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EndNote Guide

Update

Important Update Regarding EndNote:

Over the past several years, the use of EndNote Desktop on campus has decreased substantially while the cost of our institutional license has increased considerably. At the same time, Zotero has emerged as a more flexible, user-friendly, and affordable alternative for managing sources. Given these facts, the library is taking steps to migrate EndNote users to Zotero whenever possible, and to transition the campus-wide EndNote subscription to individual licenses that will be available to faculty and staff who demonstrate a compelling reason to retain EndNote Desktop access. Important links related to this transition are listed below.

The Most Straight Forward Way...

Several of us who are heavy EN users have recently started writing in our own in-text citations and then dragging and dropping in the citations for the bibliography.  Although you have to keep a bit closer track to how your references are alphabetized, it is much easier to make corrections to individual citations (without having to delete them, go back to EN to correct them, and then to reinsert them), retitle your bibliography, change the font, etc.

To drag and drop a reference into your MS Word bibliography:

  • In EN, highlight the reference you want to list in your bibliography
  • Check the preview to make sure it's in correct format
  • While holding down the control key, click on the reference and drag it to your Word document
  • Drop it in the proper location in your bibliography.

It's really important for you to hold down the control key!

Cite While You Write in Microsoft Word

1.) Begin your Word document, setting margins, font, etc., as you choose.  Begin writing.
 
2.) When you are ready for your first reference, open your EN library.   
 
3.) MAKE SURE THE CITATION STYLE IS SET TO THE ONE YOU NEED TO USE FOR YOUR PAPER.  
 
4.  Click on the reference you want to cite in your EN Library. 
 
5.)  Then, click the insert citation icon in your EN Library.
 
6.) Several things should happen -- within the body of your paper, the in-text citation should appear properly.
     And, at the end of your paper, a bibliography will be started, again, in appropriate format. 
 
7.) You may make changes to the title and format of the bibliography by clicking on the Format Bibliography icon and choosing the layout tab. 
     Where it says Bibliography Title, type "Literature Cited" or your preferred title.
     Where it says Space after none click and hold and drag to single, double or leave as no space, to make the appropriate number of line breaks between each reference. Click OK.
 
***If there is a mistake in one of your Works Cited references (e.g. a typo or incorrect paging...), go to your EN Library and correct the mistake.  Then, click the Format Bibliography icon and your entire paper will be updated.

Switching Citation Styles After You've been Writing in MS Word

When importing your works cited into Microsoft Word, if you decide to change your citation style (for example, from MLA to APA), it's very straightforward:

In EN, change the style in the drop-down menu.

In Word, click on the EN tab on the tool bar.  Find the style drop-down menu and change it to the same style you selected in your EN Library.

... Magic!

Annotated Bibliographies

To compile an annotated bibliography using EndNote, you need to follow three easy steps:

One: 

Make sure the references for your materials are in your EN library.

Two: 

Write the annotations and place in the “Notes” field for each individual reference. If you used an EndNote filter to download this source, some bibliographic information already may be in this field; if so, you may either delete it or move it to another field to store it where it won't show up.

Everything that is typed within the Notes field will show up in your annotated bibliography, so nothing other than your evaluation of the source should be included in this area. Do not indent at the beginning of your annotation and do not hit the Enter/Command key at the end. Your entire annotation should be a single paragraph.

Three:

  1. In EndNote, select your preferred style (APA, etc.).
  2. Open your Word document.
  3. In EndNote, select all of the annotated references that will be included in your bibliography by holding down the Control key (or Apple key)and clicking on each one. If you do not transfer all of your references at the same time, EndNote will not be able to alphabetize them.
  4. In EndNote go up to Edit and drag down to “Copy Formatted”
  5. Now paste them into your Word document.

    For more information on annotated bibliographies (and how to write annotations), see the Library Guide on Annotated Bibliographies.

      Sorting Your Bibliography in Various Languages

      EndNote has the ability to sort your bibliography in any language.

      Normally EndNote will use the language setting of the operating system. 

      However, if you do not want to change your system setting, you can easily sort your EndNote bibliography in another language:

        • Under Edit, go to Output Styles and click Open Style Manager...
        • In the EndNote Styles box that pops up, click Edit
        • In the output style box that pops up, there is an index pane on the left side.  Under Bibliography, click Sort Order
        • Click the button next to Other
        • Under Sort Language, switch from System Default to the lanuage of your choice.

        *Unfortunately, EndNote does not allow sorting for a bibliography containing more than one language.  For example, if you have references in both Chinese and Japanese, EndNote cannot sort them together.

        • Last Updated: Oct 5, 2023 11:41 AM
        • URL: https://libraryguides.stolaf.edu/endnotehelp
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        Tags: general