Skip to Main Content

RefWorks

How to create annotated bibliographies within RefWorks.

Using RefWorks to create an Annotated Bibliography first requires some editing of each record imported. Then when you have the annotations written and saved the output style you choose must include the phrase 'Annotated with Abstracts'. Only APA, MLA, and USGS styles include the annotation option.

Note: When you export a record from a database it automatically loads the abstract of the article in the Abstracts field in RefWorks. The output formats will include whatever they find in the Abstracts field as the "annotation," so you need to edit the Abstract field in each RefWorks record to replace the abstract with your OWN annotation. Here are the steps:

  1. Export resources into your RefWorks Library.
  2. Create a new folder for the specific titles you want to include in the annotated bibliography.
  3. Upload the full text of each document into RefWorks. Click here for more detail on how to do this.
  4. Take notes as you read each document summarizing for the annotation.
  5. In RefWorks, edit each record to add your annotations.
    • Select the document to edit.
    • Click the pencil icon on the right side to open the editor.
    • Move the current abstract into the 'Notes' field. Just cut and paste.
    • Then add your own annotation into the 'Abstract' field.
    • Save the edit
  6.  Once a source has been edited you are ready to create the annotated bibliography using the 'Annotated' output style option.
  7. When you choose the 'output style' enter 'annotated' into the search box. This will display the 'Annotated ' options for APA, MLA & USGS styles.
  8. Choose the style you need to see the formatted annotated bibliography.
  9. Copy it to the clipboard.
  10. Open Word and paste. Last chance to edit! Is it double-spaced as required by APA & MLA? Are the authors formatted correctly? Great time for the last-minute revisions.
  11. Now you are ready to share by email or post in Blackboard your Annotated Bibliography.

NOTE: Only these few output styles have a pre-packaged "Annotated with Abstracts" option:

  • APA, 6th, & 7th editions
  • MLA, 7th, 8th editions

Old School - Cut, Copy & Paste Method

Follow the steps to use the 'Annotated with Abstracts' output option to create the format structure, then just replace the abstracts with your annotations by simply cutting and pasting.

  1. Keep the citations you wish to use in one folder.
  2. Write and save annotations for your citations using a word processor
  3. In RefWorks, use that folder and a format for Annotated with Abstracts to create a document with the proper structure for your annotated bibliography.
  4. Replace the abstracts in the document with your annotations.

The point of this is to use RefWorks for formatting. For example, APA style requires that your annotations be double-spaced; the format should be retained if you just replace the text of the abstracts in your document with your own annotations.

This method doesn't require you to put your annotations in RefWorks, but it does require that you keep them somewhere as you are reading the articles.