Research Tools 06 — EndNote: Turn Sources into References

EndNote is reference-management software. It helps you organise source records and insert citations into a manuscript. Its Cite While You Write tools can create and update a bibliography.

Build one clear library for your project. Import records from a research database, attach PDFs where permitted, and use groups for topics such as “methods” or “background.”

Before citing, check the author names, title, year, journal, and DOI against the original source. Imported records can contain mistakes. A citation manager formats information; it cannot decide whether a source supports your sentence.

Choose the journal’s required citation style. After revisions, check that every citation points to the intended paper and that the reference list is complete.

Remember: keep a backup of the library and associated files. Ask your university about licensing and the version supported by your writing software.