RefWorks

Throughout this course you will be required to collect and read papers from the literature.  You will then review them and write papers and assignments which need to be close referenced.  As you do this you will need one of the programs that manages references.  As you develop your thesis you will find such a program essential, so this is a good time to get used to one of them.

These programs allow you to download references, complete with abstract from the web, and then sort them, mark them, and chose them for your writing at your leisure.  The programs also allow Cite-as-you-Write, which is a delightful system that allows you to mark the reference you want to quote, and then automatically, at the push of just one button, inserts it in your text at the right place!  If you have ever done this by hand you will appreciate just how wonderful this is!

When you have finished your document, again, a single button allows you to format up your document according to whatever journal etc. your paper needs, and at the same time creates your reference list for you.  No typing!  Again, if you have done this by hand, you will appreciate that this is magic!  A good program is flexible and allows you to insert new references even after you have formatted the paper.

There are several of these programs including Reference Manager, Endnote, and RefWorks.  Reference Manager is a very good program but expensive, and if you have it, use it.  The cost is relative, however, because once you have purchased it you get updates at low cost.  I have had mine since 1990--and I have a database with more than 10,000 references which I use often!  You will find if you have started to use software and developed your own databases, you will want to stay with the system you know.  So if you have a system, stay with it, if not choose now.

RefWorks, however, is provided free by the University so you may wish to use this program for the course.  RefWorks will be demonstrated in the first class, but has a very good website: www.refworks.com, where you can do a tutorial.  We have brochures in Brownsville outlining the program with an idiot's guide.  If you would like one, please ask.