All endnote users pls help! I've used endnote web so far in my write-up but it was difficult sometimes as I could not get accesss to web in libraries. Now, I have made a brave decision (moneywise I'm on a tight budget) to buy endnote student version. So, what is the best way to start on Cite and write function(didnt use be4). I've done chapter-1 already and have a full reference list. I think you only have to put a number when writing and then it automatically formats? I'm using Harvard ref.system.

sheena:
1. you need to put your references into endnote.
2. you need to install the "cite while you write" plug-in in word (the manual should tell you how)
3. when you write in word, and need to give a reference, press "alt-7". an endnote-window will pop up. search/choose the appropriate reference(s), press enter.
4. when you're all finished, press "alt-3" to format your bibliography/references. choose the appropriate style (eg harvard, numbered, ...)
that's all! feel free to ask again if you run into trouble.

good question. i think i have to use the harvard system too, i am submitting to University of london.

word of warning though. BEFORE you format the final document, ALWAYS ALWAYS have a backup of your document.

ie document backup (unformatted endnote references) ie the document with the original references with the funny brackets { }

a collegue of mine, went to do her final formatting of her end note references, and her whole document got screwed up.

anyways here is a website that might help??

http://www.brad.ac.uk/library/elecinfo/endnote/bib.php


I haven't reached the stage where I have to do the final formatting. i am just copy pasting the references, and they appear as {Kim, 2006 #11} nb. funny brackets.

Shani & Lara-Thanks a lot. One more question-since I have done draft-1 of chapter-1, if I do any corrections in future and use CWYW for that, dont suppose it will make any problems? I'm thinking of tying each chapter as seperate doc's rather than one thesis doc. any ideas?

You're welcome :)

actually that's a good question. don't know.

at the moment my chapters are seperate .doc files.

but i am thinking, when i do the final bibliography of my whole thesis. i am going to make one big .doc file , and then do the "format" endnote thingy. so that all the references throughout my thesis will be in the right order.

hence, why it's important to keep the chapters with the original references. ie the funny brackets.

sorry if that's not making sense.

I wrote the whole thesis as a single document for ease (because I used word and headings etc to created my List of contents/ Tables and figures)- much easier
The only thing I found with Endnote and this was that the larger the document became the more erratic Endnote was it is prone to freezing (Endnote 7, Word 2007) - I had approx 400 refs by the end.
As has been said before always make sure that you have backup copies in case Endnote has a hissy fit - I found on a couple of occasions that when I deleted one ref, it moved all my refs forward one in the document - thank god I had backups!
S

Hi, I can't really help but I wanted to tag my message on yours if you don't mind! Do any of you EndNote users use cwyw with Windows Vista? If so, are there any problems with it? I've heard that it can freeze up but I don't know anything official. Thanks.

LOL at sjo4 about endnote throwing a hissy fit! so true!! so many times it has done that, where the document just freezes. so yah totally agree with you on backups!

backups is the MOST important thing you must do whilst writing.

i once read. your computer is in two states. always think like that

1. its crashed.
2. its about to crash.

make backups, weekly, daily. external drives, dvds, usb keys, online virtual. print out stuff, have your friend have a copy of your ongoing work at her house. being paranoid is key! i've heard nightmare stories of phd students losing their entire work, cause of lack of backup.

talking of which, i am backing up everything tonight onto dvds. and even then make 2 copies of dvds, because dvds can also become unreadable. and get an external harddrive too. cost about £60 from amazon. its worth the investment, trust me!

oh i haven't thought about how to do table of contents and headings. do you use word to do that?

I've also moved on to vista and would like to hear about any problems with Endnote (it's been a PITA in general so far).

EndNote provide a page describing Vista compatibility issues. See http://www.endnote.com/envista.asp

I used endnote but eventually gave up on it - too much hassle.

So for Headings/ tables/ figures (Using Office 2007)

You highlight the line you want and go to the 'outlinine tools' you can put a shortcut in your tool bar - then you just make the highlighted line as Body text; Level 1; Level 2 etc. At the start of your Doc (or wherever you can then 'insert table of contents' and it will provide this for you.

For Figures:
Go to the Reference Tab (it is slightly different but the same idea in earlier word versions). Highlight the Pic or Table you want and click add reference, a box comes up where you add the fig/ table title above or below. then at the start of your Doc you can add a list of tables and figs which has all the page nos. In your main text you can also add a 'cross referece' to these, so instead of writing Fig2 you insert it as a cross ref. The advantage is that if you move figs or add figures before they automatically update throughout the texts and figures

the best thing about doing this is that it saves a lot of time - you don't need to check figure numbers are correct. the only problem is that sometimes the Formating goes messes up in the cross refs - but not usually anything major.

If you have the time - and aren't already too far on, I highly reccomend doing it this way.

The other good thing is that when you convert the doc to a PDF it converts all of the levels and sublevels too - which is nice

S

oh wow thanks for that. I will do that then.
would you put the figures in the word document once all the text is complete? or as you go along?

so you recommend using endnote for figures and tables contents.

and then using microsoft for headings to make the contents?

i'm sorry ! ignore my last message, I just re-read your message,

i understand you're talking about using microsoft word for tables of contents for the headings, tables and figures.

great stuff! thanks for explaining that. you're right, it does sound like it will be easier in the long run. thank you for taking the time to explain it, so kind of you.