For Bloomsburg University students, staff, and faculty

1. Getting Started
Using RefWorks
Linda Neyer, Health Sciences/Sciences Librarian
Revised 3/2013

2. What is RefWorks?
• RefWorks is a web-based service that allows users
to build their own personal research database. This
service is available to BU faculty, staff, and students
• RefWorks enables users to organize, edit, link to
available full-text, cite references, and prepare
bibliographies
• Because it is entirely web-based you can access it
from any computer with Internet access

3. Create an Account
• Access RefWorks from the Library’s home page
> Citing > RefWorks
• Remote Users: Enter through the Library’s web
page via the same path
BU Group Code = RWBUP
Exercise 1: Create your own individual
RefWorks account

4. Creating Your Database
There are multiple ways to enter references
into RefWorks:
• Direct import (from an online database service
like EBSCOhost, Proquest, Web of Science,
WorldCat, Google Scholar etc.)
• Import from a text file (records from PILOT, the
online catalog)
• Entering references manually (alternative to
Citation Machine or EasyBib)

5. Direct Import from an Online Database
Service
• After performing a search in Academic Search
Complete (EBSCOhost), save records in folder, click
on Folder Has Items
• Select desired records, then Export
• Select Direct Export to RefWorks and then Save
• When the import is complete, Edit Fields if
necessary
• Select View Last Imported Folder to view the
records from Academic Search Complete
Exercise 2: Perform a direct import of
references from the Academic Search
Complete database to RefWorks

6. Organizing Your References
Organize your research by creating folders for your
references:
• Inside RefWorks click on the button New Folder and
name your folder
• To put your recently imported references into this folder
select All in List and click on the drop-down menu to
select your recently created folder
• Now the references that you imported from Academic
Search Complete are in the appropriate folder
Exercise 4: Create a new folder

7. Creating Bibliographies
To create a Bibliography or Works Cited page using the
references in this folder click on the Bibliography link on
the navigation bar and work top-down:
•Choose the desired Output Style from the drop-down
menu
•Select a File Type to Create (probably Word)
•Select References to Include
•Now Create Bibliography
Exercise 5: Create a bibliography using references in
folder

8. Writing and Citing Your Paper
To create a paper using the RefWorks Write-n-Cite feature
• Launch/Download the Write-n-Cite Program
• Open your MS Word document
• Put the cursor in your Microsoft Word document where
the reference should be inserted; click Cite next to the
appropriate reference to insert placeholders
• Save your document (note: depending on which Write-n-
Cite version you’re using, these directions may vary.
Check the Help videos)
Exercise 6: Download and use Write-n-Cite

9. Generating In-text Citations
and a Bibliography for Your Paper
After your paper with in-text placeholder citations is
complete, generate your bibliography by following these
steps:
• Using the same document and the Write-n-Cite feature,
click on Bibliography
• Select the Output Format
• Click on Create Bibliography
• Save your new MS Word document
Exercise 7: Create a Bibliography

10. Entering Records Manually
• Access your RefWorks account and from the navigation
bar select References > Add New Reference
• Select Output Style, Folder, Ref Type, and Source
Type
• Enter bibliographic information in the boxes provided
• Click on Save Reference when finished
The do-it-yourself lobotomy : open your mind to greater creative
thinking by Tom Monahan, New York : Wiley, c2002.
Exercise 8: Manually enter the above book
citation into RefWorks

11. Importing References from Google Scholar
• Navigate to Google Scholar (http://scholar.google.com
on campus; if off-campus use link from Library site)
• In upper right corner, click Settings > Bibliography
Manager > RefWorks and ‘Save Preferences’
• A link to ‘Import to RefWorks’ will appear in any search
results
• When record is sent, it opens an ‘Edit Reference’ screen;
edit and ‘Save’ to desired folder [Caveat: GS provides minimal
info and often no abstract so you’ll want to beef up the info]
Exercise 9: Import record(s) from Google
Scholar into RefWorks

12. Additional Features
• Search PILOT, our catalog, from within
RefWorks (to add records to RefWorks)
• Use RefShare (to share folders with
colleagues and students)
• Use RefGrab-It (to ‘grab’ bibliographic
information from web pages like Amazon.com)
• Check out ‘Help’ tutorials and files within
Refworks
• Ask a librarian for help!