RefWorks: Introduction

RefWorks is a web-based reference manager that allows you to create your own personal database by importing references from online databases and other sources. You can use these references in writing papers and automatically format the paper and the bibliography in seconds, in a preferred citation style such as APA or Chicago.

ProQuest RefWorks and Legacy RefWorks

Two versions of RefWorks exist: ProQuest RefWorks (also known as New RefWorks or simply RefWorks) and Legacy RefWorks. When you are new to RefWorks, we advise you to use ProQuest RefWorks.

Legacy RefWorks deactivation date is June 30, 2023

If you are using Legacy RefWorks we encourage you to upgrade to ProQuest RefWorks well before Legacy RefWorks is deactivated on June 30, 2023. If you want to change to ProQuest RefWorks, see From Legacy RefWorks to ProQuest RefWorks.  

Why use a reference manager?

RefWorks is a reference manager, like EndNote, Zotero, Citavi, Mendeley and others. These programs are useful for, among others:

• Pulling references automatically
  You can add reference manually to a reference manager, but also pull them directly (often in bulk) from many academic databases with a few easy clicks.
• Managing of references
  With a reference manager you keep the overview over the literature you've found. You can organize the titles in folders, add keywords and other information. In some programs you can also add PDF-files to the references, so you have the literature near at hand as well.
• Adding references and creating a bibliography
  Reference managers help you make literature lists in an output style (like APA or Chicago) and often make citations in a text. The reference manager automatically applies the rules of the different styles.

Why use RefWorks?

Some benefits of RefWorks are:

• RefWorks is web-based. The references are saved on a server so you can access them from any computer with an internet connection.
• Import filters, necessary to import references from a certain database in the correct way into RefWorks, and output styles (like APA and Chicago) are automatically updated.
• Many databases have a Direct Export function, making the import of references in RefWorks easy.
• EUR-students and -staff can use RefWorks without additional costs.
• RefWorks can connect to your papers in Word, Google Docs or Hangul via add-ons (Write-N-Cite or RCM) to add in-text references.

Please note: All reference managers are tools: remain critical and double-check the results, reference list, and/or references in the text!

By when do legacy RefWorks users need to upgrade?
The current planned legacy turn off date is June 30, 2023. All users must upgrade before this date.

Please note: Don't upgrade when you have a deadline for your paper, thesis or article - you need some time to get used to ProQuest RefWorks when you are used to Legacy RefWorks. Also: documents created with Write-N-Cite in Legacy RefWorks are not compatible with ProQuest RefWorks. You can keep using the same version of Write-N-Cite, but you cannot continue to work on existing documents created in Legacy RefWorks. You can upgrade documents created in Legacy RefWorks to be compatible with ProQuest RefWorks. Always save a copy of your document before upgrading it!
If you are using Legacy RefWorks we encourage you to upgrade to ProQuest RefWorks well before Legacy RefWorks is deactivated on June 30, 2023.

To move your references from Legacy RefWorks to ProQuest RefWorks:

1. When you have multiple Legacy RefWorks accounts, make sure you are not logged in. 
2. Open your ProQuest RefWorks account
3. Click + Add
4. Choose Import references
5. Click Legacy RefWorks
6. The references will be imported in the current project. Click Authorize when that's the project you want to use, otherwise click select the desired Project to select a different project or to create a new project.
7. Log in using your Legacy RefWorks credentials
8. Your references, your folders and output styles you created yourself in your Legacy RefWorks account are imported.

Legacy RefWorks will be deactivated on June 30, 2023. If you are using Legacy RefWorks we encourage you to upgrade to ProQuest RefWorks well before this date.

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Undergraduates, pre-masters, master students and research master students.