Using RefWorks to Write a Paper

Transcription

1 Using RefWorks to Write a Paper Stage 1 : Gathering inform ation and m anaging the sources. Before you begin, open two windows in your browser. In one open Ref Works from the library hom e page; in the other open a database (e.g., EBSCOhost MLA I nternational Bibliography). First Tim e Login. When you first open the RefWorks page, click on the Sign up for an I ndividual Account link to create your account. Use any login nam e that seem s reasonable to you and any password you ll rem em ber. Type of user and area of focus are optional. I ndividual Folders. To organize your references you need to set up folders. You can set up a folder for each assignm ent or for each course. Under Folders, select Create New Folder and nam e it. Click OK. Adding references to your folder. There are two ways to add references to your folder m anually and through direct exportation from select databases. Librarian: Elizabeth Lawler Schau Page 1 of 5

2 Manually. Even though m any databases (including Ebsco), allow for direct im portation of citations into RefWorks, it s a good idea to know how to do it m anually for two reasons. First of all, not all databases (for exam ple, the World Shakespeare Bibliography) allow direct im portation and secondly, you never know when things get buggy or just don t work right! You can m anually enter the inform ation for a reference that will go into your reference list by clicking on References, Add New Reference and proceeding with the following steps: First, choose the form at you intend to use (in this case, MLA 6 t h Edition). Then choose the appropriate folder, especially if you have m ultiple folders. Next, select the appropriate Ref Type and enter the data in the appropriate fields (see a librarian or your instructor if you have questions). Write your annotation if you are creating an annotated bibliography (I recom m end com posing and saving your annotations in Microsoft Word and sim ply pasting them in the box. You will need them later anyway!). When you are finished entering the inform ation, click Save Reference. Although nothing really changes on the screen, your reference is saved. Direct im portation. As m entioned previously, you can also im port references directly from a database. Let s do this with MLA International Bibliography from EbscoHost. After searching and finding citations, add them to your folder. Librarian: Elizabeth Lawler Schau Page 2 of 5

3 Go to the folder in EbscoHost and click Save to Disk. At the Save Manager screen, click the Bibliographic Manager tab. Then select Direct export to RefW orks and be sure there is no check m ark in the Rem ove these item s from folder after saving option. Then click Save. Back in RefWorks, place a check m ark next to the newly im ported records and place them in the appropriate folder. You can continue to add citations to your folder as you work on your research. Librarian: Elizabeth Lawler Schau Page 3 of 5

4 Stage 2 : W riting the paper. Download W rite N Cite, if you have not done so previously. If you have just downloaded Write N Cite, you will need to restart your com puter. Open Microsoft Word and click on W rite N Cite. Log in to RefWorks when prom pted. Begin W riting. Be sure you are logged in to Ref Works. Begin com posing and typing your text. Save the docum ent so that it has a file nam e. Click on W rite N Cite whenever you need to insert a citation (it will call up your source list from RefWorks where you sim ply click on Cite in front of the reference source you want. A parenthetical notation will appear in your docum ent. Just leave it in its raw state until you are ready to print your paper). Librarian: Elizabeth Lawler Schau Page 4 of 5

5 When you are ready to form at your paper and works cited list, click Bibliography and proceed with the following steps (see im age below): Under Output Style, select MLA 6 th Edition (or whichever style you are using). Click Create Bibliography. Your form atted paper should open in Microsoft Word. Be sure to save it in the appropriate place. Proofread your paper and the references. Rem em ber, you are ultim ately responsible for your final docum ent ( com puters and hum ans m ake m istakes rely on your keen eye to spot those last m inute errors). You m ay also form at your paper from RefWorks without Write N Cite open. Click Bibliography and proceed with the following steps (see im age below): Under Output Style, select MLA 6 th Edition (or whichever style you are using). Select Form at Paper and Bibliography (the first radio button). Under Docum ent to Form at, click Browse and find your paper you ve been working on. Click Create Bibliography. When (if) prom pted, save the Word docum ent in an appropriate place (you m ay change the nam e if necessary). Again, proofread your paper and the references. Rem em ber, you are ultim ately responsible for your final docum ent ( com puters and hum ans m ake m istakes rely on your keen eye to spot those last m inute errors). Librarian: Elizabeth Lawler Schau Page 5 of 5