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EndNote 21 guide

Add references

How to use the EndNote reference management software

Add references manually

While there are many ways to add references to EndNote, it's helpful to add your first few references manually to help you understand which fields are required for your referencing style. You may also need to add a reference manually to your EndNote library if a source is only available in print, or if you cannot export a reference directly from a database. 

If you need help understanding your referencing style, see our referencing guides:

Create a new reference using either of the following methods:

  • In the toolbar, select "References", then "New Reference": OR;
  • Click the "Add a new reference to the selected group" Drawing of clipboard with a plus symbol on it - denoting "Add a new reference to the selected group" in EndNote. icon

A "New Reference" window will open.

  1. Select the relevant Reference Type from the dropdown box
  2. Enter any reference data that you have. Use 'Tab' to move between fields, and ‘Enter’ to add a new line of data, e.g. second author
  3. Save the reference using CTRL+S or by clicking "Save" at the top right of the "New Reference" window.

See the following tabs in this box for instructions on filling in each of the main reference fields.

Tips

  • You do not need to fill in all the fields in a Reference Type.
  • Fields, including abstract, notes, keywords and labels, are for your benefit and will not appear in the bibliography you generate
  • Use capitalisation as recommended by the referencing style you use. Do not include special bibliographic formatting or punctuation except for commas or colons within a field. EndNote can adjust capitalisation in titles of books and articles, but generally you should type your data as you want it produced in your bibliography.

Author

Choose from the following ways to populate this field:

  • Enter author surname followed by a comma and their initial(s) or first name e.g. Zaltsman, C. OR Zaltsman, Charles
  • Do not use punctuation if you enter the first name followed by the surname e.g. Charles Zaltsman
  • If there is more than one author, enter each name on a new line within the Author field (use the Enter key on your keyboard to go to another line).
  • When entering a ‘corporate author’ (an organisation not a person), put a comma after the full name (e.g. “National Geographic Society,”) so that it appears correctly. Otherwise, EndNote will assume the last word is a family name, and may invert the order according to your style.
  • If the corporate author’s name has a comma, create a double comma with no comma at the end of the name, e.g. Department of Transport,, Planning and Infrastructure.

Note: It is important that you are consistent with entering the author's name if there is more than one reference by the same author (which is why entering full first names is preferable). Inconsistency in entering author's names can cause unwanted initials in in-text references in your document.

Year

Enter years as four digits e.g. "1999". When appropriate, enter "in press" instead of date or "n.d." for "No Date". Do not include the quotation marks in your entry.

Title

When entering titles:

  • Do not use any punctuation at the end.
  • Let the words wrap to the next line. Do not press Enter.
  • Capitalise as your referencing style requires.

Edition

Enter as required by your referencing style, e.g. "2nd".

Page numbers

When entering page numbers:

  • Use complete numbers (e.g. 120-128) or truncate the last page (e.g. 120-8), as your referencing style requires.
  • Do not enter commas or p. or pp.

Date

Enter the day and month as required by your referencing style, e.g., 28 March, or March 28, 2020.

Labels and notes

EndNote provides several extra data fields that can be used to organise your references, but will not appear in a bibliography.

These metadata fields include:

  • Labels - free text ‘tags’ which you can use for your own purposes (Note: These are different from keywords, which are provided by the journal).
  • Notes - use this for more detailed notes, that you wish to be searchable in EndNote.

Research notes

You can use the "Research notes" field to store information about a source that doesn't fit elsewhere within the reference. You may find this field useful for recording:

  • Notes about the relevance and/or quality of the source
  • Quotations to use in your paper
  • A synopsis of the article, especially useful if you are putting together an annotated bibliography
  • Reminders for yourself
  • Any other notes you wish to record.

To access the Research Notes field:

  1. In EndNote, click on the reference to open the Summary pane
  2. Select the "Edit" tab
  3. Scroll down to the "Research Notes" field
  4. Add your notes
  5. Click "Save".

Research notes are not included when citations are added in Word.

Research notes are searchable using EndNote's search function. To search your research notes:

  1. In EndNote, select "All references"
  2. From the top of the "All references" window, select "Advanced search"
  3. From the top left drop-down box, select "Research Notes"
  4. Add your search term into the blank field to the right of the "Research Notes" box
  5. Select "Search".

When you select a reference from your EndNote library, you will be able to see how the reference will look once inserted in a document by viewing the "Summary" tab. Use this tab to preview your reference for spelling and capitalisation. If you can't see a preview of your reference, you may need to expand the preview pane by selecting the up arrow on the bottom right of the screen.

If you need to change your referencing style:

  1. On the bottom left of the Summary pane, above the reference preview, select the drop-down arrow to change your referencing style
  2. If the style you need is not available, click "Select Another Style"
    • Select the style you want to add.
    • Click "Choose".

Screenshot of the EndNote summary pane, showing the arrow in the bottom right corner that expands and shrinks the reference preview.

Export from Library Search

You can add references directly to EndNote from the Library Search results page. Begin by conducting your search on the Library home page:

Add an individual reference

To add a single reference to EndNote

  1. On the Library Search results page, click the "Show actions options" (Ellipsis symbol to signify "Show actions options".) to the right of the relevant result.
  2. From the horizontal toolbar that will appear at the bottom of the result, select "Export RIS/EndNote"
  3. Select "Download"
  4. Select the downloaded file to open. This will open the selected references in EndNote's Imported References tab.

Add a group of references

To add a group of references to EndNote:

  1. On the Library Search results page, select all relevant results by clicking the checkboxes to the left of the results
  2. Select the "Show actions options" icon (Ellipsis symbol to signify "Show actions options".) in the top right of the page (not the icon to the right of individual results)
  3. select "Export RIS/EndNote"
  4. Select "Download"
  5. Select the downloaded file to open. This will open all the selected references in EndNote's Imported References tab.

Complete the import in EndNote

To complete the import, check each new reference in EndNote to make sure the data is correct. This is the best time to check your references for errors, as it is much easier than searching for them later.

  1. Ensure you are in the "Imported References" tab.
  2. If a reference needs updating, select it in the "Imported References" tab, then make any changes in the "Edit" window on the right of the screen.
  3. Select "Save" at the top of the edit window.
  4. If you have imported more than one reference, repeat for each reference.

Note: The "Imported References" tab is only a temporary holding place for new references. As soon as you either import more references or close EndNote, the references on this tab will be moved to "All References".

If you need help checking your references for errors, see our Referencing guides:

Export from databases

Most databases have a "Direct Export" function that will add a reference from a database directly to your EndNote library. The steps and terminology may differ slightly between databases and internet browsers. 

Apple logoMac users, we recommend using the Firefox browser (free to download) to export or import references to EndNote. Safari, the default Mac browser, requires extensive setting up to work seamlessly with EndNote. Google Chrome may also require some adjustments.

Here is a general outline of the basic steps required by most databases:

  1. Select the references you want to export using either tick boxes, "Add to Folder", or "Mark Records"
  2. Look for a way to export your selected references. This function is often labelled "Export", "Export to reference manager", "Direct export", "Output" or sometimes even "Save Citation"
  3. You may need to choose a file format. RIS, if available, is usually a safe option for EndNote. Some databases will give you the option to export to EndNote without needing to choose a file format.
  4. Select "Save", "Export", "Download" or "Open"
  5. Find and open the downloaded reference on your computer. Apple logoMac users: When downloading references into EndNote for Mac, sometimes direct export will not work; instead the output file will get downloaded onto the desktop and you will need to import it into EndNote. To import into EndNote, drag and drop the file into the EndNote icon on the dock to open it in EndNote.
  6. EndNote will open (you may need to select your library) and the references will appear in the "Imported References" tab.

A few commonly used databases have different export methods - see the other tabs in this box for instructions for exporting from PubMed, CINAHL, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and Ovid.

To export references from the PubMed database:

  1. From PubMed, tick the references you want to export to EndNote
  2. Click on the "Send to" button
  3. Choose "Citation manager"
  4. Click "Create File"
  5. The way you open the file will depend on the browser you use. When you open it, your reference will be imported and appear in the "Imported References" list. Apple logo Mac users: You might be prompted to Open or Save the file. If so, choose "Open", then "Browse". The exported references will appear in the Downloads folder. Drag and drop & the file into the EndNote icon on the dock.

Notes:

  • EndNote may open the Choose an Import Filter box. Scroll down and highlight PubMed (NLM) > Choose. The references will appear in the EndNote temporary window.

To export references from the CINAHL database:

  1. Click the "To print, email or save multiple items" icon Folder with a plus sign on it, to signify "Print, email or save multiple items". on the right of any references you want to export to EndNote.
  2. The icon will change to the "Remove result from folder" icon Yellow folder indicating that the result has been sent to a save folder. - indicating that the item has been sent to the folder.
  3. A box labelled "Folder has items" will appear on the top right of the screen. Click "Folder View" to open the folderCINAHL "Folder has items" window, appearing to the right of the CINAHL results page after an item has been saved. 
  4. Tick the box next to the references you want to export to EndNote
  5. From the right hand side menu, select "Export"
  6. Under "Save citations to a file formatted for:", select "Direct Export in RIS Format"
  7. On the left hand side of the screen, select "Save"
  8. The way you open the file will depend on the browser you use. When you open it, your reference will be imported and appear in EndNote's "Imported References" list. Apple logo Mac users: The exported references will appear in the Downloads folder. Drag and drop the file into the EndNote icon on the dock.

To export references from the ScienceDirect database:

  1. Tick the references you want to export to EndNote
  2. At the top of the results list, select "Export"
  3. Select "Export Citation to RIS"
  4. The way you open the file will depend on the browser you use. When you open it, EndNote will open and your reference will appear in the "Imported References" list. Apple logo Mac users: The exported references will appear in the Downloads folder. Drag and drop the file into the EndNote icon on the dock.

Ovid databases allow export to EndNote in batches of 1000.

  1. At the top of the results list, select "All"
  2. Use the range option located next to "All" to enter "1-1000", or tick your desired references. (If the total results exceed 1000, you will receive this notice: "The number of results you have selected is exceeding your institution limits". Ignore this notice.)
  3. Select "Export". An "Export Citation/s" pop up box will appear
  4. Under "Format", select "RIS"
  5. Under "Fields", select your desired fields to include. We recommend "Complete reference"
  6. Select "Export". A download file will be created
  7. Depending on the Internet browser, either save the file first and select "Open With EndNote", or just open.
  8. Opening the file will initiate the import of the records. If prompted to use a filter to save the records, select PubMed (NLM)
  9. If the total number of records exceed 1000, repeat the procedure, entering the next range e.g. 1001-2000. Repeat these steps until all selected records have been imported.

It's possible to directly export references from Google Scholar, one reference at a time. However, this feature is limited to the citation only, and will not include abstracts or URL / DOI links. 

There are two ways to export citations from Google Scholar:

Change your Google Scholar settings

  1. Click on the hamburger menu Menu icon
  2. Select "Settings"
  3. Under "Bibliography manager", select "Show links to import citations into..."
  4. Select the drop-down that defaults to "BibTex", and change it to "EndNote" 
  5. Click "Save"
  6. Google Scholar search results will now have an "Import into EndNote" link under each result
  7. To retain these settings, you must turn on cookies.

Use the "Cite" links.

  1. Search Google Scholar
  2. Under the reference you want to export, select "Cite". A Cite pop-up box will open
  3. Select "EndNote"
  4. The way you open the file will depend on the browser you use. When you open it, EndNote will open and your reference will appear in the "Imported References" list. Apple logo Mac users: The exported references will appear in the Downloads folder. Drag and drop the file into the EndNote icon on the dock.

Note: Google Scholar is limited to the citation only - no abstract or URL / DOI links. You can try clicking on the Library Search@Murdoch link or search the article title in a database or online journal to see if that export function includes the abstract.

Add references from your browser

The EndNote Click browser extension enables you to easily access the full text PDF of an article, then export it to EndNote. EndNote Click uses Murdoch Library's subscriptions to databases. If an article is not in a subscription database, Click will automatically search for an open access version of the article.

To install the Click extension:

  1. Use the link above to access the EndNote Click website
  2. Select the "Add to [your browser] for free" button. This will take you to the web store for your browser.
  3. Add the extension to your browser
  4. Open the extension and select "Sign in"
  5. Complete your details using your Murdoch University email address
  6. Once completed, you should see an extension beside the address bar at the top of your web page
    Location of EndNote Click's extension button beside address bar

To access the Click function:

  1. Login using your Murdoch login so that you can access the subscription databases (so that the subscription databases know you have a current affiliation with Murdoch University)
  2. When accessing an article, click on the EndNote link on the page to import the PDF of the article to EndNote. There is no need to open the PDF version of the article
    Location of EndNote Click's View PDF button on PDF of article
  3. Save the PDF to your computer

See the EndNote website for more information:

Import references from PDFs

If a PDF contains a DOI (Digital Object Identifier), EndNote can import either a single file or a whole folder containing several files and automatically create the reference. To import a file or folder make sure you are connected to the internet.

  1. Select "File", then "Import"
  2. Select the relevant file or folder
  3. Select "Choose"
  4. Navigate to where the PDF is saved and highlight the article 
  5. Click "Open"
  6. Under "Import Option", select "PDF"
  7. Click "Import".

The reference will appear in the "Imported References" group with the attached PDF. Check that all the reference details are correct.

To set up the automatic transfer of PDFs to your library:

  • Select "Edit", "Preferences", then "PDF Handling"
  • Select "Enable automatic importing"
  • Select the folder you wish to automatically import PDFs from. 
  • Click "OK"
  • Click "Apply"
  • Click "OK".

Any new PDFs saved to the selected folder will now appear as references in your library with the PDF attached. Remember to check each reference for accuracy.

Find full text / add PDFs to your references

If you have access to a PDF that EndNote is unable to a find automatically, you can attach it manually.

To attach a PDF to a reference:

  1. Download the article from Library Search or a database
  2. Click to highlight the EndNote reference
  3. In Summary (in the right-hand panel), select PDF and "Attach PDF"
  4. Find the downloaded article
  5. Click "Open"
  6. Save using CTRL+S.

Alternatively, highlight the relevant EndNote reference and drag and drop the PDF icon into the reference.

Note: Sharing downloaded PDFs with others may put you in breach of copyright. Please see "How can I avoid infringing Copyright?" on our Copyright Advice page for more information:

EndNote can be configured to automatically find and attach full text articles to references in your library, using the "Find Full Text" feature.

EndNote is only able to find the full text of articles under the following conditions:

  • The full text of the article is available by Open Access or is otherwise available publicly, AND;
  • The EndNote record includes a Digital Object Identifier (DOI).

To find the full text of articles that meet the conditions above:

  1. Ensure cookies are enabled on your default browser
  2. In EndNote, select "Edit" from the top menu
  3. Select "Preferences"
  4. Select "Find Full Text"
  5. Check the checkboxes for Web of Science, DOI & PubMed
  6. Click "Apply" and "OK"
  7. From the EndNote top menu, select "References"
  8. Select "Find Full Text".

EndNote will search for the full text of all the references in your library. A "Find full text" heading will appear in the left hand side menu, under which you'll see which full text articles were found and which weren't.

For those articles that can't be found automatically by EndNote, you will need to search for the article in Library Search and then add the PDF to your EndNote record manually.

If you can't find an article via Library Search, you may need to put in a request to borrow it from another Library. See Borrowing from other libraries for more information:

Note: Sharing downloaded PDFs with others may put you in breach of copyright. Please see "How can I avoid infringing Copyright?" on our Copyright Advice page for more information:

EndNote allows you to annotate (add your own notes) using sticky notes and highlight text in attached PDF documents

To add your own notes:

  1. Highlight a reference with an attached PDF
  2. Select the PDF link in the Summary panel
  3. From the dropdown options, select "Open". This should open the PDF
  4. On the toolbar select the "Markup/annotation" button Horizontal lines inside speech bubble.
  5. Select the "Add a Sticky Note" icon Plus symbol inside orange speech bubble.
  6. Navigate to where you want to add the note
  7. Click to display a sticky note symbol, then double click the symbol to open it. This will launch a pop-up text box
  8. Add your comments then click on the Close button to close the sticky note. Your note will be automatically saved.

To highlight:

  1. Select the "Highlight the selected text" icon The letter "a" highlighted in orange.
  2. Select the text you want to highlight - selected text will be highlighted in yellow
  3. Click the "Save changes to this PDF" icon The floppy disk "Save£ symbol..