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RefWorks FAQ

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Can I insert footnotes from RefWorks as I write my paper?

  • Windows Users: Download the Write-and-Cite plug-in to your PC. A button will appear on Word toolbar to enable you to insert footnotes and create a bibliography as you write your paper.
  • Mac Users: Use the One Line/Cite View feature. Consult the RefWorks Online Help for directions.

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How do I insert the page numbers for my citations into a document when I'm using Write-N-Cite?

  • The RefWorks Help Screens are useful for specific questions of this nature.
  • According to the Help Screen for "In-Text Citation Format":
    • /f Following text. This switch is used to place text at the end of a specific reference citation. You could use this switch to add page numbers after the author and year information. Your citation would look like this, {{1 Smith 2003/f p. 43}}. After formatting it would be, (Smith 2003 p. 43).

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Should I back up my RefWorks files?

  • As with all your academic work, you should periodically export your RefWorks files to your own computer or storage device. You can also export the data in a delimited format to use in some other type of database program.

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Can I use RefWorks from off-campus?

  • Yes. When you sign up for an account you will be sent an e-mail message with Fairfield University's Group Code. If you are off-campus you must enter the Group Code before you can login to your account.
  • To set up a new account from Off-Campus:
    • Connect to RefWorks at http://www.refworks.com/refworks.
    • Enter the "Group Code," and click on "Go to Login"
    • Choose "Sign up for an Individual Account."
    • Once you register, you will receive a confirmation e-mail that your account has been created.
  • If you do not know the Group Code, you can retrieve it from your StagWeb account:
    • On the "Library" tab, connect to the "Database Passwords" page.
    • Find the listing for RefWorks. Take note of the "Group Code" listed for RefWorks.
    • Connect to RefWorks at http://www.refworks.com/refworks.
    • Enter the "Group Code," and click on "Go to Login"
    • Choose "Sign up for an Individual Account."
    • Once you register, you will receive a confirmation e-mail that your account has been created.
  • Contact a Reference Librarian at reference@mail.fairfield.edu or (203) 254-4000 ext. 2178 for more information.

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What happens to my data when I graduate or leave Fairfield? Can I take it with me?

  • Yes, you can either purchase an individual subscription from RefWorks for $70 per year or you can export your entire database in a format that is compatible with other bibliographic software programs such as EndNote.

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Where can I get more detailed help with RefWorks?

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Why should I check to see if records imported correctly?

RefWorks imports references based on Import Filters that have been created using data samples from various service providers and databases. Occasionally, there is data that is not imported or data that is imported into an incorrect reference type or field. Any data that is not recognized is reported in the Import Log.

You must check all of your references to make sure the information imported correctly.

Click the View Log button to view information about the imported references.

You may see any of the following messages:

  • "Reference type identifier not found; Use default reference type"

    The Reference Type (i.e., Journal, Report, Map etc.) was not defined for the database. RefWorks imports the data using the default Reference Type. The default is the Reference Type most common for that particular database.

  • "Tag not defined; Not imported"

    The data in the field was not imported because the filter did not recognize the tag.

  • "Source format not found; Import into Notes"

    The Source field generally contains several pieces of information such as Volume, Issue, Page Number(s), Year of Publication, Periodical name, etc. The format of this field varies a great deal, and each format must be specifically defined to ensure RefWorks puts information into the correct fields. If RefWorks does not recognize a particular source line format, it takes all of the information as it is in the database and imports it into the Notes field. For this information to be used correctly for bibliography generation, you need to manually insert in the appropriate fields.

  • "Author pattern not found; Import as is"

    RefWorks attempts to import author names in a specified format so that the name is used correctly in bibliography generation. Common formats such as John Smith or Smith, John are imported into RefWorks correctly. If an author format is not recognized, it is still imported into the Author field but may not be in a correct format when you generate a bibliography. If possible, check the author field for the reference and put it in the format required.

  • "Database identifier in header not found; Use database identifier in reference"

    Import Filters are based on the service and the database. When importing, RefWorks looks for a database identifier to direct it to the appropriate filter. Some databases put the database name in a header file, and others put it in the reference itself. The message indicates that the identifier for this reference was found in the reference itself not the header file.

  • "Database identifier in reference not found; Use default database"

    If RefWorks cannot find a database identifier in the reference it is attempting to import, it uses the Database you selected from the Import window.

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< Instructions for Importing & Exporting records by Datababase Provider