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Web site: www.refworks.com
Date of first review/ name of reviewer: 07/14/2008 [Eric Frierson]
Additional reviewer(s):
Produced by: ProQuest LLC
Cost: $100/year for individuals; institutional subscription prices vary by size of institution
Description: RefWorks is online bibliographic management software used for importing, organizing and using references and citations.
Platform: Web-based
License: Can be licensed to individuals or as a site license for organizations and institutions
Maturity: Founded in 2001; updated periodically.
Features:
Features may vary between institutions, depending on customizations done by the institutional RefWorks administrator.
- Easily export search results from databases, RSS feeds, Google Scholar, and others into your RefWorks account
- Assign keywords to references and sort them into folders
- Create bibliographies in any of hundreds of styles, inlcuding APA, MLA, Chicago, and a variety of specific journal styles
- Format entire papers using the Write-N-Cite plug-in for Microsoft Word (PC and Mac available)
- Find full-text of references in your library's holdings using OpenURL
- Import and export to other bibliographic management software
- Cite web pages using RefGrab-It browser button
- References can be private or shared using optional add-on RefShare
- Keep track of current research using optional add-on RefAware
Advantages:
- References can be accessed from any computer connected to the Internet
- Easy to find full-text of references if your RefWorks administrator has enabled OpenURL links
- No need to install updates or keep a current version; RefWorks is automatically updated
- Export references to EndNote, RIS, BibTex and MODS.
Disadvantages:
- Adding entries manually is tedious on the web form
- Page re-loads make working with RefWorks more cumbersome than working with a desktop application like EndNote
- Working with Word documents is not very seamless; for example, citing in APA style will require users to go back through the entire document and add page numbers after formatting. EndNote is much better in this regard.
Tips:
- Excellent for collecting, storing and accessing references - use RefWorks to gather and organize citations, then switch to EndNote to write your document.
- Excellent for collaborative work - give group members the username and password to an account and anyone can add and edit references.
- Check your bibliography! While RefWorks doesn't make too many mistakes, as with any bibliographic management software, your imported references could come with messed up information.
Tutorials:
More information: