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EndNote: From Databases to EndNote

EndNote (EN) is a software for managing references. It can automate the many tedious steps involved in organizing and formatting the references and bibliographies in your academic writing. EndNote Web (ENW) is the web version of EN, with fewer features.

How to Use this Section

There are three parts to this section:

Sending references directly from databases to EndNote

Most major databases allow direct sending of references into your Endnote desktop library. The typical steps are illustrated in this section.

Sending references directly from databases to EndNote Web

If you are working on a PC that does not have EndNote desktop installed, you can still send the references to your EndNote Web account.

Instructions for major and selected databases

These are the instructions for major databases and databases that require special instructions (e.g. those that do not support EndNote directly).

Sending References Directly From Databases to EndNote

The majority of the large-scale databases allow direct sending of references into your Endnote desktop library. Please note that only the references will be sent, even though the database may have the full-text article in HTML or PDF. These are the typical steps:

1. At the database, select the reference that you want by clicking within the check box next to it.

2. Look for Save, output, export, download or send to EndNote. This is sometimes labelled as “RIS format”.

3. Click on Open, when prompted, to transfer the selected records to your EndNote library.

 

If you're using Internet Explorer, clicking on Open will bring the references into EndNote if it is installed in the PC you are working on.

If you're using Firefox, you may see a pop-up window similar to the one below:

Change Open with to ResearchSoft Direct Export Helper (default) or EndNote X (version number), and click on OK.

If you're using Chrome, the file will be downloaded, as can be seen from the bottom left of the browser window.

Double click on the downloaded file and the references will be automatically brought into EndNote.

Do note that the databases may produce different files types, such as .ris or cgi.

Note: If the PC does not have EndNote installed, you can use EndNote Web. Alternatively, save the file type, for example, .ris into your thumbdrive or email it to yourself. When you get to a PC with EndNote installed, just double-click on the files and they will be brought into EndNote. If you are not using EndNote, import the references into EndNote by going to File > Import File, and browse for the file. Change the Import Option to Reference Manager (RIS) if the file type is .ris. If the file type is not .ris, click on Import Option > Other Filters and search by the name of the database.

Sending References Directly From Databases to EndNote Web

If you have an EndNote Web account, follow the instructions for Steps 1 & 2 that are given in the above section for EndNote. After that, perform the following steps in EndNote Web:

  • Instead of choosing Open, Save the file (e.g. .ris, .txt) onto your desktop.
  • Click on the tab Collect, followed by Import References.
  • Click on Choose File and select the saved file from your desktop.
  • For Import Option, you need to select the correct filter.
    If your file is .ris, choose the RefMan RIS filter. Use Select Favourites to browse for other filters as listed by database name.
  • For To, select your preferred group (folder) or [Unfiled].

  • Click on the tab My References. Your references will appear in the chosen or Unfiled group.

Instructions for Major and Selected Databases

The instructions below on getting references from selected databases are for Internet Explorer. If you are using Firefox or Chrome, do check out the extra steps involved in  Sending References Directly from Databases to EndNote.

 

ABI / Inform (see ProQuest)

 

 

Academic Onefile (see Gale)

 

ACM Digital Library

  • Search the database.
  • To export a reference, click on the title to view the article.
  • At the right of the page, click on Export Formats > EndNote.
  • At the bottom right of the new window, click on [download], followed by Open.
    (For adding references to EndNote Web, use ACM Digital Library filter.)

Note:
Currently, you can only export one citation at a time in each .enw document, which has to be imported individually into EndNote (http://portal.acm.org/faq_dl.cfm#14). For batch importing of multiple citations, you can combine multiple .enw documents into a single document (e.g. by using Notepad to copy and paste all citations into one document), making sure that you leave a single empty line in between citations.

 

Airiti Library 华艺线上图书馆 

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • Click on the button labelled 書目匯出.
  • At the bottom of the page, under 匯出格式,click on 輸出至Endnote, followed by Open.

 

BIOSIS Previews (see Web of Science)

 

Business Source Premier (see EBSCOhost)

 

China Journal Net 中国期刊网

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • Click on the button labeled 导出.
  • At the left of the new page, select EndNote.
  • Click on the button 输出到本地文件. Save the .txt file to your desktop.
  • Open an existing EndNote Library.
  • At the menu bar, click on File, followed by Import > File.
  • A dialogue box appears. Browse for the saved file and click on Open.
  • For Import Option, select Other Filters and choose EndNote Import.
  • For Text Translation, select Unicode (UTF-8).
  • Click on Import.

 

EBSCOhost 

  • Search the database.
  • Under each reference to be saved, click on the Add to folder icon.
  • At the top right of the page, click on the Folder View.
  • At the right of the new page, click on the Export icon.
  • Select Direct Export in RIS Format (e.g. CITAVI, EasyBib, EndNote, ProCite, Reference Manager, Zotero).
  • Click on Save.
    (For adding references to EndNote Web, select Direct Export to EndNote Web.)

 

EconLIT (see OvidSP)

 

Emerald

  • Search the database.
  • To export a citation, click on View HTML to view the article.
  • At the right of the new page, under Marked List > Add to Marked List, click on Go.
  • Repeat the 2 steps above if necessary.
  • In the menu bar, click on Marked lists.
  • In the List options:, click on Export options.
  • Click on Direct Export > Export to EndNote, Reference Manager.

 

Engineering Village

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • Click on Download.
  • In the Location:, select My PC.
  • In the Format:, select EndNote (RIS, Ref. Manager).
  • In the Output:, select Current page view.
  • Click on Save.

 

Factiva

  • Go to Search > Search Builder and search the database.
  • Click on the Publications tab as only results from publications can be sent to EndNote.

 

  • Under Display Options, select full article plus indexing.
  • Select the relevant articles.
  • Save as article format
  • At the pop-up window, select File > Save As > Text File (*.txt).
  • Open an existing EndNote Library.
  • Click on File, followed by Import.
  • Browse for the saved file and click on Open.
  • For Import Option, select Other Filters and choose Factiva (DJ).
  • Click on Import.
    (Articles cannot be added to EndNote Web at the moment.)

 

FindMore@NUSL

  • Search the discovery system.
  • Click on the greyed-out folder icon (bottom right of each record) to mark each reference.
  • Click on Saved Items on the Saved Items Folder at the top of the screen.
  • At the next screen, select Export: EndNote.

 

Gale

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • At the right of the, click on Saved Items > Marked Items.
  • Click on Citations Tools.
  • Select EndNote and click on Export.

 

Google Scholar

  • At the top-right of the page, click on Settings.
  • Select Bibliography manager > Show links to import citations into... > EndNote.
  • Click on Save.
  • Search the database.
  • To export a reference, click on Import into EndNote.

Note:
1. Setting preferences will not work if you have disabled cookies in your browser.
2. Currently, you can only export one citation at a time in each .enw document, which has to be imported individually into EndNote. For batch importing of multiple citations, you can combine multiple .enw documents into a single document (e.g. by using Notepad to copy and paste all citations into one document), making sure that you leave a single empty line in between citations.

 

IEEE Xplore

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • At the top of the page, click on Download Citations.
  • For Format, select RIS (EndNote, Reference Manager, Procite).
  • Click on Download Citation.

 

JSTOR

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • Select Citation Tools, followed by Export.
  • Under Select a format, choose RIS file (EndNote, ProCite, Reference Manager).

 

LINC

These instructions are for EndNote X5 and earlier. Please note that EndNote X6 does not allow sending of references from LINC. If you are using X6, use FindMore@NUSL instead.

  • Search the catalogue and mark the relevant references.
  • Click on the button Save Marked Records.
  • At the top of the screen, click on Export Saved List.
  • Under Format of List, select End-Note/RefWorks.
  • Under Send List To, select Local Disk and click on Submit.
  • At the file download screen, click on Save.
  • Save the file as a .txt file onto your desktop.
  • Open an existing EndNote Library.
  • At the menu bar, click on File, followed by Import.
  • A dialogue box appears. Browse for the saved file.
  • For Import Option, select Other Filters and search for Innopac. Click on Choose.
  • Click on Import.

 

Linguistic & Language Behavior Abstracts (see ProQuest)

 

MathSciNet

Note: The following can only be done using Internet Explorer.

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • Under Batch Download, select Citations (EndNote).
  • Click on Retrieve Marked.
  • At the browser, click on File, followed by Save As. Save the file as a .txt file onto your desktop.
  • Open an existing EndNote Library.
  • At the menu bar, click on File, followed by Import.
  • A dialogue box appears. Browse for the saved file.
  • For Import Option, select EndNote Import, followed by Choose.
  • Click on Import.

 

Modern Language Association International Bibliography (see ProQuest)

 

OvidSP

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • Click on Export at the top right. 
  • Choose EndNote and click on the Export
  • You can export citation and abstract information

For FSTA database, select Complete Reference in Step 3 before exporting. When Endnote asks what import filter to use, select any filter for OvidSP (e.g. AARP Ageline (OvidSP)).

In IE browser, you can choose to Open (with ResearchSoft Export Helper) or Save the file. In Chrome, Firefox and Safari  browsers, you can only download the created file. Then doubleclick on the dowloaded file (with .cgw or .ris). The citations should go into your EN library smoothly.

ProQuest

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • Click on Export/Save.
  • Choose EndNote, Citavi, or Reference Manager.
  • At the next screen, click on Continue.

 

PsycINFO (see OvidSP)

 

PubMed (NCBI) (MEDLINE)

For EndNote X6 and later:

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • At the top right, click on Send To.
  • Under Choose Destination, click on Citation Manager, followed by Create File.

 

For EndNote X5 and older:

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • At the top right, click on Send To.
  • Under Choose Destination, click on Citation Manager, followed by Create File.
  • At the file download screen, save the .nbib file to your desktop.
  • Open an existing EndNote Library.
  • At the menu bar, click on File, followed by Import. A dialogue box appears.
  • For import data file, browse for the saved file.
  • For import option, select Other filters and choose PubMed (NLM).
  • Click on Import.

 

Reaxys

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references. Make sure you are in Document Search page.
  • At the top of the results list, click on Export.
  • At the new page, under Choose a format, select Literature Management Systems. Click Export.
  • At the bottom right corner, wait for the export process to finish. Click Download to download the references in RIS format.

 

ScienceDirect

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • Click on Export Citations.
  • For Export Format, select RIS format (for Reference Manager, ProCite, Endnote) and click on Export.

 

SciFinder

  • Under Reference: Research Topic, search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • Click on Export at the top right corner of the page.
  • Under For: Citation Manager, make sure Citation export format (*.ris) is selected.
  • Click Export.

 

Scopus

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • Click on the Export icon.
  • For Export Format, select RIS format (Reference Manager, Procite, EndNote).
  • Click on Export.

 

SwetsWise

  • Search the database.
  • To export a reference, click on Add to Filing Cabinet.
  • Repeat the above step if necessary.
  • At the top-right of the page, click on Filing Cabinet.
  • Click on Download Filing Cabinet.
  • For Format, select RIS.
  • Click on Download file.

 

Web of Science

  • Search the database and mark the relevant references.
  • Click on the button Save To: EndNote desktop.

  • Click on "Send".