WISER : Biosciences Reference Management Roger Mills & Juliet Ralph February 2009

This session formulating a research query selecting and searching appropriate databases exporting to reference management software inserting references in a document compiling a bibliography.

The research query Suppose we are interested in the clutch size (number of eggs laid) of the barn swallow, Hirundo rustica. What are the key concepts? What search terms to use? How to combine them?

Sample search Start with barn swallow* – * is a truncation symbol and will retrieve both barn swallow and barn swallows. Then search for hirundo rustica. Combine the two sets using OR. Do another keyword search for clutch size. Combine this set with the barn swallow* OR hirundo rustica set using AND

Selecting a database OxLIP+ (Oxford Libraries Information Platform) Search for database name Or by Subject, e.g. Biological Sciences, Medical Sciences Remote access –Oxford University Single sign-on (SSO)

B iosciences databases BIOSIS (biology, biochemistry, experimental & pre-clinical medicine)BIOSIS (biology, biochemistry, experimental & pre-clinical medicine) CAB Abstracts (agriculture & forestry)CAB Abstracts (agriculture & forestry) Embase (the “European Medline”)Embase (the “European Medline”) Medline (medicine)Medline (medicine) PsycINFO (psychology)PsycINFO (psychology) Zoological Record (zoology)Zoological Record (zoology)Also Scopus (science & medicine)Scopus (science & medicine) Web of Science (Science Citation Index)Web of Science (Science Citation Index)

Coverage JournalsDatesExtras Biosis Conference proceedings CAB Conf proc & theses Embase Conference proceedings Medline Trials PsycInfo Chapters & dissertations Zoo Record Conference proceedings

Coverage JournalsDatesExtras Scopus Inc. Medline & Embase 15, Conf proc & patents Web of Science (core journals in all subjects) 9, Conf proc & book reviews

What are they searching? Article titleArticle title AbstractAbstract Journal titleJournal title AuthorsAuthors Descriptors / Subject HeadingsDescriptors / Subject Headings AffiliationAffiliation ReferencesReferences …..But not the full text…..But not the full text

For a comprehensive literature search Search more than one database on Oxlip+Oxlip+ Compare results from –ScopusScopus –BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Zoological Record

Exporting from Ovid to Reference management packages Results Manager –Results Format Direct Export –Save –Export results to RefWorks, EndNote etc RefWorks account set-up and log in –

Exporting from Scopus Select records Click on Output Choose Export Choose Export Format required (RefWorks direct, or RIS for EndNote) Choose how much detail to Output (Complete Format includes the most) Click on Export

What can reference management software do? Store references to items in many different formats and material types Search, select and output references in a variety of pre-determined styles, or one of your own making Import references direct from databases like Scopus or Web of Knowledge, or library catalogues like OLIS Search external databases from within the reference management software, and save references retrieved Insert references into a word-processed document and format them in a particular style at the touch of a button Store links to documents – pdf’s, images – or copies of them within database

Products available The Thomson-Reuters family: –ProCite – Reference Manager – EndNote - EndNote Web –Thomson own Web of Knowledge, Biosis etc The ProQuest family: –RefWorks – RefWorks Scopus Edition – RefShare –ProQuest own CSA, Dialog, Chadwyck-Healey etc For LaTeX users: –BibTex Also consider: –Zotero

Which product for me? (1) RefWorks and EndNote –allow direct export from selected databases –have very similar features RefWorks –web based –access your records anywhere, so long as you are online –database can be saved for offline work –free to members of university –otherwise c.£90 EndNote –software must be installed –works without web access, so long as you have your own machine –must be purchased, c.£80

Which product for me? (2) EndNote Web –free to members of university –limited feature set –designed to be used alongside desktop version Zotero –free plug-in for Firefox browser (only) –limited but growing capability BibTeX –tools are free Social bookmarking sites e.g. CiteULike, Connotea –Free –convenient for storing and sharing references –do not provide word processor interaction, text formatting etc.

EndNote, EndNote Web & RefWorks compared Compare features: EndNote Web EndNote DesktopRefWorks Save references+++ Organize & edit references+++ Storage capacity (number of references)10,000unlimited Import from many databases and OPACs+++ Cite & format papers with bibliographies+++ Create & save advanced searches +create (not save) Customize views & displays ++ Edit reference import filters & output styles + RW can add or edit import filters Users can edit output styles Use term lists for auto-entry ++ Cite tables, figures, & equations ++ Work Offline (anytime/anywhere) +Write papers offline only Local Personal Files and Documents ++ High Performance Desktop Environment +

Some screen shots of what they look like…

Further help available Ask Library staff Contact your subject librarian. See: Check out online help at and Attend a RefWorks or EndNote half-day course at OUCS – see Try our online tutorials