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Reference Management Tools for Academic Writing

A Comprehensive Guide for EndNote, Mendeley and Zotero

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Add References from PDF

If you already have PDF file(s) saved on your device, simply drag and drop the PDF(s) into Mendeley to generate reference(s).

Unlike EndNote, references can be generated in Mendeley from the PDF files without Digital Object Identifier (DOI). Nevertheless, the PDF files must be text-recognizable, i.e.: not an image file created by a scanner.

Steps:

  1. Drag and drop the PDF(s) into Mendeley.
  2. Reference(s) will be generated automatically with PDF attachment.

Click to see steps in screenshots

Add References from OneSearch

OneSearch supports direct export of reference to Mendeley. You can follow the steps below:

  1. Conduct a search from PolyU Library's homepage using OneSearch
  2. Click on the title of the selected item.
  3. Click on ENDNOTE(RIS).
  4. Click on DOWNLOAD.
  5. Drag and drop the .ris file from the download folder to Mendeley.
  6. Reference created.

Click to see steps in screenshots

Add References from Databases

Similar to the steps shown at the part "Add References from OneSearch", references can be added to Mendeley by downloading the .ris file from most library subscribed databases. Nevertheless, Mendeley makes the process easier by offering the Web Importer that you can import the references with a single click.

Follow the steps below to install the Web Importer:

  1. Click on Tools at your Mendeley Desktop.
  2. Select Install Web Importer.
  3. Choose the browser you are currently using.
  4. Install the web importer.

Click to see steps in screenshots

Examples for using the web importer to add references from Web of Science, PubMed and Google Scholar can be found from the corresponding tabs.

An example of using the web importer to add references from Web of Science:

  1. Visit Web of Science.
  2. Conduct a search.
  3. Click the title of the search result that you would like to add into Mendeley.
  4. Launch the web importer at your browser.  You may require to login your Mendeley web account.
  5. Select the reference you would like to add.
  6. Save it to your web library.
  7. Sync the reference from your web library to Mendeley desktop.
  8. Reference added.

Click to see steps in screenshots

An example of using the web importer to add references from PubMed:

  1. Visit PubMed.
  2. Conduct a search.
  3. Launch the web importer at your browser.  You may require to login your Mendeley web account.
  4. Select the reference(s) you would like to add.
  5. Save the reference(s) to your web library.
  6. Sync the reference(s) from your web library to Mendeley desktop.
  7. Reference(s) added.

Click to see steps in screenshots

An example of using the web importer to add references from Google Scholar:

  1. Visit Google Scholar.
  2. Conduct a search.
  3. Launch the web importer at your browser.  You may require to login your Mendeley web account.
  4. Select the reference(s) you would like to add.
  5. Save the reference(s) to your web library.  PDF files will also be downloaded if any.
  6. Sync the reference(s) from your web library to Mendeley desktop.
  7. Reference(s) added with PDF attachment, if any.

Click to see steps in screenshots

Add References from Mendeley's Network

You can download references and full text (if available) from the Mendeley's network via the "Literature Search" and "Related Documents" functions:

Literature Search: To search references uploaded by other Mendeley users.

  1. Click on Literature Search.
  2. Conduct a search.
  3. Select the reference you would like to add and then click Save Reference.
  4. Click on All Documents and the reference is added to your library.

Click to see steps in screenshots


 Related DocumentsTo search articles related to the selected references in your library.

  1. Select one or more references.
  2. Click on Related.
  3. Select the reference you would like to add.
  4. Click on Save Reference to add the selected reference into your library.

Click to see steps in screenshots

Add References Manually

Sometimes you have to create references manually, for example, citing legal cases, newspapers, YouTube videos, DVDs or films.

Different format is required for citing different types of sources. The guide "Referring to different types of resources" developed by PolyU ELC shows the components required for citing different sources. Read it before creating references manually.

Steps:

  1. Expand the pull down manual.
  2. Select Add Entry Manually.
  3. Select the reference type that you want to cite.
  4. Input the information required.
  5. Click Save.

Click to see steps in screenshots


Tips for entering author name manually:-

1) Personal author:

Input Last Name, First Name and then Middle Name (e.g. Chan, Brain T.M.).
 

2) Institutional author:

Indicate the author is an institution/organization when key in the name as below:


 

3) Multiple authors:

Input one author name per line. Press the "Enter" key to go to the next line for the second author.
            e.g.: Murphy, James          <Enter>
                    Adams, Douglas

Add References from Word Document with Mendeley Citations

You can import the references from Word document back to your Mendeley, provided that the references in Word document are inserted by Mendeley (with field codes). This is helpful especially when you are doing a group project, and you wish to extract the references (inserted by your teammates) from Word document to your Mendeley.  The steps are listed below:

You have to install Mendeley MS Word Plugin before performing the steps below:

  1. Open the Word document with citations inserted by Mendeley, and click on the in-text citation that you would like to add.
  2. Click on Insert or Edit Citation.
    (Or Edit Citation for Windows users).
  3. Select which folder you would like to import at your Mendeley library.

Click to see steps in screenshots


Creative Commons License

Except where otherwise noted, the content of this guide is licensed under a CC BY-NC 4.0 License.