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Health Sci EndNote Guide

EndNote Web site

MU Libraries: Your Connection to Knowledge

Introduction to EndNote

What is EndNote?

  • EndNote is bibliographic management software that stores and organizes reference citations and works with your word processing software to format bibliographies.

EndNote is free to students!

Some Basic Terminology:

  • Libraries: when you create a new library, EndNote creates two files: a *.enl file and a *.Data folder. You need both!
  • References: individual citations
  • Custom Groups: new for EndNote X1. Create subsets of your references.
  • Output Styles: e.g. Chicago; APA; Science; Am J Soc
  • Import Filters: Use filters to input references when direct export is not available
  • Connection Files: Use connection files to search databases directly from EndNote

Getting Citations Into EndNote: General Principles

  • Direct Export from a database (e.g. Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PsycINFO) into EndNote
    1. Mark citations of interest
    2. Look for Save, Export, Download or similar
    3. Choose your EndNote library
  • File import (e.g. Sociological Abstracts; Communications Abstracts; ERIC; PubMed)
    1. Mark citations of interest
    2. Look for Save. Save items to your desktop (this file will usually be a .txt or .ris file).
    3. In your EndNote library, choose File>Import. Under Import Data, browse to your file. Under Import Data, choose the proper filter. Note: the filter must match the database provider MU uses. For example, use the ERIC (CSA) filter, not the ERIC (Ovid) filter.

Connect to a Library Database from EndNote

  • Select Tools > Online Search > New Search (in EndNote X, this was Tools > Connect> Connect...)
  • Browse to the desired database, e.g., PubMed (NLM), U Missouri (to search MERLIN, the online catalog). The database will now appear in your Tools > Online Search menu.
  • In EndNote X1, be sure to copy your references to your EndNote library.
  • Searching MERLIN and it's not working with EndNote? You may need to fix the current U Missouri connection file. In EndNote, select Edit > Connection Files >Open Connection Manager. Choose U Missouri and click Edit. Select Connection Settings. Change the server address from laurel.lso.missouri.edu to merlin.mobius.umsystem.edu. You'll be asked to save your changs when you close the window.
  • Note: the connection files must match the database provider MU uses. Not all databases have connection files.
  • Use caution when connecting to the databses from EndNote. The connection files can work well for known-item searching (e.g. "I need to add a particular article"), but they're not good at general subject searching. For broader searches, use the databases proper and export results to EndNote.

Manual Entry: use only when you have to!

  • Select Reference > New Reference. Select Reference Type (e.g. Journal Article). Enter the information that you have. Your reference will be automatically saved when you close the window.
  • Some data entry rules:
    • New terms are shown in red; previously entered terms are shown in black
    • To enter an author name, enter a comma after the last name: e.g., Anderson, K.M.
    • If there is more than one author, use a hard return (Enter) after each name.
    • Corporate names should be entered as they appear with a comma at the end of the name for correct alphabetizing (e.g. American Medical Association,)

Getting Back To the Full Text

  • Many databases will automatically download a link back to the database.
  • You can link directly to FindIt@MU (our OpenURL resolver). See Instructions. Once you have this preference set, highlight or open a reference and select References > URL >OpenURL Link.
  • Linking to a .pdf or other file residing on your computer: Drag and drop the file onto the EndNote record or choose References > File Attachments > Attach File (older EndNote versions: References > Link to PDF).
  • In Edit > Preferences > URLs & Links, you can choose the Relative Link setting. With the relative link, EndNoe will put a copy of the .pdf in your *.Data folder.

Creating Bibliographies

  • Create a quick bibliography with Copy Format:
  1. Choose desired output style
  2. Highlight the desired references from your library
  3. Select Edit > Copy Formatted (Ctrl+K) or right-click Copy Formatted. Note: do not use Copy.
  4. Open a Word document and select Edit > Paste (Ctrl+V)
  • You can also create bibliographies using Cite While You Write (CWYW).

Basics of Cite While You Write (CWYW)

  • Before starting a manuscript, get rid of any duplicate references in EndNote. You can select References > Find Duplicates, and it's a good idea to sort your references by Title and do a visual check.

  • In Word 2003, put your cursor where you need to cite a reference.
    Choose Tools > EndNote X1/X2> Find Citation(s) or click the Find Citation icon on the toolbar . In Word 2007, click the Insert Citation button in the EndNote ribbon. Search for your citation and Insert.
Alternately, you can: place your cursor in Word; go to EndNote; highlight the desired  reference(s) in EndNote; select Tools > CWYW > Insert Selected Citation(s) (Alt+2)
  • Word defaults to the Output Style currently active in EndNote. To change styles, click the Format Bibliography icon in Word 2003, or choose from the Style dropdown menu in the Bibliography section of the Word 2007 EndNote ribbon. If your Output Style is not in the dropdown menu, choose Browse or Select Another Style.

  • To put "References" or "Bibliograhy" before your bibliography, click the Format Bibliography icon (Word 2003) or the Preferences button (Word 2007).  Choose the Layout tab; type in the desired Bibliography title.
  • Use the Edit Citation(s) icon to add phrases such as "see also" or to exclude the Author from in-text citations or to add page numbers to them.
  • Need to delete a citation? Use the Edit Citation(s) icon , highlight the citation, and Remove the citation.

  • Mistake in the reference (e.g. misspelling of author's name)? In Word, highlight the reference and select the Edit Library Reference icon . This will bring up the reference in EndNote. Edit as needed.

  • Need to submit a manuscript without the EndNote information? For EndNote X1, choose Tools > EndNote X1 > Remove Field Codes. For EndNote X2, choose Convert Citations and Bibliography > Convert to Plain Text. Word will strip out all the EndNote codes and create a new document. (If you are sending the document to a collaborator, be kind and don't remove the field codes...)

  • Need to email the EndNote library (and corresponding .pdf files) to a colleague? Compress the library. In EndNote X1, choose File > Send To > Compressed Library. In EndNote X2, choose File > Compressed Library (.enlx) > Create... EndNote will create a single .enlx file, combining the *.enl file and the corresponding *.Data folder. Send the .enlx file. Watch file size! 
  • Remember: EndNote is never 100% correct. You must still check your reference list.

Troubleshooting and More Information