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Subject Guide: Social Work

Help with citing sources

An Introduction to Using RefWorks

What is RefWorks

RefWorks is a web-based research management tool designed to help you gather, organize, store, annotate, and share all types of resources used in your research, assignments, or dissertation.

RefWorks is MSUM Library's preferred research management tool since comprehensive support is provided. It is also FREE for all NCU students, faculty, staff, and alumni. 

​With RefWorks, you can do the following:

  • Organize your resources by project, in folders, or with tags
  • Create APA formatted reference lists and annotated bibliographies
  • Import citations directly and indirectly from Library databases as well as research websites like Google Scholar or PubMed
  • Access your sources directly within Microsoft Word
  • Share citations and source lists

NOTE: When using RefWorks, you must always check your content and citations for accuracy and proper formatting.

Create RefWorks Account

Create your account at this link using your  first.last@go.mnstate.edu email address:

https://refworks.proquest.com/signup/institutionalSignup/

This is the login screen for RefWorks. After you create your account, save those login credentials. You will always see this screen first when using RefWorks, even when exporting citations from databases to RefWorks.

*** Your username is your MSUM email

STUDENTS:

When students are registering for a Refworks account:

YES: first.last@go.mnstate.edu

NO: StarID@go.minnstate.edu

*Check for activation code in junk mail if not in inbox.

 

With RefWorks, you are creating your own personal database of resources, and how you organize those resources is up to you. 

There are three (3) ways to organize and manage your content in RefWorks:

  • Projects
  • Folders
  • Tags

Managing Projects 

You can create projects in RefWorks. Projects allow you to maintain separate reference and resource collections for different research assignments.

To manage projects:
  1. Select the arrow next to your project in the header and select Manage Projects.

manage_projects.png

 

The My projects page appears:My Projects screen in RefWorks

Create a New Project

To create a new project, select Create a New Project. The following appears:

create_a_new_project.png
Enter a name for the project and select Save. The project is added to the list of projects. You can navigate between projects from the Project Menu at the top of the page. To rename or delete a project select Actions > Rename or Actions > Delete.
 
 

 

Setting your Citation Style to APA 7th 

As a RefWorks user, you can set your profile to reflect resources and create bibliographies using the APA 7th - Sentence Casing, DOI: https://doi.org/ 

NOTE: There are citation style variations of APA 7th available to choose from in RefWorks so please select and apply the following version: APA 7th - Sentence Casing, DOI: https://doi.org/

To set and update your citation style, select the All References tab on the left menu, and change the View display on your RefWorks dashboard to Citation View. Click on the settings gear Settings Gear in RefWorks. Search for and select the APA 7th - Sentence Casing, DOI: https://doi.org/ and click Save.

RefWorks Citation View

You may also set your citation style under Create Bibliography to create a list of references in the APA 7th - Sentence Casing, DOI: https://doi.org/ style.

Create bibliography in RefWorks

If you are using the Write-N-Cite plugin or RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM) for Microsoft Word, you can also select your citation style output:

  • Write-N-Cite: To set your citation style output in Write-N-Cite, select the Style dropdown in your RefWorks tab in the Microsoft Word ribbon and choose the appropriate style.

         Setting your citation style output through the Style section in Write-N-Cite in Microsoft Word

 

  • RefWorks Citation Manager: In RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM), set your citation style output by clicking on the three lines in the top left corner to access the Menu. Click on Citation Style. Search for the appropriate citation style output and click Update.        

          RefWorks Citation Manager Menu   RefWorks Citation Manager choose citation style output   RefWorks Citation Manager change citation style   Click update to change citation style output in RefWorks Citation Manager

You can easily create a Reference page (called Bibliography in RefWorks) from the All Documents area, any collection or your search results list.

Navigate to the collection you want to use (or All Documents area or run a search and select items) and click the Create bibliography icon . 

You can choose to create a bibliography for selected references or for all of the reference in the collection (or in All Documents if that's the view you are in).

RefWorks screenshot showing the Create bibliography link.

 

 

Overview

You can create citations in RefWorks to copy to your document, or more conveniently, you can add them while working in your document using a RefWorks add-on. In addition, the add-ons enable you to manage the citations in the: delete, add, restyle, and so forth.

Save to RefWorks is a browser bookmarklet that enables you to add references to your RefWorks account directly from your browser.

See the sections on this page for information about the bookmarklet and about the add-on relevant for your environment.

Save to RefWorks

Save to RefWorks is a bookmarklet that you can install in your browser's favorites (bookmarks) bar. When you are browsing a website that has references that you would like to add to your RefWorks account, select the bookmarklet. RefWorks attempts to save the references and full texts.

Save to RefWorks should work on any modern browser.

Installing Save to RefWorks

To install Save to RefWorks:

  1. Ensure that your browser's favorites toolbar is currently visible in your browser.
  2. In RefWorks, select Tools > Tools. The Tools page appears.
  3. Select Install Save to RefWorks. A dialog box appears.
  4. Drag and drop the Save to RefWorks add-on to your browser's favorites toolbar. The add-on is installed.
  5. Click anywhere on the page to close the dialog box.

If you experience any problems, see Contact RefWorks Support.

Adding References Using Save to RefWorks

To add a reference or a list of references from a website to RefWorks:

  1. Ensure that you are logged into RefWorks.
  2. While browsing any website, when viewing a page containing a reference, or information about a reference, select Save to RefWorks from your browser's favorites toolbar. Save to RefWorks opens a right sidebar.

    save_to_refworks_pane.png

    Save to RefWorks Right Sidebar

    • If Save to RefWorks detects a single reference on the page, Save to RefWorks prefills as many fields as it can. Enter or correct information as required and select Save to RefWorks. The reference is added to your RefWorks account.
    • If Save to RefWorks detects multiple references, a list of references appears in the right sidebar. Select the relevant references and select Save to RefWorks. You can edit each one by first opening the reference (select > in the reference row).
  3. You can then choose to assign the reference/s to a folder/s and whether to import tags or not.
    import tags.png
  4. If you have multiple projects, select the project to which you want to save the reference and click Continue.

Overview

You can create citations in RefWorks to copy to your document, or more conveniently, you can add them while working in your document using a RefWorks add-on. In addition, the add-ons enable you to manage the citations in the: delete, add, restyle, and so forth.

RefWorks Add-on

To install RefWorks Add-Ons

  1. Under your account, select Tools
  2. Select the version you'd like to install: Word, Google Docs, or Hangul
  3. Follow the links and installation directions in your selected program
  4. For help using the Add-On, see instructions here: https://knowledge.exlibrisgroup.com/RefWorks/Product_Documentation/RefWorks_User_Guide/0500_RefWorks_Add-ons%3A_Connecting_Your_Browser%2C_Microsoft_Word%2C_and_Google_Docs_to_RefWorks/002_RefWorks_Citation_Manager

 

Annotated Bibliography

Writing an annotated bibliography can help readers learn more about a topic. An annotated bibliography can be a stand alone publication. You describe, evaluate, and explain why a title is on your list and the relationship to the topic. 


1. Start by harvesting citations from article and database sites. Many databases offer the feature of supplying a citation. Look for an icon with a single "quote" 

2. Tell the audience what role the citation plays in explaining the topic (i.e. background, evidence, theoretical, critical... )

3. You may want to see if a chosen work has been reviewed by scholars.

4. You may want to see if the work has been well cited by other scholars.

5. You may wish to review the bias-free language tips from American Psychological Association (APA).