Reference management software tools are a valuable way of storing references found in literature searches, and then citing the references in your work.
EndNote is a reference management tool which enables you to efficiently build your own library of references and then use this to create citations and reference lists within a Microsoft Word document. These can then be formatted in a range of different referencing styles.
EndNote Desktop is recommended for use by all students and staff at the University of Birmingham.
Care should always be taken when using referencing software.
Information on how to use EndNote to insert and format citations in your Word documents can be found in our EndNote Library Guide. When using EndNote or other software with Word, both in-text citations and full reference lists should always be carefully proofread and individual records edited if needed. Cite Them Right Online is available to University of Birmingham members (institutional login: 'University of Birmingham' if required) and has many examples of referencing in different styles, which can be used to check that your references follow the correct format.
We also recommend our guide on Editing and Proofreading.
EndNote Desktop is recommended for use by all students and staff at the University of Birmingham.
EndNote 21 is the current version of the software and is available for users of both Microsoft Windows and MacOS. Information about system requirements and word processor compatibility is available from Clarivate (the suppliers of EndNote).
To use EndNote you first need to register for a Clarivate account on the Web of Science database platform. For instructions on how to do this please see our EndNote- Getting Started guide.
EndNote 21 can be accessed as follows:
The IT Service Desk can help you if you experience problems accessing the software. For support with accessing AppsAnywhere, please see the AppsAnywhere Introduction.
Anyone who had registered to use EndNote Desktop 20 prior to this Academic Year (September 2024) can continue to do so.
Libraries and Learning Resources supports the use of EndNote Desktop by University of Birmingham staff and students as follows:
There are web-based versions of EndNote which enable you to store and access your references online. This is helpful if you need to access your references from multiple PCs.
A new web-based version, EndNote Web, was launched alongside EndNote 21. EndNote Web works in a very similar way to EndNote Online but has slightly different user interface which is designed to look more like the Desktop version of EndNote.
Although EndNote 21 is designed to sync with EndNote Web, like EndNote 20 it also syncs all your references with EndNote Online, which is now called 'EndNote Online Classic'.
To use the online versions of EndNote you first need to register for a Clarivate account on the Web of Science database platform. For instructions on how to do this please see our EndNote- Getting Started guide.
Anyone currently using EndNote Online for projects or assignments is recommended to continue doing so.
If you do wish to try the new EndNote Web, you are very welcome to do so. However, it is strongly recommended that you do not do so part-way through an assignment. Switching versions part-way may well adversely affect your referencing.
To access EndNote Web you must do so through AppsAnywhere. Launch a web browser app on AppsAnywhere and then use that window to open the following link: https://web.endnote.com. Then log into EndNote Web using your usual Clarivate log in details.
Clarivate have provided a useful comparison of the features of EndNote 21 Desktop and EndNote Web.
Whichever referencing software you decide to use, please take care not to inadvertently or otherwise share full-text articles or files of material which are under subscription to the University of Birmingham. Otherwise you may be in breach of copyright and licensing agreements with publishers and suppliers. Note that EndNote (Desktop or Online versions), for example, only allow article links and basic records to be shared, not whole articles.
A number of referencing software tools are available, some free at the point of use. Note however that payment may be required for more advanced functions or to enable or increase storage space. EndNote (Desktop and Online versions) are free to use for University of Birmingham staff and students.
Some tools are reference list generation tools only, not software for storing, citing and referencing sources through direct links within Word.
For subjects which rely heavily on the use of mathematical symbols and equations, other packages such as LaTeX and BibTeX are available. The ASC currently offers limited support for these packages and students can book an appointment with our Mathematics and Statistics Support Officer via our booking form.
No software is perfect, and the output in a document is only as good as the information that went into the software first. Any citations and reference lists or bibliographies created by software tools or programmes should always be carefully proof-read and edited as required: this is part of good academic practice. Cite Them Right Online should be consulted for detailed information on how to reference, and check the Academic Skills Centre's Short Guide to Editing and Proofreading.