1. Endnote
This guide will help you to create an Endnote Library and to get started with the key functions of the
software. The guide is currently based on Endnote X5 (Windows) but will soon be amended to Endnote
X7 (Windows). See also: guide to Endnote Basic (a free, web-based, cut-down version of the software)
and more sources of help.
Introduction
What is Endnote?
Endnote is a software package that you can download to your computer. It will allow you to
collect and manage citation information and to generate formatted bibliographies in a range of styles
(including classic styles like Harvard & Vancouver). Versions are available for both Windows and Mac.
How do I obtain Endnote? UCL users may download the software onto a UCL-owned
computer for free, or may purchase a copy for home-use with an educational discount. View more
details about obtaining Endnote.
Getting started: creating a new Endnote library
Open Endnote (using the Start menu > Program files)
Choose to create a new library (New from the File menu)
Choose a name for your file and a location in which to save it, and click Save
Note: this process creates a file with the extension .enl as well as a folder with the extension .Data. You
need both of these - remember to copy them both if you are moving your Endnote library into a
different folder or if you are copying it to a memory stick.
Importing journal names - it is a good idea to pre-populate your new Endnote library with a list of
journal names & their known abbreviations. To do this: choose Open Term Lists from the Tools menu
and then choose the Journals Term List. Select the Lists tab and click Import List. Locate the required
files, which are usually stored in: Program Files folder > Endnote folder > Terms Lists folder. Choose the
appropriate subject - e.g. medical.txt.
Add references to your library
There are 4 ways to add references to your library. You can type in the details, you can perform an
Internet search from inside Endnote, you can import a set of results that you have previously saved (e.g.
2. from PubMed or Web of Science), or you can import a PDF file (only available from version 4 onwards).
Each method is described below.
Each time you import some new references, it is a good idea to make a backup copy of your library. You
can do this by choosing Save a Copy... from the File menu. When you have imported new references
they will be classed as Unfiled, unless you have chosen to copy them into a group. See below for more
information about groups.
Add a reference manually
From the References menu, select New Reference and a blank form opens.
At the top, select the appropriate Reference Type from the drop-down menu (e.g. Journal, Book Section,
etc.)
Enter information into each field, using the tab key to move to the next field
When entering authors, remember to enter the last name first - e.g. Smith, John or Smith, J. and
remember to include a fullstop after any initials. For coroprate authors, enter a comma at the end so
that Endnote understands there is no surname or initials - e.g. Association of British Neurologists,
When you have finished entering information, choose Save from the File menu and close down the
reference you have entered, to reuturn to your database.
Importing references from databases
The process of importing will vary from database to database. Some have a built-in export option while
others may require you to save the references into a text file and then import it into Endnote later.
Below we have included instructions for some key databases, but please ask if you need help importing
from another source.
Importing references into Endnote from Google Scholar
Google Scholar allows you to download bibliographic details into an Endnote library.In order to do this,
click the small cog icon to open the settings, make sure that you have selected 'Show links to import
3. citations' in the Bibliography manager setting, & also choose Endnote from the drop-down menu. Click
Save to activate the settings.
Alongside each Scholar result you will now see a link to 'Import into Endnote'. Click this link and, when
prompted, choose which Endnote library you want to use and click "Open".
The references are automatically sent to this library and added to the Imported folder.
Searching internet sources from within Endnote
You can import references from some internet sources directly from within Endnote - e.g. PubMed, Web
of Science & some library catalogues.
First, choose an internet source from the Online Search area, in the left-hand panel.
Enter your search details & click Search
Note: your searching will need to conform to the 'rules' of the source you are searching - e.g. for
PubMed do not use a comma between the author's surname and the initials.
The references you retrieve are added to your library, and can also be viewed in the Online Search area
in the left-hand panel.
Click more... in the Online Search area to view a full list of the internet sources available. Note: that not
all of the sources will be available to you as some may require a subscription. You can delete sources
from the Online Search area so that you only see the sources you use regularly. Note: the Web of
Science Online Search option will not work properly if you are working outside the UCL network & you
should use the instructions above instead.
Importing from a PDF file
From version X4 onwards it is possible to create references from existing PDFs that you may have stored
on your computer. To do this:
Choose Import from the File menu
Click Choose to locate the PDF file you have stored on your computer
Set the Import Option to PDF and click Import.
Note that the data quality will vary when using this method; some PDF files do not work as well as
others and it is a good idea to check the quality of the imported record carefully.
4. Cite While You Write
When the Endnote software is installed into a computer, a toolbar is automatically added to Word. This
allows you to search your Endnote library directly from your Word document & to insert citations as you
are writing. To do this, make sure that your Endnote database is open.
In your Word document, begin to type a document and, when you reach a point where you want to cite
a particular article, click the Insert Citation button on the Endnote toolbar (the first icon on the left)
A search box appears where you can search for an author or keyword to find the reference you want to
cite - NB: the search is referring to the contents of your Endnote library, so it is important that the
reference is already contained within that library.
When you have identified the reference you want, click the Insert button to insert a 'place-holder' in the
appropriate place within your Word document.
This causes two pieces of formatting to be generated
1. The in-text citation is added & formatted
2 .The citations are added to the reference list at the bottom of your document.
If you wish to add a batch of references together in the same place within your Word document, first
mark the items you want within your Endnote library and then return to your Word document & choose
Insert Selected Citations from the toolbar.
As you enter citations, a bibliography/reference list is automatically generated at the bottom of the
document. You can change the formatting by selecting a different Style from the Endnote toolbar. The
style you choose will determine the format of the in-text citations, as well as the format of the
bibliography at the end of the document.
References:
1. http://www.ucl.ac.uk/ion/library/databases/endnote/endnote