Downloading and Installing EndNote

To download and install EndNote, go to your Northeastern Student or Employee Hub to the software downloads section, or see these detailed instructions for EndNote download.

Troubleshooting Tip: Is EndNote asking for a License Key?

If you have already installed EndNote without following the "extract all" step, then EndNote will ask you for a license number. You should uninstall EndNote, and re-install using the "extract all" step below.  Right-click to unzip the download package; otherwise the full license will not install.

Creating an EndNote Online Account

Once you have downloaded the EndNote software, it's a good idea to create an EndNote Online account so you can save and sync your citations online, as well as on your own computer.

If you are on campus, sign up for an account at the EndNote Online website.

If you are off campus, install the EndNote software, then navigate to the "Preferences" menu and use the "Sync" options to set up your EndNote Online account.

If you are already registered with Web of Science, use that login information to access your EndNote Online account.

If you already have a free ResearcherID account, use that login information to access your EndNote Online account. 

Shortcut for Exporting RIS Files to EndNote (videos)

Exporting References from Library Databases

Many library databases offer options to export references directly to EndNote. Look for options that say "cite," "save," or "export," to export citations to your EndNote library. See a few examples below:

EBSCO Gale ProQuest SAGE Taylor & Francis
Emerald JSTOR PubMed Science Direct  

 

EBSCOhost Databases

  1. Click on article of interest in search results.
  2. Look for Tools menu on right side of page
  3. Click Export.

EBSCO Database tool menu with Export option highlighted

  1. Choose Direct Export in RIS Format. Click Save.

EBSCO Database Export Manager with Direct Export in RIS format highlighted

  1. A file will download to your computer. When you open the file, it should open the reference in your EndNote Library.

Emerald

Look for the Download Citation link. Choose EndNote from the list of options.

Gale

Look for the Citation Tools link. Choose EndNote from the Export dropdown menu.

Gale Tools menu with Citation Tools highlighted

JSTOR

Look for the Cite this Item button. Choose Export a RIS File in the Export Citation options.

ProQuest

Look for the Save button. Choose RIS from the dropdown menu options.

PubMed

Check the box next to search results you want to export and look for the Send To dropdown menu. Choose Citation Manager from the available options. Click Create File.

SAGE

Look for the Quotation Marks button. Choose EndNote from the Export options.

Science Direct

Look for the Export button. Choose RIS from Export File options.

Taylor & Francis

Look for Download Citation link. Choose RIS from the list of options.

Exporting References from Websites

EndNote has a tool you can add to your browser that will allow you to capture citations from online sources.

The steps for installing this tool are covered below:

1. Log in to your EndNote Online account

2. Click on the "Downloads" link in the toolbar.

 

3. Drag the "Capture Reference" button to your browser's bookmarks bar to install. You can also right click and choose "Add to favorites" or "Bookmark this link".

Once you've installed the tool, click "Capture Reference" in your bookmarks bar anytime you want to save an article or document from a website. 

Importing PDFs

If you already have saved PDFs that you want to import into your EndNote library, follow these steps:

1. Move all of the PDFs into the same folder on your computer

2. In EndNote, open your Preferences menu and click on PDF Handling

Screenshot of EndNote preferences menu

3. In the PDF Auto Import Folder section, click Select Folder and choose the folder in which you just placed all of your PDFs. 

4. Click the box next to Enable automatic importing.

4. Click Apply. Click OK.

EndNote will now bring in all of the PDFs you currently have in the selected folder, as well as any new PDFs you add in the future--automatically.

*Not all PDFs will have information that EndNote can read to generate a citation, so make sure you review and edit the publication information in EndNote as necessary for any PDFs that you import. 

OpenURL link to full text

To set up Open URL linking to full text (i.e., full text held by Northeastern University library and accessible to Northeastern affiliates)

In EndNote:

Go to EndNote 20 > Preferences > Find Full Text > OpenURL Path and enter this path:

https://onesearch.library.northeastern.edu/openurl/01NEU_INST/01NEU_INST:NU

Then you can right-click on any of your references and select "openURL Link" and it will take you to the full text if Northeastern University's library has access or a subscription to that item.

For more instruction on how to set this up, see the 10 Advanced EndNote Features recording, at the 07:48 point.

 

Using Connection Files

We no longer support connection files (except for Scholar OneSearch, below). Instead we recommend using database's native interface and exporting references to Endnote. 

·        Download the Scholar OneSearch connection file to search and save citations from Northeastern's library catalog from within EndNote.

Related Guides

Return to Citations and Bibliographies main page​