How do I ... organise my information

Why use bibliographic management software?

Bibliographic management software – also known as reference management software  - can help you keep a record of any references which you use in your essays, dissertations, articles, etc. This software is a special type of database which you can use to save and organise the author, title, journal details, publication date etc of any readings you wish to refer to – including online readings such as electronic journals or websites. You can annotate the records - for example, in order to remind yourself of particular quotes to use from a journal article.

Bibliographic management software will add the list of references to the bibliography at the end of your document. It will format the bibliography in your chosen citation style (eg Harvard, APA, Vancouver).

Using bibliographic management software can save you many hours of compiling, checking, and correcting your references, and guarantees consistency and accuracy.

Various bibliographic management packages are available – some free and some paid-for. On this web page, there is information about the paid-for packages at the University of York, and some pointers to information and help about other free and paid-for packages.

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EndNote

The main paid-for package available to staff and students at the University of York is EndNote, which is one of the most well-known and long-standing products used by academics across the world.

Using EndNote, you can:

  • Record and organise personal databases of searchable references to books, journal articles, conference papers and other publications. In the course of your research you may gather many useful references including those in books, articles, and other type of publications from a number of sources. These could be found in many ways, such as suggestions from tutors or colleagues, references within existing books and journals, and via database searches. EndNote saves your references (there is no limit to the number of references you can save) in what it calls an EndNote Library. As with most other bibliographic management software, EndNote Libraries can be networked and accessed by multiple users, so you can share a collection of references across a work or research group.
  • Create and automatically format citations and bibliographies for your theses and publications. EndNote includes over 1,000 bibliographic styles for medicine, biosciences, the humanities, social sciences, and many other disciplines. You can insert citations from an Endnote library into a Word document, and EndNote will add these into your bibliography at the end of the document and format it in your chosen citation style.

There is more information about EndNote's capabilities at www.endnote.com/eninfo.asp

How do I access EndNote?

EndNote has been purchased by The University of York for use on supported campus network computers by all  students and staff. It is listed under Start - Programs - Databases. If you wish to use it on your own computer, then you may purchase the software at a special educational discount.

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EndNote Web

EndNote Web is a Web version of EndNote, which can store up to 25,000 references per user. Because EndNote Web is web-based, there is no need to install any software (except for the Cite While You Write plugin on your own PC or laptop - see details below), and can be used by any member of the University of York, wherever you have Internet access, using a login for access.

EndNote Web has most of the power and capabilities of EndNote, and is popular with undergraduates and some taught Masters students. Check this comparison of EndNote and EndNote Web to see if EndNote Web will meet your needs.

How do I access EndNote Web?

The first time you use EndNote Web, you must go through some simple registration steps and set up a login and password. Do this as follows:

  • Go to http://myendnoteweb.com
  • Click to select log in via your institutional login (Shibboleth)
  • Enter your University of York login and password at the next screen. Make sure you agree to the terms and conditions, and click on Login.
  • Follow the instructions to set up an account with a login and password of your choice

From then on, you can login in to EndNote Web with the login and password you have set up. You can do this from any computer connected to the Internet. Your access will expire when you leave the University.

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EndNote and EndNote Web at York: FAQ

Check EndNote's FAQ which is at http://www.endnote.com/support/faqs/index.asp

Check EndNote Web's FAQ at http://www.endnote.com/support/enwfaqs/index.asp

Cite While You Write Plugin for EndNote and EndNote Web

Cite While You Write (also known as CWYW) is an EndNote/EndNote Web plug-in which allows you to access your EndNote/EndNote Web references from within Microsoft Word so that you can insert citations into your Word documents and build bibliographies.

The plugin for Cite While You Write is automatically available in Word on University of York staff and student networked computers. To add the Cite While You Write plugin to your own Word or other text processing software, take the following steps:

In EndNote: the plugin installs automatically when you first install or use EndNote.

In EndNote Web:

  • Login to your EndNote Web account
  • Choose Download Installers at the bottom of the main EndNote Web screen
  • Check the system requirements and installation instructions provided by EndNote Web
  • Select the relevant installer for your system and follow the onscreen instructions
  • Open Word and the EndNote Web tab should display on the Ribbon
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EndNote and EndNoteWeb import filters and direct export from library catalogues and databases

You can search online library catalogues, and databases such as Google Scholar or Web of Knowledge, then import references from these resources into your own EndNote or EndNote Web library of references. Some databases have a direct export facility which connects to EndNote or EndNote Web. For other databases, you need to use the correct import filter. Import filters are small programs which convert your selected references into a format which EndNote and EndNote Web can display correctly. There is a useful summary of which method to use for which database on the Imperial College London website, which specifically refers to EndNote but the principles also apply to EndNote Web.

Full details of how to use connection files and import filters are in the training workbooks mentioned below, but here is a quick summary of how to access and use these.

EndNote:

EndNote has two different methods for importing records: import filters and connections. Connection files are automatically available on the University campus network computers. If you wish to download connection files for your home/laptop installation of EndNote, they are availble at http://www.endnote.com/support/enconnections.asp. Save the file to your program directory where EndNote is installed.

Connections are not available for some resources, so you must use import filters for these. EndNote import filters are automatically available on University of York classroom and office computers. To access import filters on your own laptop or computer, find and download the relevant filter from http://www.endnote.com/support/enfilters.asp. Save the file to your program directory where EndNote is installed.

EndNote Web:

EndNote Web filters are automatically available when you login to EndNote Web, whether on or off campus.

Referencing styles for EndNote and EndNote Web

Referencing styles control the appearance of your references in your document and its bibliography. A large number of styles are available for EndNote and EndNote Web, including the major academic styles such as Harvard and APA, and many journal referencing styles for authors of journal articles.

Your department will have guidance on which style you should use. The most common styles are installed with the EndNote software program but others are available from http://www.endnote.com/support/enstyles.asp

EndNote Web referencing styles are automatically available when you login to EndNote Web, whether on or off campus

Please note: several departments at the University of York use an adapted version of the Harvard style. This is available for EndNote Web both on and off campus. It is installed for EndNote on University of York classroom and office computers.

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Other bibliographic management software, including free software

There are many other types of software you can use to maintain your bibliographies and references. In recent years, many social networking-type applications have been developed which do an excellent job of organising references, and also provide other self-help and shared interest groups for users. Some of these applications are freely available, with an optional paid-for upgrade.

Here is a list of some of these applications, with links to their websites where you can download and install them. There are also some comparisons of them from other universities.

There is no formal support for these applications at the University of York, but the online user groups for them should provide all the help you will need.

Mendeley - http://www.mendeley.com/ Mendeley is both a reference management tool and an academic social network.

Zotero - http://www.zotero.org/ Zotero is a Firefox add-on (NB it does not work with Internet Explorer) which sits in your browser and allows you to collect, organise cite and share your research sources.

Cite u Like - http://www.citeulike.org/ Entirely Web-based (no need to install software), CiteULike enables you to store references and PDF files

Connotea - http://www.connotea.org/ Entirely Web-based (no need to install software), Connotea can save links to anything you find on the web in addition to scholarly material.

Citavi - http://www.citavi.com/ - One of the newest products. The free version - Citavi Free - is limited to 100 references per project.

Sente  - http://www.thirdstreetsoftware.com/site/Products.html - Sente is a application for Mac and iPad. It is not free.

RefWorks - http://www.refworks.com/ RefWorks is not free. Some universities subscribe to it in the same way that York subscribes to EndNote. York does not subscribe to Refworks. RefWorks is web-based and highly sophisticated in its functionality.

Comparisons and user comments on these applications

A comparison of EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero from the University of Cambridge

A description of Zotero, Mendeley, Cite u Like and Conotea from Swansea University

This review of social citation tools by Jane Secker of the London School of Economics looks at Mendeley, Zotero, Conotea and Cite u Like, and includes a blog with helpful user comments.

This Jorum document compares Endnote, Zotero, Mendeley and RefWorks

A good blog on Mendeley which also describes other software.

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Training and help for bibliographic management software

EndNote and EndNote Web have detailed online help. 

The University of York Information Directorate offers advice and help to staff and students in using EndNote and EndNote Web. The software web page includes FAQs and information on how to purchase EndNote for home use. There is an undergraduate training schedule for EndNote Web where you can register for a course. There is a similar training schedule for EndNote and EndNote Web for staff and researchers.

The workbooks used in the training sessions are available to help you teach yourself the software.

The University does not offer help with the many freely available packages such as those listed above, but these packages have online help and use wikis, Facebook and other social media to enable users to help each other - see the links above.

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Referencing and Citation

The Academic Support Office at the University of York provides help, information and training on academic integrity skills, such as avoiding plagiarism and how to produce good academic writing. Their web page includes information about referencing and citation and has examples of the styles - such as Harvard, APA, Chicago - used at York. Much academic integrity support material is also provided via the Yorkshare VLE.