Overview of RefWorks
RefWorks is a comprehensive reference management service designed to support the research needs of students, faculty, and librarians. Here is an overview of what the product does and its key features:
What RefWorks Does
RefWorks streamlines the process of research, collaboration, data organization, and writing by providing an easy-to-use tool for citation, bibliography, and reference management. It enables users to efficiently manage references, collaborate with others, and produce accurate and well-formatted research papers.
Key Features and Functionality
Collection and Import
RefWorks allows users to find, access, and capture research materials from virtually any source and in any format. Key features include:
- Direct Export and Bookmarklet: Users can add references directly from websites using the “Save to RefWorks” bookmarklet or through direct export when supported.
- Import References: Users can import references from other reference management services, such as Mendeley, or upload reference files.
Management of Research
RefWorks provides a centralized workspace to store and manage all references. Key features include:
- Modern Interface: A user-friendly interface for storing and managing references, including uploaded files, physical or electronic books, chapters, and citations from external websites.
- Organizing Tools: Users can organize references using folders, tags, and powerful search and filtering options. References can be in multiple folders and have multiple tags.
- Deduplication: Tools to help find and eliminate duplicate references.
Collaboration
RefWorks facilitates collaboration among researchers:
- Sharing: Users can share individual references or entire folders with collaborators. This includes the ability to share collections privately with members of the institution or with any RefWorks user.
- Annotation and Highlighting: Users can view, annotate, and highlight full-text documents individually or in a collaborative environment.
Citation and Bibliography
RefWorks offers robust citation and bibliography management:
- Multiple Citation Styles: Supports various citation styles, including CSL styles, and a comprehensive citation style editor to create new styles.
- Bibliography Creation: Users can create bibliographies from selected references to add to documents or websites. The tool also includes features for quick citations and managing citation styles.
Integration and Synchronization
RefWorks integrates with other services and tools:
- Dropbox Synchronization: When enabled by the institution, RefWorks can synchronize with Dropbox, automatically making copies of uploaded citations in the user’s Dropbox account.
- Single Sign-On: Users can configure single sign-on with their local institution.
Support and Resources
RefWorks provides extensive support and resources:
- Round-the-Clock Support: Available support includes online resources, webinars, and direct contact with the support team.
- User Guides and Tutorials: Access to detailed user guides, video tutorials, and other support materials to help users get started and stay informed about new features.
Overall, RefWorks is a powerful tool that simplifies the research process, enhances collaboration, and ensures the accuracy and consistency of citations and bibliographies.