What is RefWorks/Write-N-Cite?

RefWorks is an online tool that allows you to store information about sources in your own personal database. Once you have entered or imported source information, you can use this tool to automatically create bibliographies in whatever citation style you need.

Write-N-Cite is an add-on to RefWorks. It allows you to insert citations into your Word document based on the information stored in your RefWorks database.

There is also a tool for Internet Explorer (and Firefox/Netscape) called RefGrabIt! which allows for importing citation information for web pages. More information on this plugin can be found here.

These tools can be useful for tracking citations, especially when you are working on large research papers.

Getting Started

RefWorks is an online tool.  Your citation database is accessible from on- or off-campus. Therefore, you need to create a RefWorks account.

Off-campus access requires a group code. This information is available on the front page of the Quick Start guide.

Write-N-Cite is the add-on to Microsoft Word. This needs to be downloaded and installed on your PC or MAC.
Download information is also available on the RefWorks page under Write-N-Cite.

Before you use RefWorks/Write-N-Cite, it is best if you go through the Tutorials or view the Quick Start guide.

Using RefWorks

The idea is quite simple. You find a source (i.e. book, article or web page) and you either enter the information manually or you import it into RefWorks.
RefWorks will then store the information and when you are ready, you can choose your citation style and create a bibliography.

RefWorks is very easy to use; however there are different exporting/importing instructions for different databases that may present difficulties to the user.
Some databases allow for direct export to RefWorks, others do not (these will require you to save the information in a text file, then go into RefWorks and import the text file into your account.)

Once you have had some practice exporting from the databases you most commonly use, you will understand the processes involved. You can find out what instructions are available for a certain database by checking the Exporting and Importing page.

Things to pay attention to

While RefWorks creates bibliographies quickly, you will still need to proofread your paper. Pay particular attention to margins and indents for footnotes. Also check for  abbreviated journal names (e.g., NEJM instead of New England Journal of Medicine), author names that are lacking spaces (e.g., Luther,M. instead of Luther, M.), and that all the relevant journal authors are included. RefWorks creates bibliographies based on the exact entry it receives from you or from a database.  All databases are different, so make sure to proofread your notes and bibliography to ensure that it is correct.