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Importing References from an Online Database

In addition to entering a reference manually, EndNote will allow you to import references directly from some online databases in Wesleyan's list of Indexes & Databases. Remember, not all databases will allow you to use this feature; if not, you can cut and paste or type them in.. To see if a database works with EndNote, check its Help page, or see how to save citations: if it works with EndNote, there should be a way to export citations directly into EndNote or save citations to a file that can then be imported into EndNote.  

There are two ways to transfer references from online databases into an EndNote library (aside from doing it manually): 

  • Connect to the database through EndNote and use EndNote's search engine (easier to import citations you find, but it can be harder to find the citations since you are not using the database's own search capabilities). This is useful for online catalogs of books (such as the CTW Catalog), but can only be used for a few journal or subject indexes. 
  • Search the database as you normally would, then save the citations you want into a file that can be imported into EndNote (a few extra steps to get the citations into EndNote, but you can use the database's full search capabilities). This option can be used for many, but not all, of the indexes and databases Wesleyan library subscribes to; see the list at Importing from Specific Databases.  

To connect directly to a database through EndNote, see the page on Searching Online Databases with EndNote. 

To import references from an online database that is compatible with EndNote: 

  • Perform your search as usual in the online database
  • Select the references you wish to save into your EndNote library

At this point, there are two ways to import the records into EndNote, depending on the database you are using. With some databases, you can save the results of your search directly into your EndNote library. With others, you must save your search results as a separate file, then open the file with EndNote to import the records. 

For those where you save search results in a separate file: 

  • Save the results in the correct format, as indicated on the Importing from Specific Databases page. 
  • In EndNote, open the library you wish to import the results into.
  • Choose File from the main tool bar
  • Choose Import. This will bring up the box below. 
  • Click on Choose File to locate the file you saved the references in. 
  • Select the correct Import Option from the pull-down menu; each database has a unique filter file. For a list of filters, click on Other Filters and find the one for the database you saved the references from. Note that you need to know both the name of the database (e.g. Sociological Abstracts or PsycInfo) and the "information provider" which provides our access to the database (e.g. Cambridge Scientific Abstracts or OVID). 
  • Choose an option from the Duplicates pull-down menu: Import all will import all records. Discard Duplicates will not import references that match ones already in your library. Import into Duplicates Library will import duplicates into a separate library so that you can review them later.
  • Click Import to import the references
  • The imported references will open in a new window so that you can easily review them. To see all your references, choose References from the main tool bar, and choose Show All.

    • importing

    If there is no filter for your database in the list of filters, go to EndNote's Import Filters page to get a copy of the filter you need. Sort by Database or by Information Provider, then find the database in the list. Make sure you select the correct information provider from which you accessed the database (many databases are available through more than one information provider).  Then click "FTP" to get a copy of the filter; save it in the "Filters" folder in "EndNote." If EndNote does not provide a filter for your database, you will have to input the citations manually.