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Add references and full text

Export references from databases

You can add references and full-text documents into EndNote in the following ways:

  • Export references from search tools
  • Manually enter references
  • Attaching documents
  • Importing PDFs.

When you add new references to your EndNote library, it’s important to check for and remove duplicate references so that there are no issues with creating bibliographies in Word.

Export references from academic search tools

EndNote can receive references directly from a range of search tools, including databases. This is known as exporting references.

Here are the steps for exporting from Library Search, Google Scholar and academic databases.

Exporting from Library Search results

To export references from Library Search results:

  1. Mark the items you wish to keep by clicking on the “Add item to favourites” pin icon for each result. This will add it to your favourites folder.
  2. Click on the “Go to my favourites” pin icon in the header at the top of the page to access your favourites folder.
  3. In the favourites folder, select the records you want to export (or choose to select all items at the top of the list).
  4. Click the “push-to actions” three dots next to “My Favourites” and select Export RIS (EndNote).
  5. Click the Download button (or Import to Citation Manager) to save the records to your computer.
  6. When the records have been downloaded, click on the file and select “Open”.

Watch our video on how to export references from Library Search results (opens in YouTube):

Exporting from Google Scholar

You can only export one reference at a time from Google Scholar, so it is not suitable for comprehensive literature searching.

To export references from Google Scholar:

  1. Click on the Google Scholar homepage menu (the three lines at the top left), and then click “Settings”.
  2. Under “Bibliography Manager” select the option “Show links to import citations into” and choose “EndNote”.
  3. Save.
  4. Perform your search in Google Scholar, then click on “Import into EndNote” for each relevant reference to download the record to your computer.
  5. When the record has been downloaded, click on the file and select “Open”.

Exporting from academic databases

Most academic databases (including Ovid, Ebsco, Proquest, Scopus and Web of Science) allow you to export references to EndNote and other citation managers.

Each database is different, so the export button might have various names. Look for one of these buttons near the search results on the database you are using:

  • cite
  • export
  • send to
  • download.

If you are not sure whether you can export to EndNote, check the database’s help section.

If you are given options for which file format to download, choose EndNote Desktop or RIS if available.

Records are automatically imported into the EndNote library that you have opened. If you do not have an EndNote library open, EndNote will prompt you to choose one.

In some browsers, your records will be downloaded in a file. To import them to EndNote, click on the file and choose “Open”. If you are prompted for an import filter, scroll down the list and select the database you are using.

You will be able to export references from most academic databases using the advice above. Watch the following videos for more detailed guidance on: