Reference Management Tools for Academic Writing

Simply download EndNote 20 from the Library webpage. You can install it without uninstalling the previous version EndNote. But you can also uninstall the previous version first before installing EndNote 20 if you wish with following steps:

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For Microsoft Windows 10 user:

1. Search “Control Panel” via  on the bottom left and open it.
2. Under “Programs”, select “Uninstall a program”.
3. Find and select EndNote in the list of programs.
4. Click on the 'Uninstall' option at the top of the page.

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For Mac user:

1. Open EndNote. 
2. Click on “EndNote (version)” from the toolbar on the top (next to the Apple icon).
3. Click on “Customizer”, and then select “Uninstall”.
4. After uninstallation, go to Finder, click on Applications
5. Drag the EndNote application folder to Trash.

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You will be able to access all the references in your existing EndNote libraries after upgrading. Upgrade to EndNote 20 will not affect the in-text citations you added in your Word document too. However, we recommend you to backup your EndNote libraries and Word documents before upgrading for prudent.

For Windows user:

1. Click on File.
2. Select Options.
3. Click on Add-ins.
4. Select Disabled Items and click Go... to see if EndNote Cite While You Write is on the list. Enable it if it is on the list.
5. Select COM Add-ins and click Go... 
6. Check the box for EndNote Cite While You Write.
7. Click OK.

Click to see steps in screenshots

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For Macintosh user: 

if you are using Apple M1 chip. Please refer to the official solution here.

if you can see the EndNote 20 tab in MS Word, but your EndNote does not talk to the MS Word. Try to follow the steps in another FAQ: I am a Mac user. My EndNote doe not talk to my MS Word. What can I do?

Otherwise, try the following steps:

1. Close all the Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, PowerPoint, etc.).
2. Launch EndNote, then click EndNote 20.
3. Select Customizer...
4. Check the box for Cite While You Write.
5. Click Next and complete the process.

Click to see steps in screenshots

If you still cannot find the EndNote tab, click Help > Check for Updates in MS Word, and upgrade your MS Word to the latest version.

If you are using MS Word 2011/2008 for Mac, please try to click View > Toolbars > EndNote 20 in order to display the EndNote toolbar in the MS Word.

Please follow the steps below:

1. Click on the Apple icon.
2. Select System Preferences.
3. Navigate to Security & Privacy.
4. Switch to Privacy tab.
5. Select Automation on the left.
6. Check both boxes to make sure EndNote can talk to Microsoft Word, and vice versa.

Click to see steps in screenshots

This is caused by a crash of add-ins installed in the MS Word program. You can follow the steps below to deactivate other add-ins that may crash with the EndNote add-in (Cite While You Write):

For Windows user:

1. In the MS Word, click on File.
2. Select Options.
3. Click on Add-ins.
4. Select Word Add-ins on the list.
5. Click on Go...
6. Uncheck the box(es) of the add-ins that may potentially crash with the EndNote add-ins, e.g. Mendeley add-in.
7. Click on OK to confirm.

Click to see steps in screenshots for Windows

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For Macintosh user: 

1. In the MS Word, click on Tools.
2. Click on Templates and Add-ins...
3. Uncheck the box(es) of the add-ins that may potentially crash with the EndNote add-ins, e.g. Mendeley add-in.
4. Click on OK to confirm.

Click to see steps in screenshots for MacOS

It may be because the default application to open EndNote in your MS Word is EndNote online instead of EndNote desktop. Please follow the steps below:

1. Switch to EndNote tab.
2. Click on Preferences.
3. Switch to Application tab.
4. Change the application from EndNote online to EndNote.
5. Click on OK.

Click to see steps in screenshots

This may be due to broken linkage between your EndNote library and the Word document. Try steps below: 

1. Launch both of your EndNote library and the Word document, and switch to EndNote 20 tab in MS Word.
2. Click on Update Citations and Bibliography.

Click to see steps in screenshots

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If the steps provided above do not work, please make sure your Word document does not contain any track changes, and then double check the following setting:

1. In EndNote, click on Edit.
   (For Mac user, click on EndNote next to the apple icon).
2. Select Preferences... to open EndNote Preferences window.
3. Click on Temporary Citations on the sidebar.
4. Make sure the Temp Citation Delimiters are set as { and }.
5. In MS Word, click on Update Citations and Bibliography in EndNote 20 tab.

Click to see steps in screenshots

EndNote libraries created using EndNote X9.3 or later versions (including EndNote 20) cannot be opened with earlier versions of EndNote. You will see this message before updating your EndNote:

To allow your collaborators to be able to view your reference library, you can consider any of these solutions:

• Ask your collaborator to update their EndNote to version X9.3 or later versions.
• Re-install your EndNote using the package provided from the Library webpage, which is EndNote version X9.0 for Windows. Do not click on "upgrade" if you are prompted to do so.
• Consider sharing your references using the following ways:
  • Share the entire library (references with PDF),
  • Share a group of references (references only), or
  • Export a traveling library (references only).
• Adopt the solutions provided on the official site.

Please feel free to contact us for assistance if you need further help.

There is a compatibility issue between the macOS 10.15 Catalina and EndNote for mac version X9.2 or before.  Please download and install the version X9.3.1 from our webpage to solve the compatibility issue.

You may refer to here for the installation steps.

Occasionally, EndNote may ask you to select an import filter when you import a RIS file. You may try the steps below to complete the import process.

1. Type in "ris" in the quick search box and hit Enter.
2. Select RefMan RIS.
3. Click on Choose.

Click to see steps in screenshots

For Windows user: 

1. Right-click on the .ris file downloaded.
2. Select Open with.
3. Click on Choose another app.
4. Select EndNote.
5. Click on More apps if you cannot see EndNote in Step 4.
6. Check the box of Always use this app to open .ris file.
7. Click on OK.

Click to see steps in screenshots

For Macintosh user: 

1. Right-click on the .ris file downloaded.
2. Select Get Info.
3. Select EndNote 20. If you cannot see EndNote 20, click on Other..., browse for EndNote 20 in the Applications folder.
4. Click on Change All...

Click to see steps in screenshots

Most of the links will not work unless you have a personal subscription for the databases listing there. UGC libraries in Hong Kong, including PolyU, do not support the online search function in EndNote too. Please add references to your EndNote library via the suggested steps.

This may be due to incompatibility of programs during installation. Please try the steps below:

1. Select Custom when installing EndNote.
2. Uncheck the box Install Direct Export Helper, and then proceed installation.
3. Run "Risxtd.exe" file under C:\Program Files (x86)\EndNote 20. If you cannot find this file, please download the Direct Export Helper file here, place it to C:\Program Files (x86)\EndNote 20 and run it again. 

Click to see steps in screenshots

You can try to recover or rebuild your EndNote library with instructions from this page. Contact technical support from EndNote if necessary.

Although EndNote has defined many citation styles for pick and use, you still need to get familiar with the citation style that you are using, i.e. what kind of information are needed for which type of references in that style. You can refer to the Referencing Guide from ELC (English Language Center) below for more information:

• APA Referencing Guide
• Harvard Referencing Guide
• IEEE Referencing Guide
• Vancouver Referencing Guide

This happens especially for references imported from Google Scholar. However, you can manually edit the references. Please refer to Edit References for more information.

Double-click on the reference to open the reference window. Then change the Reference Type from Book to Book Section.  

You can then manually change/input the information like chapter author, chapter title, editor, book title, pages, etc., depending on the requirement of the citation style you are using.

The simplest way to let your teammates have your references is using Export Traveling Library function.

If you wish to co-edit references with your teammates, an alternative way is to share your reference library (including references, PDFs, and annotations) with your teammates. Please refer to Share References for details.

To avoid ambiguity in author name, many citation styles (e.g., APA) require to include the authors’ first initial with their family name in the in-text citations if authors with the same family name are cited in the same article.

If these authors are actually the same author, please make sure you input their names consistently so that no initials will be displayed in the in-text citations.

To learn more about the naming rules of authors, please refer to the Referencing Guide prepared by ELC below:

• APA:        FAQ #7 in APA Referencing Guide
• Harvard:  FAQ #6 in Harvard Referencing Guide

So far, there is no standardized IEEE style among different reference management platforms. Which style to use depends on your purpose:

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If you are preparing a manuscript for an IEEE journal, refer to the citation style of that journal, or IEEE Reference Guide (PDF, 1.1 MB). The citation styles for journals can be downloaded via EndNote Output Style.

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If you are trying to complete an ELC’s assignment, refer to ELC’s IEEE Reference Guide. We have created an IEEE style for your use in ELC’s assignment.

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Refer to Get More Citation Styles to know how to install a citation style into EndNote.

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If you wish to further edit the style, refer to Edit Citation Styles.

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For any style you install, please double check if the citation format fulfills your requirement. Consult your supervisor or contact us if you have any enquiries.

You can simply delete the DOI information in the reference record one-by-one, or perform a bulk change with the steps below:

1. Click on Library.
2. Select Change/Move/Copy Fields...
3. Select DOI from the pull-down menu.
4. Select Clear field.
5. Click on OK.

Click to see steps in screenshots

An alternative way is to edit the citation style. Refer to Edit Citation Styles for more details.

First, make sure the setting of journal abbreviation is correct for the style you chose:

1. Select the style you are using.
2. Click on Tools.
3. Select Output Styles.
4. Click on Edit "(style name)".
5. Select Journal Names from the sidebar.
6. Make sure Abbreviation is selected under Journal Name Format.

Click to see steps in screenshots

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Then, you can import the list of journal names with abbreviations in different subject by the steps below:

1. Click on Library.
2. Select Open Term Lists.
3. Click on Journals Term List.
4. Switch to Lists tab.
5. Select Journals.
6. Click on Import List...
7. Select appropriate list(s) to import, and then click on Open.

Click to see steps in screenshots

You may also refer to this video to learn more about how to set up a journals term list.

There are 2 citation styles for Chinese article downloadable from EndNote Output Styles. You may refer to Get More Citation Styles for the installation steps.

• Chinese Standard GB/T7114 (Author-Year) 
• Chinese Standard GB/T7714 (numeric) 

However, do consult your instructor/journal editor if the styles above meet their requirement before using.

Technically, EndNote for iOS can only insert temporary citation on MS Word. You would need to complete the in-text citation and bibliography by using Cite-While-You-Write (CWYW) in MS Word installed via EndNote desktop or downloaded from EndNote Web.

To start with, please download the official Apps of EndNote for iOS and Microsoft Word in your mobile device:

 

Then you can insert the citation from EndNote for iOS by the steps below:

In EndNote for iOS

1. Go to My Library.
2. Select a reference
3. Click on the   icon.
4. Click on Copy temporary citation.

Click to see steps in screenshots

In MS Word Mobile Apps

4. Paste the copied temporary citation in the designed location.

 

In MS Word desktop version

5. Open the Word document.
6. Click on EndNote tab or EndNote 20 tab.
7. If you are using CWYW downloaded from EndNote Web, login with your EndNote Web credential;
   If you are using CWYW installed via EndNote Desktop, ensure the reference library in iOS is synchronized with your desktop library.
8. Click on Update Citations and Bibliography.
9. Both in-text citation and bibliography will be generated.

Click to see steps in screenshots

Please refer to information below:

OpenURL Path: 
https://julac.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/openurl/HKPU_ALMA/HKPU_SERVICES_PAGE

Authenticate URL:
https://login.ezproxy.lb.polyu.edu.hk/login

Please remember that Find Full Text function is limited by the University's subscription and other technical issues.

You are also reminded to only download the full-text of the articles you intend to read, in order to avoid triggering the excessive or systematic download which is prohibited and may cause University-wide suspension to affected databases.

First of all, please download the citation style “Export to Excel (Sample style showing basic format)” from EndNote Output Styles. For detailed steps, please refer to the guide ‘Get More Citation Styles’. 

Then, you can export the references from EndNote library to Excel with following steps:

1. Choose “BasicExportToExcel” as the citation style in EndNote.
2. Select references that you would like to copy to Excel.
3. Click on Edit and then Copy Formatted Reference.
4. Paste to Excel.

Click to see steps in screenshots

Please refer to the guide of Exporting References from RefWorks to other Reference Management Tools for details.

Please refer to the guide of Convert Cite-N-Write to Cite-While-You-Write for details.