University of Minnesota Duluth
Home Research Services Computing About the Library
< Back

Importing Citations into RefWorks

Before adding records:

Create an Account

Click on RefWorks icon (bottom of UMD library homepage and also listed with Indexes and Databases. Click on RefWorks
Click on “Sign up for an Individual Account.”
Fill out the form and click on Register.
You will receive an email confirmation with your user name and password.

Create Folders

Click on Folders Tab.
Arrow down and click on “Create New Folder.”
Enter new folder name in “New Folder Name” box.
Click on OK.

Note on Adding References

Be sure to move the references from your “Last Imported Folder” into another folder before adding more.

Mozilla Firefox Instructions:

Mozilla Firefox will not allow you to import citations into RefWorks until you do the following:

At the top of the Firefox browser, go to Tools, Options, Content.

Opposite Block pop-up windows is an Exceptions box, click on that.

In the Allowed Sites - Popups at the Address of web site, type in the website for the database (for example: ebscohost.com; vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com; or refworks.com).

Click on Allow and OK.

Restart your browser and you should now be able to import citations from databases into RefWorks.

Internet Explorer:

At the top of the Internet Explorer browser, go to Tools, Internet Options, Security tab, Trusted Sites, Sites.

In the Add this website to the zone, type in website for the database (for example: ebscohost.com; vnweb.hwwilsonweb.com; or refworks.com). Click on Close and Ok. 

Restart your browser and you should now be able to import citations from databases into RefWorks.

You will need to click Yes when security warning appears.

.

I. Direct Export of References from an online database

A. RefWorks Icon

Cambridge (CSA)

  1. Do search, and mark citations. A citation can be marked at the list level in the box on the left side. Within the citation, check Mark This Record at the top of the citation.
  2. Click on Save, Print, Email.
  3. Click on Export to RefWorks. RefWorks should open in a new window.
  4. Follow the instructions on the screen, if this didn't work. If it still does not work, do the following: If the RefWorks page does not open, then save your file and import it into RefWorks. Click on "Save, Print, Email." Under Save, choose "PC" or "Macintosh" file format. Click on Save. In the File Download box, click on SAVE (IE) or Save to Disk (Mozilla Firefox). Save to the desktop or folder of your choice. In RefWorks, under References, click on Import. At "Import Filter/Data Source," select CSA (Cambridge Scientific Abstracts). At "Database," select Database searched . At "Import Data from the following Text File," use Browse to locate the saved file and click Open.
  5. In RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder to see citations added.

(Cambridge Databases: Criminal Justice Abstracts; Environmental Sciences and Pollution Management; ERIC; LLBA (Linguistics & Language Behavior Abstracts); Worldwide Political Science Abstracts (Political Science Abstracts); PsycARTICLES; PsycINFO; SAGE Full-Text Collections; Social Services Abstracts; Sociological Abstracts; and Water Resources Abstracts)

B. Bibliographic Manager with RefWorks option

American History & Life/ Historical Abstracts

  1. Do a search and mark citations. To mark citations, click in box to the left of "Tagged" indicator on each citation.
  2. Click on Export Options.
  3. Under "Entry Format," mark either Short Entry or Full Entry (includes abstract).
  4. Under "Request Entries," mark either Current Results or Personal List.
  5. Under “Output type”, mark RefWorks and then on Send.
  6. Click on Export to RefWorks.
  7. Within RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder.

EBSCO

  1. Do a search, and mark citations. Click on Add folder on right side of brief citation or if within record, click on Add to folder at top of page.
  2. Click on Folder at top right of page.
  3. At Select: All or mark selected records.
  4. Click on Export, and then choose Direct Export to RefWorks.
  5. Click on Save.
  6. If popup blocker is on, citations will not import to RefWorks. Below broswer toolbar, a message will appear. Internet Explorer will show "Pop-up blocked. To see this pop-up or additional options click here". Click on this toolbar and select Allow Pop-ups From This Site. Mozilla Firefox will show " "Firefox prevented this site from opening a popup window, click on Options. Chose Allow popups for webebscohost.com or Edit Popup blockers Options.
  7. In RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder to see citations added.

To prevent a popup blocker for RefWorks, follow the steps below.

*Internet Explorer - At the top of the Internet Explorer browser, go to Tools, Internet Options, Security tab, Trusted Sites, Sites. In the Add this website to the zone, type in: http://www.refworks.com. Click on Close and Ok.  You will need to click Yes when security warning appears.

* Mozilla Firefox - At the top of the Firefox browser, go to Tools, Options, Content. Opposite Block pop-up windows is an Exceptions box, click on that. In the Allowed Sites - Popups at the Address of web site, type in: http://www.refworks.com. Click on Allow and Close.

(EBSCO databases: Academic Search Premier; Business Source Premier; Family & Society Studies Worldwide; GeoRef; MasterFILE Premier; and Regional Business News)

FirstSearch

  1. Open RefWorks.
  2. Do search and mark citations. A citation can be marked at the list level in the box on the left side. Within the citation, click the box to the right of "Mark" by the citation number.
  3. Click on Marked Records (top of display) and then on Export .
  4. Under "Export To:" click on RefWorks radio button and then on Export. *
  5. In RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder to see citations added.
  6. Be sure to Exit the FirstSearch database.

If records do not import, follow browser instructions at top of page. The web address is: firstsearch.oclc.org

(FirstSearch databases: Alternative Press Index; Arts and Humanities Citation Index; EconLit; Geobase; and WorldCat)

MLA International Bibliography (Proquest)

  1. Do search and mark citations (check small box left of brief citation or check Add to Marked List in full citation).
  2. Click on Marked List and then on Download citations.
  3. Click on "Export directly to RefWorks."
  4. In RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder to see citations added.

Proquest

  1. Do search, and mark citations (check small box left of brief citation or check "Mark Document" in full citation).
  2. Click on My Research tab and then click on “Export citations” into EndNote, ProCite, RefWorks or Reference Manager.
  3. Click on “Export directly to RefWorks”.
  4. In RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder to see citations added.
  5. In Proquest, click on My Research tab, and under "Marked Documents," click on "Clear all " to clear marked citations.

NOTE: Proquest databases remember previous searches, to clear this information, click on the Proquest cookie cutter and follow the directions. When you are at the list of UMD databases, the Proquest cookie cutter can be found by clicking the i (Information) button for a Proquest database.

(Proquest databases: American Periodicals Series Online 1740-1900; Ethnic NewsWatch; Historical New York Times; Los Angeles Times; New York Times (NewsStand); NewsStand; Psychology Journals (ProQuest); Star Tribune (NewsStand); Wall Street.

Wilson

  1. Do search, and mark citations (check box next to citation number).
  2. Click on Exporting/Citing.
  3. Click Export to RefWorks, EndNote software.
  4. At "Download Record(s) into:" click the radio button by RefWorks' Direct Export Tool.
  5. Click on Export.
  6. Within RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder.
  7. Be sure to Exit Program in Wilson database.

*Popup blockers may cause problems. You may need to indicate you are accepting windows from this web site.

(Wilson databases: Art Full Text; Education Full Text; and Library Literature Full Text; )

II. Import Text Files into RefWork by Downloading

Compendex (Engineering Village 2)

  1. Do your search and mark citations.
  2. Click on Download at top of screen.
  3. At “Download Selected Records”, click “RefWorks direct import” and click on Download.
  4. In the File Download box, click on Save. Save to the Desktop or folder of your choice on C drive and close box.
  5. In RefWorks, under View Last Imported Folder to see the citations.

    NOTE: "Find It" within the database does not work since it maps to the Twin Cities. The "Find It" within RefWorks is UMD's "Find It" and will help you locate your item.

Dissertations & Theses (Proquest)

  1. Do your search and mark records by clicking on the box to the left of the citation.
  2. Click on Marked Items at top of screen and then on Export citations.
  3. Click on Export directly to RefWorks.
  4. In RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder.
  5. Faculty and graduate students can request the dissertation (if not available online) by using the Interlibrary Loan book form. Dissertations & Theses database does not work well with Find It.

Gale Databases

  1. Do search, and mark citations. A citation can be marked at the list level in the box on the left side. Within the citation, click the box to the left of "Mark" above the full citation.
  2. Click on Marked Items at top of page.
  3. Click on Download.
  4. Under Download, select Plain text with bibliographic tags (Z39.80), and click on Save.
  5. In the File Download box, click on Save (IE) or Save to  Disk (Mozilla Firefox). Save to the Desktop or folder of your choice.
  6. In Refworks, under References, click on Import.
  7. At "Import Filter/Data Source," select GALE InfoTrac Web.
  8. At "Database," select GALE InfoTrac.
  9. At "Import Data from the following Text File," use Browse to locate the saved file and click on Open.
  10. Click on Import.
  11. In RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder to see citations added.
  12. Check to make sure information is in correct field.

(Gale databases: Expanded Academic Index; Informe; and Grzimek's Animal Encyclopedia)

JSTOR

  1. Do your search In the database and click on Save Citation (below citation in gray ) or on Save All Citations on this Page (at top of page).
  2. Click on View Saved Citations at the top of the screen.
  3. In Export citations, select Directly export citations into RefWorks.
  4. In RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder.

OVID

  1. Do search, and mark citations. (check small box to left of brief citation or before citation number on full record).
  2. Click on “Results Manager”. Select the results, fields, and sort keys you want.
  3. Under “Action,” click on Save. Click on “Windows Style Linefeeds” (if PC) or “Macintosh Style Linefeeds” (if Mac) and then Continue. Save to the Desktop or folder of your choice on C drive. Save as type: Text Document (*.txt) and click on Continue. When download is complete, click on Close (IE) or Cancel (Mozilla Firefox).
  4. In RefWorks, under “References,” select Import.
  5. At “Import Filter/Data Source,” select “OVID.”
  6. At “Database,” select “Database searched .”
  7. At “Import Data from the following Text File”, use Browse to locate the saved file and click on Open.
  8. Click on Import.
  9. Within RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder.
  10. LOGOFF the Ovid database.

(Ovid databases: SportDiscus; and Medline). NOTE: "Find It" within the database does not work since it maps to the Twin Cities. The "Find It" within RefWorks is UMD's "Find It" and will help you locate your item.

PubMed (NLM)

  1. Do search, and mark citations. (box to left of citation number).
  2. Change the "Display" menu (below Limits, Preview/Index, etc. tabs) to Medline.
  3. Change the "Send to" menu to Text.
  4. Go to your browser's File menu, select Save as (IE) or Save Page As (Firefox) . Enter  File Name and change Save as type to Text File (*.txt). Save to the Desktop or location of your choice.
  5. In RefWorks, under “References,” arrow to Import.
  6. At “Import Filter/Data Source,” select NLM PubMed.
  7. At “Database,” select PubMed.
  8. At “Import Data from the following Text File”, use Browse to locate the saved file and click on Open.
  9. Click on Import.
  10. Within RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder.

BIOIS, Biological Abstracts and Web of Science

  1. Do search, and mark your citations. (Check small box to left of brief citation(s). If moving between brief and full record, write down the citation numbers and mark the records all at one time).
  2. At bottom of page, under Save To.. box, arrow -to Other Reference software and click on Save.
  3. Click on Export. In the File Download box, click on Save (IE) or Save to Disk (Mozilla Firefox). Save to the desktop or folder of your choice.
  4. In RefWorks, under References, click on Import.
  5. At “Import Filter/Data Source,” select ISI (Institute for Scientific Information).
  6. At “Database,” select Database (BIOSIS for BIOSIS or Biological Abstracts; and Web of Science for Web of Science).
  7. At “Import Data from the following Text File,” use Browse to locate the saved file and click Open.
  8. Click on Import.
  9. In RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder to see citations added.
  10. Close browser window.

To prevent a popup blocker, follow the steps below.

*Internet Explorer - At the top of the Internet Explorer browser, go to Tools, Internet Options, Security tab, Trusted Sites, Sites. In the Add this website to the zone:, type in: http://pcs.newisiknowledge.com. Click on Close and Ok.

* Mozilla Firefox - At the top of the Firefox browser, go to Tools, Options, Content. Opposite Block pop-up windows is an Exceptions box, click on that. In the Allowed Sites - Popups at the Address of web site, type in: http://pcs.newisiknowledge.com. Click on Allow and Close.

SciFinder Scholar

  1. Do your search and mark records. (Box to the left of the citation).
  2. Click Save as at top of screen.
  3. At "Save in", select the Desktop or folder of your choice on C drive.
  4. At “Enter Title”, type in your filename and at "Save as type", select Tagged Format (*.txt).
  5. Click on Save.
  6. In RefWorks, under "References," select Import.
  7. At “Import Filter/Data Source”, select “CAS SciFinder”.
  8. At “Database”, select “CAPlus”.
  9. At “Import Data from the following Text File”, use Browse to locate the saved file and click on Open.
  10. Click on Import.
  11. In RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder.

UMD Library Catalog

  1. Do search and mark records (check box to the left of the brief citation or under Whole set, Select All).
  2. At “Selected records,” click on Print/Save/Email.
  3. At “Record format,” select OPAC Format - more info and call number and arrow down to click on Submit.
  4. Click on Print/Save. In the File Download box, click on Save. Save to the Desktop or folder of your choice and close box.
  5. In RefWorks, under "References," arrow to Import.
  6. At “Import Filter/Data Source," select Ex Libris ALEPH.
  7. At “Database,” select University of Minnesota (Full).
  8. At “Import Data from the following Text File,” use Browse to locate the saved file and click on Open.
  9. Click on Import.
  10. The instructions are different when citations are marked in the Full View of Record and the list view. Within the citation, click Add to Basket, Enter note for record in basket, and then Submit.
  11. Click on Basket.
  12. Under “Folder”, click on Print/Save/Mail.
  13. At “Record format”, select OPAC Format and arrow down to click on Submit.
  14. Click on Save Marked. In the File Download box, click on Save. Save to the Desktop or folder of your choice on C drive and close box.
  15. In RefWorks, under “References”, arrow to Import.
  16. At “Import Filter/Data Source”, select “Ex Libris ALEPH”.
  17. At “Database”, select “University of Minnesota (Full)”.
  18. At “Import Data from the following Text File”, use Browse to locate the saved file and click on Import.
  19. In RefWorks, click on View Last Imported Folder.

III. Manually Entering Citations

  1. Select Add New Reference from the References drop down menu.
  2. Select desired folder from the In Folder(s) drop-down menu.
  3. Select appropriate reference type from the Ref Type drop down.
  4. Enter the information from your reference in the appropriate fields. Required fields are marked with an asterisk.
  5. Click on Save.

IV. Google Scholar

Google Scholar now contains links to UMD Library resources through FindIt.  These may be used by students, faculty, and staff and other authorized users at UMD.  If a Google Scholar citation is followed by FindIt@UMD Library in large print, the article is accessible by clicking on the FindIt link.  When FindIt@UMD Library is in small print at the end of the citation it will link to our FindIt menu which will provide links to the e-journal locator, library catalog, and interlibrary loan form. 

This feature is available on Google Scholar when used from computers on campus.  To set up the feature for another computer such as one at your home do the following:

First you will need to set up RefWorks feature in Google Scholar

  1. From the Google Scholar search page, click on the Scholars Preferences link.
  2. Scroll down to the Bibliography Manager section.
  3. Select Show Links to Import into and select RefWorks from the drop down box.
  4. Click Save Preferences.

To export citations to RefWorks do the following.

  1. Open your RefWorks account.
  2. Conduct your search in Google Scholar in another window of the same browser as your RefWorks account.
  3. Select a citation and click on the Import into RefWorks link under citation.
  4. The citation will then appear in the Edit view of a reference in RefWorks.  You may edit the record if you wish.  Then send it to one of your folders in RefWorks.
  5. Click on Save Reference.
  6. Go to the next citation in your search (Google Scholar allows saving only one citation at a time).

With RefWorks you can Search Your Database

Advanced allows you to search by authors; descriptors; periodical; title; volume; Ref id; pub year; abstract; or anywhere.


For assistance or more information, contact either Martha Eberhart or Kathryn Fuller.

Kathryn Wagnild Fuller, Coordinator, Reference Services
262 UMD Library
(218) 726-7829
kfuller@d.umn.edu

Martha Eberhart, CHESP Librarian
264 UMD Library
(218) 726-8733you to search by meberhar@d.umn.edu

Modified September 2007

< Back

Back to Top