Open and save the file above which contains the exercises used in the EndNote online course.
You will find lots of useful videos on the EndNote online playlist of the EndNote Training YouTube channel.
1. Thinking that EndNote online (web) will do the referencing for you
EndNote online (web) is a piece of software which can simplify and speed up the process of managing your references and creating bibliographies if used correctly. It cannot, however, make a bad reference good. To use EndNote online (web) effectively you first need to understand how to reference properly.
Use our Referencing Guide and the book Cite Them Right for guidance
2. Inputting author names incorrectly
EndNote online (web) displays author names in Word documents according to the referencing style chosen. To ensure that your author names display correctly, take care when typing them in/exporting from databases. You can use the ‘First Name Surname’ or ‘Surname, First Initial’ formats (e.g. Blair, Elaine or Blair, E.) but certain rules apply.
Multiple authors need to be entered on separate lines within the Author field in your EndNote online (web) library. For example:
Anderson, J.
Emery, L.
Multiple authors on the same line will be treated as one author name and display incorrectly in Word. Separate them using the Enter/Return key.
Corporate authors, organisations and official bodies need to have a comma after them in the Author field. For example:
University of Strathclyde,
Without a comma, EndNote will try and display the name in the Surname, First Initial format (Strathclyde, U.o..).
3. Deleting citations or references directly in Word
If you make a mistake in your Word document and wish to delete an in-text citation or reference do not use the delete key in Word as normal. When you insert citations from EndNote you create a link between EndNote and Word which contains lots of computer coding. If you use the delete key some of this coding can be left behind and corrupt your document. To delete an in-text citation and/or reference in Word properly:
Highlight > Edit Citation(s) > Down arrow and Remove Citation > OK
4. Editing in-text citations or references directly
If you wish to edit your in-text citations or references (for example, to correct a mistake, add a page number or refer to the author or date in your sentence) then do not do this directly in Word. Any changes you make will not be saved and will be overwritten by EndNote online next time you open your Word document.
To edit a citation/reference:
Highlight the in-text citation > Edit Citation(s) > Edit Reference and click on Edit Reference. Make your changes within EndNote online, close the reference (saving the changes if prompted), return to Word and click Update Citations and Bibliography.
To add a page number:
Highlight the in-text citation > Edit & Manage Citation(s). Insert the page number (plus space beforehand if required, e.g. p.22) in the Suffix field and click on OK. (Please note the Pages field does not work with all styles; we recommend the Suffix field instead.)
5. Leaving it too late to learn how to use EndNote or ask for help
EndNote online is a tool designed to save you time. It will only do this if you learn how to use it effectively before starting your assignment. You do not have to use it to produce comprehensive, accurate and consistent bibliographies. If you have already written your assignment, don’t try and use EndNote at the last minute, simply type your bibliography manually.
If you choose to use EndNote for future assignments ensure you do the following: