Using RefWorks to Create an Annotated Bibliography

Transcription

1 Using RefWorks to Create an Annotated Bibliography Stage 1 : Gathering inform ation and m anaging the sources. Before you begin, open two windows in your browser. In one open Ref Works from the library hom e page; in the other open a database (e.g., EBSCOhost MLA I nternational Bibliography). First Tim e Login. When you first open the RefWorks page, click on the Sign up for an I ndividual Account link to create your account. Use any login nam e that seem s reasonable to you and any password you ll rem em ber. Type of user and area of focus are optional. I ndividual Folders. To organize your references you need to set up folders. You can set up a folder for each assignm ent or for each course. Under Folders, select Create New Folder. For this class, please nam e it LastNam eeng4 1 1 (mine would be SchauENG411). This will be helpful when creating the class-wide bibliography. Click OK. Adding references to your folder. There are two ways to add references to your folder m anually and through direct exportation from select databases. Librarian: Elizabeth Lawler Schau Page 1 of 5

2 Manually. Even though m any databases (including Ebsco), allow for direct im portation of citations into RefWorks, it s a good idea to know how to do it m anually for two reasons. First of all, not all databases (for exam ple, the World Shakespeare Bibliography) allow direct im portation and secondly, you never know when things get buggy or just don t work right! You can m anually enter the inform ation for a reference that will go into your reference list by clicking on References, Add New Reference and proceeding with the following steps: First, choose the form at you intend to use (in our case, MLA 6 t h Edition). Then choose the appropriate folder, especially if you have m ultiple folders. Next, select the appropriate Ref Type and enter the data in the appropriate fields (see a librarian or your instructor if you have questions). Write your annotation if you are creating an annotated bibliography (I recom m end com posing and saving your annotations in Microsoft Word and sim ply pasting them in the box. You will need them later anyway!). When you are finished entering the inform ation, click Save Reference. Although nothing really changes on the screen, your reference is saved. Direct im portation. As m entioned previously, you can also im port references directly from a database. Let s do this with MLA International Bibliography from EbscoHost. After searching and finding citations, add them to your folder. Librarian: Elizabeth Lawler Schau Page 2 of 5

3 Go to the folder in EbscoHost and click Save to Disk. At the Save Manager screen, click the Bibliographic Manager tab. Then select Direct export to RefW orks and be sure there is no check m ark in the Rem ove these item s from folder after saving option. Then click Save. Back in RefWorks, place a check m ark next to the newly im ported records and place them in the appropriate folder. Librarian: Elizabeth Lawler Schau Page 3 of 5

4 You can continue to add citations to your folder as you work on your research. I MPORTANT NEXT STEP!!! While directly im porting records is quick and easy, for this assignm ent, you will need to m ake som e m odifications to your RefWorks entries after you ve im ported them. Ebsco/ MLA has autom atically im ported the descriptors used by MLA. You will need to delete these descriptors and create your own. You will also need to paste in your annotation. Make sure you click Save Reference when you are finished! Stage 2 : Pulling together your annotated bibliography When you are ready to create and print-out your annotated bibliography for assignm ent, follow these directions. Make sure everything you need is in your ENG411 folder. Click Bibliography and proceed with the following steps (see im age below): Under Output Style, select MLA 6 th Edition. Select Form at a Bibliography from a List of References (the second radio button). Under File Type to Create, select either W ord for W indow s or W ord for Mac. Under I nclude, select References from and your ENG4 1 1 folder from the drop down list. Click Create Bibliography. Librarian: Elizabeth Lawler Schau Page 4 of 5

5 When (if) prom pted, save the Word docum ent in an appropriate place (you m ay change the nam e as well if necessary). Open your new file in Microsoft Word. Unfortunately, you will notice that RefWorks does not export your annotations. If you have already saved your annotations in a Microsoft Word docum ent, you can sim ply cut and paste. You m ay also cut and paste from your references in RefWorks. In the Word docum ent, m ake sure you also change W orks Cited to Annotated Bibliography and re-order your citations chronologically if directed. Proofread the references and the annotations. Rem em ber, you are ultim ately responsible for your final docum ent ( com puters and hum ans m ake m istakes rely on your keen eye to spot those last m inute errors). Librarian: Elizabeth Lawler Schau Page 5 of 5