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Write and Cite Overview

RefWorks can work with your word-processor to create citations while you are writing your paper. You can connect RefWorks to your word processing program with Write-N-Cite or One Line/Cite View. Each option has pros and cons. Using Write-N-Cite, a utility of RefWorks, means fewer steps in putting references in your paper. On the other hand, One Line/Cite View does not require downloading a plug-in and is compatible with more software.

Using Write-N-Cite requires downloading the Write-N-Cite utility from the RefWorks’ Tools drop-down menu. It is compatible with Windows (98, ME, NT, 2000, XP), Microsoft Word 2000 and up and Internet Explorer 5 and up. Write-N-Cite also is compatible with Mac (OS X version 10.3 or later) and Microsoft Word for Mac 98 and up. See Write-N-Cite Utility for how to download the plug-in and configure it for use off-campus.

Videos: Installing the Write N Cite Utility (Flash)

Using One Line/Cite View does not require a plug-in and can be used on any platform (Windows or Mac), with any browser (IE, Mozilla, Netscape or Safari), and with any word-processor (Word or WordPerfect).

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Using Write-N-Cite

Videos: Citing References with Write N Cite Utility (Flash)

To cite references in a paper using Write-N-Cite:

Note: Write N Cite will not work in Word2007 or Mac Word2008 if the document is saved with the .docx file extension. The document must be saved with the Word 97-2003 document (*.doc) extension.

  1. Open your Word document.
  2. Click on Write-N-Cite button in Word toolbar.
  3. Login to RefWorks if needed.
  4. The Write-N-Cite window shows the name of the Word document that is active in RefWorks. Click the box next to Always on Top to keep Write-N-Cite on top of all other programs including Word.
  5. Place your cursor where the reference should be inserted. If desired, create a footnote or endnote in Word (Select Insert -> Reference -> Footnote/Endnote.).
  6. In the Write-N-Cite window, click on Cite next to the desired citation. In your Word document, the citation will be double brackets {{60 Young,Charles S. 1998;}} (The 60 is the reference number RefWorks uses to identify this citation within your RefWorks account.) This is a citation placeholder and is what RefWorks reads when formatting your paper. It is not what your final citation will look like. To cite a second reference in the same location, click the Cite link for the second reference.
  7. To cite a particular page in the source, type /snn or /fnn at the end of the content but before the semi-colon within the double brackets, replacing nn with the actual page number. {{60 Young,Charles S. 1999/s49;}}
    - The /s is a switch. Use this switch to add page numbers after the author and year information for output styles that always require page numbers in the in-text citation or footnote, such as MLA.
    - The /f is another switch. Use this switch to add page numbers after the author and year information for output styles that do not normally contain page numbers in the in-text citation or footnote, such as APA.
    For more information about modifying citations and adding page numbers, see: http://www.refworks.com/Refworks/help/Modifying_an_In-Text_
    Citation_or_Footnote.htm
    Example: {{294 Jackson,Pamela Taylor 2004/s476;}}.
    Note: depending on output style, it may be necessary to insert a comma and space before a number.
    Example: {{294 Jackson,Pamela Taylor 2004/s, 476;}}
    Using Citation Editor: Click on/place your cursor within the double brackets of the citation placeholder in your document. The Edit Citation link will display in the upper right of the Write-N-Cite window. Click on Edit Citation link. Insert page number in Specific Page box and click Save to Word button. Specifying the page number as 49, the above citation placeholder becomes {{60 Young,Charles S. 1999/s49;}}. Some coding is added (/s49 in this case), so RefWorks knows how to format the citation.
    Note: The Citation Editor has problems when accessing RefWorks off-campus through proxy server.
  8. Save your document.

To create your bibliography:

Videos: Formatting a Bibliography with Write N Cite (Flash)

  1. Click on Bibliography in the Write-N-Cite window.
  2. Choose desired Output Style. (If you inserted footnotes or endnotes, choose an Output Style with Notes. Only two styles have pre-designed notes listed: Chicago Notes and Turabian Notes. If you wish to use another Output Style, either correct individual notes or use the Output Style editor and create a new Output Style for notes to your specifications.)
  3. Click Create Bibliography. In Word, choose Print Layout from View menu.

Write-N-Cite will automatically create a new Word document with Final in the file name. If you need to revise your document, add more references, etc., be sure to do so in the original document (not the Final document). Both notes and bibliography will be formatted according to the Output Style you selected.

Always check your bibliography and in-text citations for accuracy.

In the example above, your reference/footnote to page 49 of the article will display like this using the Chicago (Notes) output style:

1 Charles S. Young, "Missing Action: Pow Films, Brainwashing and the Korean War, 1954-1968," Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television [Great Britain] 18, no. 1 (1998): 49.

Your bibliography entry for this citation will display like this, using the Chicago (Notes) Output Style:

Young, Charles S. "Missing Action: Pow Films, Brainwashing and the Korean War, 1954-1968." Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television [Great Britain] 18, no. 1 (1998): 49-74.

Write-N-Cite may not be able to format the final version of a large Word document.

If Write-N-Cite will not process your document:
  1. Log into your RefWorks account.
  2. Click on Bibliography.
  3. Choose Output Style.
  4. Choose Format Paper and Bibliography.
  5. Browse for the document.
  6. Click on Format Bibliography.

RefWorks is able to handle up to 25MB. If your manuscript approaches this size, you may need to remove images and tables, format the manuscript from within your RefWorks account, then reinsert the images and table in Final document.

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Using One Line/Cite View

Videos: Formatting a Bibliography with One Line/Cite View (Flash)

To cite references in a paper using One Line/Cite View:

Note: One Line/Cite View will not work in Word2007 or Mac Word2008 if the document is saved with the .docx file extension. The document must be saved with the Word 97-2003 document (*.doc) extension.

  1. Open your Word document.
  2. Login to RefWorks if needed.
  3. Select One Line/Cite View from the Switch to drop-down menu at the top of the page of references.
  4. In the RefWorks window, click on Cite link next to the desired citation. This will bring up the Citation Viewer window where the citation will be in double brackets: {{60 Young,Charles S. 1998;}} (The 60 is the reference number RefWorks uses to identify this citation within your RefWorks account.) To cite a second reference in the same location click on the Cite link by another reference.
  5. Click on Select Citation.
  6. Go to Edit and select Copy (or Ctrl + C).
  7. Go to your document. Place your cursor where the reference should be inserted. If desired, create a footnote or endnote in Word (Select Insert-> Reference-> Footnote/Endnote).
  8. Go to Edit in wordprocessing program and select Paste (or Ctrl + V) to paste citation in brackets. The citation in double brackets is a Citation Placeholder. It is what RefWorks reads when formatting your paper and not what your final citation will look like.
  9. To cite a particular page in the source, type /snn or /fnn at the end of the content but before the semi-colon within the double brackets, replacing nn with the actual page number. {{60 Young,Charles S. 1999/s49;}}
    - The /s is a switch. Use this switch to add page numbers after the author and year information for output styles that always require page numbers in the in-text citation or footnote, such as MLA.
    - The /f is another switch. Use this switch to add page numbers after the author and year information for output styles that do not normally contain page numbers in the in-text citation or footnote, such as APA.
    For more information about modifying citations and adding page numbers, see: http://www.refworks.com/Refworks/help/Modifying_an_In-Text_
    Citation_or_Footnote.htm
    Example: {{294 Jackson,Pamela Taylor 2004/s476;}}.
    Note: depending on output style, it may be necessary to insert a comma and space before a number.
    Example: {{294 Jackson,Pamela Taylor 2004/s, 476;}}
  10. To cite another reference, first clear the Citation Viewer and then click Cite link next to desired citation.
  11. Save your document.

To create your bibliography:

  1. Click on Bibliography in the Citation Viewer window.
  2. Choose desired Output Style. (If you inserted footnotes or endnotes, choose an Output Style with Notes. Only two styles have pre-designed notes listed: Chicago Notes and Turabian Notes. If you wish to use another Output Style, either correct individual notes or use the Output Style editor and create a new Output Style for notes to your specifications.)
  3. Choose Format Paper and Bibliography. Browse for document to format.
  4. Click Create Bibliography.

RefWorks will automatically create a new document with Final in the file name. If you need to revise your document, add more references, etc. be sure to do so in the original document (not the Final document). Both notes and bibliography will be formatted according to the Output Style you selected.

Always check your bibliography and in-text citations for accuracy.

In the example above, your reference/footnote to page 49 of the article will display like this using the Chicago (Notes) output style:

1 Charles S. Young, "Missing Action: Pow Films, Brainwashing and the Korean War, 1954-1968," Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television [Great Britain] 18, no. 1 (1998): 49.

Your bibliography entry for this citation will display like this, using the Chicago (Notes) Output Style:

Young, Charles S. "Missing Action: Pow Films, Brainwashing and the Korean War, 1954-1968." Historical Journal of Film, Radio and Television [Great Britain] 18, no. 1 (1998): 49-74.

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Working Offline

Citing references in your paper while working offline

First create list of reference IDs you plan to use for your paper. Then insert those “Ref IDs” offline while writing your paper. Later connect to RefWorks and format the bibliography.

To create the list of Ref IDs

  1. Create a folder in RefWorks and add all of the references you need to use for the paper to this folder.
  2. Click on References-> Export and select the folder you want to export.
  3. Select Citation List, which includes the Ref ID, Author, Title and Year.
  4. Click on Export to Text File.
  5. Save and/or print the displayed file.

To insert Ref IDs in your paper offline:

  1. Open your document.
  2. Place your cursor where you want to insert a citation.
  3. Enter the Ref ID surrounded by two curly brackets. For multiple citations in the same location, separate Ref IDs with semi-colons. Example: {{34; 28}}
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Write-N-Cite Utility

To use Write-N-Cite with RefWorks you must download a small utility program to your computer. Virus protection software and personal firewalls may block the use of Write-N-Cite. Contact our campus RefWorks experts, if you encounter problems. Write N Cite is compatible with the following combinations:

  • Windows 98, ME, NT, 2000, XP; Microsoft Word 2000 and up; and Internet Explorer 5.0 and up.
  • Mac OS X version 10.3 or later; Microsoft Word for Mac 98 and up; and Netscape, Mozilla.

Downloading the Windows Write-N-Cite

  1. Login to RefWorks if you have not done so already.
  2. Select Write-N-Cite from the Tools drop down menu at the top of the screen.
  3. Click on For the Windows version--Click Here to download the plug-in.
  4. Click Save if another window appears and save to desired location.
  5. Close RefWorks. You will automatically be logged out.
  6. Find the RefWorks plug-in (wncinstall.exe) and click to start installation.
  7. When asked to restart your computer, click OK.

You should now have successfully installed the Write-N-Cite plug-in.

After the computer restarts open Microsoft Word and you will see the red Write-N-Cite button on the tools bar.

Downloading the Macintosh Write-N-Cite

Note: Do not install Write-N-Cite with Microsoft Word running

  1. Login to RefWorks if you have not done so already.
  2. Select Write-N-Cite from the Tools drop down menu at the top of the screen.
  3. Click on For the Mac version--Click Here to download the plug-in.
  4. After downloading the file drag Write-N-Cite to your Applications folder.
  5. Choose Activate under the Word menu. (This opens word in RefWorks mode)
  6. You will then be prompted to login to RefWorks and will be able to cite references in your word document.
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Using RefWorks and Write-N-Cite from Off Campus

If using RefWorks from off-campus you must always access RefWorks via this library webpage in order to be authenticated as a valid UW-Madison user. If using Write N Cite from off-campus see the directions below:

Videos: Using Write N Cite from Off-campus (Flash)

Windows users:

  1. Download the Write N Cite plug-in from Refworks following the instructions above.
  2. Go to Start/Programs/RefWorks/WNC Proxy Configuration Utility
  3. In the box that appears for proxy server information type the following URL: 
    http://ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/login?url=https://www.refworks.com/Refworks/?WNC=true
  4. Click OK.

Macintosh users:

  1. Download the Write-N-Cite plug-in from Refworks following the instructions above.
  2. Activate Write-N-Cite.
  3. Select Preferences from the Write-N-Cite menu.
  4. Select the Proxy option and enter the following URL: 
    http://ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/login?url=https://www.refworks.com/Refworks/?WNC=true
  5. Restart Write-N-Cite for this proxy configuration to take effect.
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