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RefWorks

RefWorks is a bibliographic citation management tool. This guide provides help using RefWorks.

Use Folders to Organize your References

When you import a reference from a catalog or database, the reference arrives in the "Last Imported" folder. From there you can move it to the folder of your choice. (Otherwise, it will automatically transfer to "All Documents.")

 Screenshot of RefWorks interface showing new record in "Last Imported" Folder.


RefWorks folders are listed in the left sidebar. Click + Add a Folder to add and name a new folder.

Screenshot of RefWorks interface showing where to click in sidebar to create new folder: "My Folders" then "+ Add a folder".


Once you create a folder, you can click on the citation you want to add to the folder, and drag it in.

Screenshot of RefWorks interface showing how to drag a record into a folder within "My Folders" in the sidebar.

Edit and Annotate Your References

You may want to edit a reference to make a correction or to annotate the source with your own notes.

To edit a reference: 

  1. highlight the reference you want to edit; 
  2. then click the pencil icon 

To annotate a reference:

To add your custom notes, click the "Add more fields" button, then select "notes (custom)."

Screenshot of RefWorks record showing location of pencil icon to edit record info and "Add more fields" button for adding notes.

Sort and Search Your References

Sorting References

The default sort for your reference is date added. To re-sort your list, use the "Sort by" drop-down list and choose one of the options.

Searching References

To search through your references, click the search icon and enter your keywords.

Screenshot of RefWorks interface showing location of search button to search your references by author, title, tags, and more.  Also shows how to sort sources, i.e. by date, author, etc.