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Citation Management Tools

What is RefWorks?

RefWorks is a web-based reference management service that allows you to import references from online databases and other sources. You can use these references in writing papers and automatically format the paper and the bibliography in seconds.

The System Library maintains a site license to RefWorks. To get started with the latest version of RefWorks, also initially called New RefWorks, use your school email to create an account. For more information, see Creating an Account with Refworks, and Getting Started with RefWorks. 

Creating an Account

Please note that RefWorks does not integrate with your school's identity management system. Students, faculty, & staff from our affiliate institutions must register for a standalone RefWorks account​ as follows:

  • Go to https://refworks.proquest.com and click the “Create account” link. 
  • Fill in your information making sure to use your school email account (i.e. ****@saybrook.edu). Please note that you cannot sign up with a personal email account as our schools' domains are registered with RefWorks. 
  • Select a password [minimum of 6 characters], type it in, and click on the “Sign Up” button.  NOTE: Please make sure you keep track of your password, neither the System Library nor the Help Desk are able to work with your RefWorks password, so if you need to reset it, that must be done directly through RefWorks. 
  • The final step in activating your new RefWorks account is to follow the instructions in the email you will receive. Click on the link in the email (or copy and paste the full URL into a web browser’s address bar, if the link doesn’t work). After following this final step, your RefWorks account will be activated and is immediately available for use.

Getting Started with RefWorks

Depending on your preference, you can either download a Quick User Guide or watch the following videos to get started.

Help and Support