. It interacts with Microsoft Word so that you can insert footnotes and your bibliography while you are writing.

RefWorks allows you to import references from many electronic databases available on the WPI Library web site. Conveniently compile a list of sources -- as you identify them -- and save them immediately into your own personal database. You can save and attach PDFs or other attachments to each record you create providing for virtual storage of your research documents.

RefWorks RefShare allows users to share their references with others, as well as optionally post to WPI's shared folders listing.

How to Set Up Account

* If you are connecting from off campus, use the Proxy to connect or login using your Group Code (send a request via our Ask a Librarian form to get the group code)

How to Build a Database of References

There are three methods:

  1. Direct Connection: databases such as the library catalog and PubMed are listed within RefWorks. Under Search, choose Online Catalog or Database. References are immediately pulled into your own RefWorks database.
    2. Search Library Catalog or Pubmed within RefWorks

    Right Click; Open in New Window, in case you have to add more information to the RefWorks entry (such as URL).

    Log in to RefWorks, choose Search

  2. Export from Resource then Import to RefWorks: Export citation data from the electronic resource to a file on your computer, then import that file into RefWorks.
    3. Export citation to Refworks from Thomson Gale

    Mark records you wish to export, then choose database option to generate citations, many have an option to output to RefWorks format.

    Google Scholar User? Go to Scholars' Preferences link to set up an export preference to send data from Google Scholar to your RefWorks account with the click of a button.

    Import records directly from Google Scholar
  3. Manual Entry: type (or copy and paste) the citation information directly into RefWorks.
References > Add New Reference

Right Click; Open in New Window, in case you have to add more information to the RefWorks entry (such as URL).

Creating a Bibliography

  1. Choose Bibliography.
  2. Choose an Output Style (APA, MLA, Turabian, etc.).
  3. At this point you have various options:

Best Practices

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Why doesn't the direct export work from the database I am using? I am getting this error: "Import aborted, missing server and/or file information."

A: Your Internet Explorer, Firefox, or browser settings may not be allowing this direct connection to occur. Try Tools-Internet Options-Security. Click on the green Trusted sites check mark. Click on the Sites button. Add *.jstor.org (or the web address for the database you are importing from) to your list. Click OK, Apply, and OK. Try again.

Q: Is there a file size limit on Word documents processed through RefWorks?

A: At present, there is no file size limit placed on documents being processed through RefWorks regardless of the point of origin being the RefWorks web site or Write-N-Cite. However, your personal database is limited to 1GB of data.

Q: I am trying to Direct Export citations from FirstSearch (or other library databases) using Internet Explorer 2007 and nothing seems to happen.

A: You need to set IE to allow pop-ups from FirstSearch, RefWorks, and other databases you have trouble exporting from. Within IE, go to: Tools, Pop-up Blocker, Pop-up Blocker Settings. Under "Allowed Sites" enter *.oclc.org and add *.refworks.com. NOTE: If your pop-up blocker is already turned off, you may have to go to Tools, Internet Options, click the Security Tab, then click on Trusted sites to add these.

Make sure the "Require server verification (https:) for all sites in this zone" is unchecked, otherwise you will get a warning "Sites added to this zone must use the https:// prefix. Click on Close, then OK to exit the menu. Restart the browser and try your direct export again.

More Information

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Last modified: Sep 16, 2009, 16:29 EDT
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