How to Use RefWorks

RefWorks is an online, bibliographic-management tool that helps you gather and organize citations and insert them into your papers.

General Help and Tutorials

• RefWorks Video Tutorials: Series of brief videos, each demonstrating and explaining an aspect of RefWorks. There is also a print version.
• RefWorks Quick Start Guide: You may find it useful to print this and refer to it as you use RefWorks.
• Learn RefWorks in Twenty Minutes: A twenty minute video on the basics of how to use RefWorks. 
• For help, visit http://www.refworks.com.library.esc.edu/refworks2/help/RefWorks2.htm or email RefWorks support at RS-RWsupport@refworks.cos.com or call 775-327-4105.
• For hands-on experience, work through the RefWorks Fundamentals Workbook and Advanced Features Workbook.
• To participate in a live RefWorks webinar, view the schedule and links to previously recorded webinars.

Importing Citations

For most of our databases, you can bring your marked records or the items in your folder into RefWorks with a few clicks of the mouse.

• instructions for using RefWorks with the library databases
• more information on importing citations into RefWorks.
• how to move your citations from EndNote into RefWorks

Group Code

Try one of the following if you are being prompted for a group code:

• If you are using RefGrabIt, uninstall it, log into RefWorks and install the RefGrabIt bookmarklet (not the plug-in).
• If you are using Write-N-Cite, scroll to the bottom of the page and follow the instructions to configure the Write-N-Cite Plug-in.

Importing Webpage Citations from Internet Explorer or Firefox Using RefGrabIt Bookmarklet

• log into your RefWorks account
• go to Tools and select "RefGrab-It"
• under "RefGrab-It bookmarklet," follow the instructions for your operating system and browser.
  
•  For help, contact RefWorks support at 775-327-4105.

Inserting Citations into Your Paper (RefWorks Integrates with Various Word-processing Programs)

You will need to download and configure the Write-N-Cite plug-in (instructions below) in order to insert footnotes and a bibliography into your paper.  You only need to do it once. For help, contact RefWorks support at 775-327-4105.

Download the Write-N-Cite plug-in while in your RefWorks account. Go to Tool on the menu and select Write-N-Cite.  Choose the appropriate download for your system and word processing program. 

For step-by-step help with Write-N-Cite installation and logging in, watch this video tutorial: RefWorks Write-N-Cite 4: Installing & Logging In

How to Save Your RefWorks Information if You Are Leaving Empire State College

1. from the "References" menu select "Export"
2. select either "All References" or a specific folder
3. under "Export Format" select the format you want to create; we recommend one of each:
   • citation list: creates a list to use when writing your paper offline; includes the RefID, Authors Primary, Title Primary and Publication Year only
   • tab delimited: saves and organizes all of your data with each field separated by a tab; may be loaded into other programs that are designed to read this type of format
4. click "Export"
5. the file should download and open automatically

Talk to a Live Person for Support

Call RefWorks support at 775-327-4105

Get Help Doing Research

Ask A Librarian

Get Help Writing Your Paper

Get online tutoring from SmarThinking.

For more information about writing and tutorials, try the Writing Resource Center.

How to Use RefWorks

This How To has moved to http://subjectguides.esc.edu/refworks. This current page will become a redirect to that page on Aug. 30, 2013, and will be deleted on Feb. 22, 2014. Please update your course links and bookmarks before the September 2013 term.

RefWorks is an online, bibliographic-management tool that helps you gather and organize citations and insert them into your papers.

General Help and Tutorials

• RefWorks Video Tutorials is a series of brief videos, each demonstrating and explaining an aspect of RefWorks. There is also a print version.
• RefWorks Quick Start Guide: You may find it useful to print this and refer to it as you use RefWorks.
• Learn RefWorks in Twenty Minutes: A 20-minute video on the basics of how to use RefWorks. 
• For help, visit http://www.refworks.com.library.esc.edu/refworks2/help/RefWorks2.htm or email RefWorks support at RS-RWsupport@refworks.cos.com or call 775-327-4105.
• For hands-on experience, work through the RefWorks Fundamentals Workbook and Advanced Features Workbook.
• To participate in a live RefWorks webinar, view the schedule and links to previously recorded webinars.

Importing Citations

For most of our databases, you can bring your marked records or the items in your folder into RefWorks with a few clicks of the mouse.

• instructions for using RefWorks with the library databases
• more information on importing citations into RefWorks
• how to move your citations from EndNote into RefWorks

Group Code

Try one of the following if you are being prompted for a group code:

• If you are using RefGrabIt, uninstall it, log into RefWorks and install the RefGrabIt bookmarklet (not the plug-in).
• If you are using Write-N-Cite, scroll to the bottom of the page and follow the instructions to configure the Write-N-Cite Plug-in.

Importing Webpage Citations from Internet Explorer or Firefox Using RefGrabIt Bookmarklet

• log into your RefWorks account
• go to Tools and select "RefGrab-It"
• under "RefGrab-It bookmarklet," follow the instructions for your operating system and browser.
  
• For help, contact RefWorks support at 775-327-4105.

Inserting Citations into Your Paper (RefWorks Integrates with Various Word-processing Programs)

You will need to download and configure the Write-N-Cite plug-in (instructions below) in order to insert footnotes and a bibliography into your paper.  You only need to do it once. For help, contact RefWorks support at 775-327-4105.

Download the Write-N-Cite plug-in while in your RefWorks account. Go to Tool on the menu and select Write-N-Cite.  Choose the appropriate download for your system and word processing program. 

For step-by-step help with Write-N-Cite installation and logging in, watch this video tutorial: RefWorks Write-N-Cite 4: Installing & Logging In

How to Save Your RefWorks Information if You Are Leaving Empire State College

1. from the "References" menu select "Export"
2. select either "All References" or a specific folder
3. under "Export Format" select the format you want to create; we recommend one of each:
   • citation list: creates a list to use when writing your paper offline; includes the RefID, Authors Primary and Title Primary and Publication Year only
   • tab delimited: saves and organizes all of your data with each field separated by a tab; may be loaded into other programs that are designed to read this type of format
4. click "Export"
5. the file should download and open automatically.

Talk to a Live Person for Support

Call RefWorks support at 775-327-4105

Get Help Doing Research

Ask A Librarian

Get Help Writing Your Paper

Get online tutoring from SmarThinking.

For more information about writing and tutorials, try the Writing Resource Center.