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J. Robert Van Pelt and John and Ruanne Opie Library

BE2001 Biomedical Engineering Seminar

Download EndNote

Michigan Tech licenses EndNote at no charge to all active students, faculty and staff. Please note that you once you graduate or leave the university, you will maintain access to any copies of EndNote you have downloaded, but will no longer be eligible for any software updates.

Create an EndNote Library

Prior to adding any content, you will need to create a blank library. This library will be the workspace where you can add, organize, and modify references. To create a library:

  1. Open EndNote (it's OK to cancel through any pop ups about creating an account)
  2. In the menu, choose File > New...

    EndNote Navigation, select File > New for New Library
     
  3. Name your Library and save it somewhere you will be able to find/access it easily.

Tip: Most people just use one library and create Groups for different projects, papers, topics, etc. instead of creating multiple libraries for different projects.

Add References

Use the tabs below to view instructions on the different ways to add references to EndNote.

To add a reference from a PDF that you've already downloaded:

  1. With your library open, choose File > Import > File... from the top menu.
  2. Use the Choose... button to navigate to the file on your computer.
  3. Ensure that the Import Option selected is PDF (or whatever file type matches the one you are importing). This is critical as it allows EndNote to correctly read the file.
    Screenshot of EndNote's Import File Window with Import Option, PDF highlighted

To add reference from a folder of PDFs that you've already downloaded:

  1. With your library open, choose File > Import > Folder... from the top menu.
  2. Use the Choose... button to navigate to the folder on your computer.
  3. If you already have the files organized and/or some are in sub-folders, be sure to check Include files in subfolders.
  4. If you would like to create a group that all of the references in this folder will be added to, check Create a Group Set for this import.
    Screenshot of EndNote window for import folder

As you browse databases and journals, most have the option to save references to a citation manager. The option may look different across platforms and be located in different places. Look for menus that offer options to Save, Cite, Download or Export references. Many will list EndNote explicitly, but if they don't, RIS files are a generic filetype for references that will work with EndNote. The screenshots below are from the database ProQuest.

  1. Check the references you would like to add to EndNote.
  2. Select the Export/Save/Download/Cite to EndNote or RIS option. In Proquest, this is under All Save Options > RIS (EndNote)
  3. Select what content you would like to save with the reference. Some folks like to save the abstract so they can quickly remind themselves what the article is about later.
  4. A file will be downloaded to your computer. Double click on this to open in EndNote or use the Import > File... option from with EndNote.

Citations can be added in EndNote by hand. To do this:

  1. Go to the menu option References > New Reference in EndNote.
  2. In the pop-up window, select the Reference Type that most closely resembles the source you are are entering.
  3. Fill in as much information as you can. Make sure authors are added in the format Last Name, First Name/Initial with each author on a separate line.
    EndNote screenshot of Add Reference Type menu
  4. Save your reference, and close the window.

Cite While You Write

EndNote connects with a variety of word processing tools in order to make generating citations and reference lists seamless. For example, when you download EndNote, it will automatically install an Office Plug-in that adds an EndNote ribbon to your toolbar.

From this tool bar, click Insert Citations to insert a reference wherever your cursor is (note: EndNote must be open in the background). The first time you do this, a list of works cited will be automatically added to the end of your document.

If you decide at a later time, that you would like to change citation styles (ie. MLA to APA), use the Style button to do so automatically. This will reformat your in-text citations and your bibliography.

An EndNote alternative: Zotero

There are many different pieces of software that will help you manage your citations. If EndNote doesn't quite meet your needs, consider taking a look at the open-source program Zotero. The functionality is similar but Zotero tends to integrate better with browsers and Google Docs while EndNote integrates better with Word. That said, both tools are continuously updating and improving in each of these areas.