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RefWorks

Information on using this web-based bibliographic citation management service

What is RefWorks?

Login to RefWorks

RefWorks is a web-based bibliographic citation management service that is useful for tracking citations, generating bibliographies, citing sources in papers, and organizing your research. RefWorks is provided by the Sealy Library through the student technology fee. RefWorks allows you to:

  • Create your own database of citations housed on the RefWorks server which can be accessed by any web-accessible computer. You can get access to your data from anywhere! Home, work, on campus or off.
  • Download selected results from library periodical databases and OneSearch.
  • Generate bibliographies effortlessly in APA and many other bibliographic styles (MLA, Chicago, Turabian,etc.)
  • Write papers using MS Word and insert citations as you write and generate a reference list.
  • Export your RefWorks database to your personal computer for use in other bibilographic management software programs such as EndNote, ProCite, & Reference Manager.

Take a look at this general brochure for an overview of RefWorks.

RefWorks also has its own YouTube channel with helpful tutorials to get you started.

Welcome to the New RefWorks

This Refworks guide is good place to start if you are new to using RefWorks.

Legacy RefWorks vs. New RefWorks?

There are currently two versions of RefWorks available - legacy (original) and the new version.

You may come across the option to choose between the two if you are exporting from article databases. See this guide for help with upgrading to the New RefWorks.

Legacy RefWorks users who want to transfer their libraries have two options:

  1. Soft Migration: When you log into the Legacy RefWorks, you will see a link at the top of the screen that says, “Migrate to new RefWorks… “. Choosing that link will move your account data to the new ProQuest RefWorks. You will be prompted to login to the new ProQuest RefWorks using your college email. If you used your college email to create your original account (do not choose the option that says "Use login from my institution"). At this point you are essentially creating a new account. If you currently sign into legacy RefWorks with your institutional email, you are advised to use a different password from the legacy account to avoid confusion. Your ProQuest. RefWorks account will be created and all your records and folders will be copied from Legacy RefWorks. For more info, refer to this guide.
  2. From within the New Proquest RefWorks: This requires that you have already created an account in the new version of Proquest RefWorks using your John Jay username and password. Use "Import References" from the Add menu icon to move your references from the old to the new RefWorks. You can maintain both accounts and do this migration multiple times (if you wish).

Am I on Legacy RefWorks or New RefWorks?

  • The links for both versions of RefWorks are below.
  • It is possible to have accounts on both platforms, but it is only possible to import new citations to one. We advise that once you migrate your citations from the legacy RefWorks to the new ProQuest that you no longer use the legacy RefWorks.

Refworks Logo

  • RefWorks (Legacy)
    • Legacy version of the online citation management tool. Available at least through 2017.

New Refworks Logo

  • ProQuest RefWorks (new version)
    • Completely new look! New features include drag and drop capability, importing citations and files from websites, and Write-n-Cite for Mac Word 2016 and Google Docs.