RefWorks: Drag & Drop and Manual references

To add an item to RefWorks, click the Add a reference icon  at the top of the page. If you plan on adding the item to an existing collection, click on the collection first, then click the Add a reference icon .

You'll have three options:

• Upload document
• Import references
• Create new reference

You can drag and drop a document (.pdf, .doc, etc.) directly into the Upload document box to upload an existing MS Office, Open Office or .pdf file from your computer. Only 1 document per item allowed. 

From the second option, you can also import a set of references from a text file in the formats offered. On the resulting page, you will able to click and drag the file onto the page to begin importing.

Using Create new reference you can manually enter your bibliographic data or click and drag a file to be imported as well.

Tip:  If you have multiple documents to add to RefWorks, you can select and drag them all at once. RefWorks will create separate items for each.

Regardless of which option you choose, RefWorks uses its document recognition feature to attempt to auto-complete the reference fields on the page.  RefWorks’s document recognition feature is compiled from a combination of authoritative citation sources, ProQuest databases, and end-user generated content and is continually revised and optimized to deliver the best possible results. 

You can change the reference type, manually edit the reference fields and additional fields can be added using the Add more fields drop down box at the bottom of the page. 

If you do not have a file to upload, simply populate the blank fields by typing in the necessary information.

Once you have manually added your item using one of these options, click Save and your item will be added to your RefWorks library.

When entering a reference manually, you will see the option to Find and complete a reference using the title. The suggestions RefWorks recommends are based on whatever text you have already entered (part of a title, an author name, etc.).  If one of the suggestions matches what you are looking for, you can simply click on it and the full reference information will be populated.  And, if you’re an institutional RefWorks and Summon user, we may be able to import the full-text document for you!

Here’s how you can find and add suggested reference data:

1. Click on the Add a reference icon  and select Create new reference
2. Begin typing the title or an author name
3. Look for the Find and complete icon to turn blue or click on it to have RefWorks look for suggestions
   
4. Scroll to the bottom of the reference to see the suggestions and click on the title of the reference you wish to add
   
5. Once the fields populate, you may save what you have imported and then you may look to see if the item is available in full-text using the link resolver your institution may have provided
   

Note:  Full-text is not available for every reference suggestion or from all institutions.

RefWorks makes it really easy to get documents into your computer – just drag and drop one or more files and RefWorks will do the rest!

If you want to add your documents to a specific collection, make sure you’re viewing the collection first, then drag and drop the file(s). If you’re dragging multiple files, RefWorks will create a separate item for each document. Otherwise, drag and drop documents in the All Documents view and you can file them in collections once they are uploaded.

If you’re not sure where the file is on your computer, you can also click the Add a reference icon , then click Import reference option and then use the box for drag and drop, or, to browse and search your computer.  

Note: This option allows you to upload only one document at a time.

Regardless of how you add your documents, RefWorks will try to recognize and populate the reference information using our document authority.  RefWorks will present you with possible matches which you can select to populate the reference fields.

If no reference information is provided, you can manually enter the information.  Make sure to click the Save button to save the reference information.