A Guide to EndNote

Omni and some databases, like those on the EBSCO and Web of Science platforms have options to directly export references to EndNote.

1. While in a database, select reference(s) of interest (e.g., mark items to a folder or list)
2. Look for Export (or Save) options 
3. Select an Export to EndNote option. 

NOTE: If the EndNote export option is not available, select the RIS file format and follow the instructions for importing references from databases. 

You can save references from many databases and import them into EndNote. 

EndNote 21 & 20 desktop

• While in a database, select reference(s) of interest (e.g., mark items to a folder or list).
• Look for Export (or Save) options.
• Select the RIS file format and Save.
• Once you have saved the references in a file, open EndNote desktop.
• In EndNote desktop  ...
  • go to to the File menu and select Import > File (or Folder)
  • on the Import File window, select the Choose... button to find and select the import file
  • make your selections in the Import Option: (e.g., Reference Manager (RIS)), Duplicates: and Text Translation: drop-down menus
  • click the Import button.
  • the references imported from the file are now saved to the folder you selected or into your Unfiled folder.

EndNote web - available exclusively to EndNote 21 users

• More information from Clarivate may be coming soon

EndNote online

• While in a database, select reference(s) of interest (e.g., mark items to a folder or list).
• Look for Export (or Save) options.
• Select RIS Format and Save. NOTE: Remember the name of the database or platform searched.
• Once you have saved the references in a file, open EndNote online.
• In EndNote online ...
  • go to the Collect tab and select Import References.
  • on the Import References page, go to File: and select the Choose File button. This will open a window for you to find and select the import file.
  • go to the Import Option: drop-down menu and select the database you exported the records from. If the database you used isn't in the list, select RefMan RIS.
  • optionally, from the To: drop-down menu, select the group (or folder) into which you want to save the references.
  • click the Import button.
  • the references imported from the file are now saved to the folder you selected or into your Unfiled folder.
     

How to import references from selected databases

• MEDLINE via Ovid (Rutgers University Libraries)
• PubMed (Rutgers University Libraries)
• Cochrane Library (Rutgers University Libraries)
• Google Scholar (Rutgers University Libraries)

Importing a library from another citation manager?

• EndNote: Transferring records from Mendeley Desktop (Clarivate)
• EndNote: Converting from RefWorks to EndNote (Clarivate)
• EndNote: Transferring References from Zotero to EndNote (Clarivate)

To capture online references from web pages into EndNote desktop or EndNote online, use the Capture Reference bookmarklet or the browser extension EndNote Click. These two browser plug-ins capture metadata on a web page and create a reference for you to save in EndNote.

EndNote 21 & 20 desktop

• EndNote Click is automatically added into your preferred default browser when EndNote desktop is installed.

EndNote web - available exclusively to EndNote 21 users

• More information from Clarivate may be coming soon

EndNote online

• EndNote online: Install plug-ins (Clarivate) - covers Capture Reference and EndNote Click
   

Capture Reference

1. While on a web page (or in a database) and you want to add reference(s) to EndNote, click the Capture Reference bookmark and a pop-up window should open in your browser. NOTE: The first time you use the Capture tool during a session, you will be prompted to open EndNote.
2. When the Capture New Reference window appears, ensure that the correct Reference Type: has been selected from the drop-down menu (e.g., Journal Article, Web Page) and review or input all the relevant bibliographic fields (author, title, year, etc.) for that item. Ensure that the information in the Capture New Reference window is correct and complete, so that EndNote will be able to format your bibliography correctly later.
3. Once completed, select which Groups you want to save the reference to and Save.

EndNote Click (formerly Kopernio)

• EndNote Click: Get Started in Two Minutes (Clarivate)
• EndNote Click guides on PDF capturing methods for Google Scholar and PubMed (Clarivate)
• EndNote Click: Off-Campus Access (McMaster Libraries) - includes a customized McMaster link for EndNote Click Premium.
• Introducing EndNote Click: a class recording (31:50) (Clarivate)
  This class recording provides an introductory overview of EndNote Click.

EndNote 21 & 20 desktop

The Online Search feature allows you to search some library catalogues and databases for references within EndNote and add them directly to your EndNote library. By default, the following resources may already be listed under the ONLINE SEARCH group set.

• Jisc Library Hub Discover - search a database of over 200 UK and Irish academic, national & specialist library catalogues
• Library of Congress - search the United States Library of Congress library catalogue
• McMaster U - search Omni - McMaster Libraries (Catalogue only), Does not include articles or other Omni libraries
• PubMed (NLM) - search the biomedical database from the NLM (National Library of Medicine)
• Web of Science Core Collection - search the multi-disciplinary database from Clarivate. NOTE: This online search only works on-campus or off-campus when using McMaster's VPN + Remote Desktop Connection.  

To add other resources to Online Search, you must find and select the relevant connection file as follows:

1. Go to the Tools menu and select Online Search... or click the + sign next to the ONLINE SEARCH group set
2. In the Choose A Connection pop-up window, search or browse for a database/catalogue name (e.g., McMaster) and/or information provider in the list. NOTE: If you can't find a resource in the list, try this Connection Files site which has almost 4,000 connections available for download.
3. In the Choose A Connection window, click on the desired resource (e.g., McMaster U), and then click the Choose button. The selected resource should now display in the ONLINE SEARCH group set.

NOTE: Open access resources like library catalogues and databases like PubMed should be searchable within EndNote both on and off-campus. Searching subscription databases within EndNote (like Web of Science Core Collection) may not work or only work when accessing EndNote on a computer connected directly to the McMaster network (i.e. on-campus or off-campus using McMaster VPN + Remote Desktop Connection). If you want to conduct a search of a subscription database, it is usually best to go directly to the database itself to carry out your search and then export or import selected references to EndNote.

To conduct an Online Search within EndNote ...

1. Go to the ONLINE SEARCH group set, and click on the name of the catalogue or database you wish to search (e.g. McMaster U). If not displayed, find and add a connection for a particular resource using these instructions.
2. When the connection has been established, a Search panel will be displayed in EndNote (top of screen). In the search boxes, enter your search words and pick the appropriate search fields (e.g., Author, Title, Keyword, etc.). NOTE: Search options will vary according to the online resource selected.
3. Click Search
4. EndNote searches the selected resource and displays the number of references that were found matching your search criteria. To pause reference or record retrieval, select Pause. When ready to continue retrieval, select Resume.
   NOTE: The connection to the online resource is maintained only until the search is completed and the matching references are retrieved. When the references are downloaded, you are automatically disconnected. Each time you initiate another search, EndNote reconnects.

When you can't export, import or capture a reference to EndNote, you can add it manually.

EndNote 21 & 20 desktop

• open the relevant library in EndNote desktop
• go to the References menu and select New Reference
• go to the Reference Type drop-down menu and select the appropriate type (e.g., book, journal article, web page, etc.)
• enter the details of the reference into the appropriate bibliographic fields (i.e., author, title, year, etc.). 
• press the Save button once ready to add this new reference to your active EndNote library.

See also:
EndNote 21: Adding a new reference - Windows | macOS (Clarivate)
EndNote 20: Adding a new reference - Windows | macOS (Clarivate)

EndNote web - available exclusively to EndNote 21 users

• sign-in to EndNote web
• select the + sign in the Reference List panel to add a new reference
• select Create manually from the pop-up menu
• in the Create new reference window, go to the Reference Type drop-down menu and select the appropriate type (e.g., book, journal article, etc.)
• enter the details of the reference into the appropriate bibliographic fields (i.e., author, title, year, etc.)
• click the Save button
• move the saved reference to the desired group

EndNote online 

• sign-in to EndNote online
• go to the Collect tab and select New Reference
• go the the Reference Type drop-down menu and select the appropriate type (e.g., book, journal article, web page, etc.).
• enter the details of the reference into the appropriate bibliographic fields (i.e., author, title, year, etc.). 
• go to the My Groups drop-down list (located in box to the left in My References section) and choose the Group where the reference will be saved.
• click the Save button. NOTE: The Save button appears once information has been added.
• option to attach the item/file is also available.