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Michigan State University

EndNote & EndNote Online

Information about EndNote, the popular reference manager software program. Last updated: 9/7/23.

How to Download Citations Into EndNote from MSU Databases

This page lists directions for different bibliographic database platforms available through the MSU Libraries Electronic Resources pages. The general procedures for downloading citations are:
1. Use the database's options to 'Mark' the records you want to download (often a checkbox next to the article title in your results list).
2. Look for a link to the list of 'Marked Records', click on it.
3. Look for an 'Export' link, click on it.
4. Choose EndNote as the Export option.
5. The computer will ask you if you want to open or save: choose open.
6. Your citations will load into EndNote.

Specific procedures may vary by database, as detailed in the list below.

Note: If you have an older version of EndNote, you may find downloading (importing/exporting) does not work properly for some databases. The EndNote website (Support and Services section) provides updated import filters you can download for free to fix many of these problems.

Caveat: Although these instructions will work for most databases that run on the platforms listed below, there will be some cases where certain databases or specialty resource types (e.g., play, encyclopedia article) will not be able to export to EndNote properly. Always check your imported references for accuracy!

 

Choose the Information Provider, or platform, that an individual database you are using runs on. This is usually indicated by a brand name logo in the upper left hand corner of the database. For example, Communication Abstracts is on EBSCO and Sociological Abstracts is on ProQuest.

Note: When using EndNote Online, you can import citations under Collect > Import References. If you do not see the database listed and you exported the citations as an RIS file, the general RefMan (RIS) format will work for many imports.

1. Compendex (Engineering Village) (direct export):

1. Mark citations you want to keep and click on 'download' at the top.
2. Choose EndNote (RIS, Ref. Manager) format and click on 'save'.
3. If the computer asks you if you want to open or save, choose open.
4. EndNote will open asking you which library to save the citations in.
 

2. EBSCO databases (direct export):

1. Click 'Add to folder' under Tools (abstract view), or the folder icon near citations in search results, that you want to keep.
2. To look at all saved items, click on the Folder icon at the top of the page.
3. In the folder, select the items to send to EndNote (or Select All) and click on the Export icon (page with green arrow).
4. The next page will be the Export Manager page. Choose the 'Direct Export in RIS Format' button and click on save.
5. The computer will ask you if you want to open or save: choose open.
6. EndNote will open asking you to choose a library in which to save citations.

Note: To import citations from EBSCO databases into EndNote Online, you need to first export the citations from EBSCO by selecting 'Direct Export in RIS Format'. After saving the file, select 'RefMan RIS' from the Import Options in EndNote Online. The direct export to EndNote Online does not work in EBSCO.
 
3. First Search (OCLC) databases (direct export):

1. Mark the citations you want to keep and click on 'Export'
2. Choose which records you want to export and choose the EndNote option.
3. Click on 'Export' button.
4. If the computer asks you if you want to open or save, choose open.
5. You will be asked to pick an import filter: choose the filter for the database you were searching plus (OCLC) after it for 'OCLC First Search'.
6. Click on import.
 
4. Gale Databases (direct export)

(Note: direct exporting from Gale Databases does not work very well for book or book chapter/section citations. You may find you will need to make many manual changes and additions to information downloaded.)

1. Save citations you want to keep and click on 'My Folder' at top of page (expand menu by clicking on the 3 horizontal lines).
2. At your page of marked documents, click on 'Citation Tools' on the right hand side.

      -Note: You may see a link to 'Download'. This link does not work for exporting references into EndNote. You must look for the 'Citation Tools' link with the icon Gale Citation Tools icon.
3. At the next screen choose to export to EndNote.
4. If the computer asks you if you want to open or save, choose open.
 

5. Google Scholar (direct export)

1. Go to Google Scholar - http://scholar.google.com/
2. Click on 'Settings' at the top right hand corner of the page.
3. Scroll down to 'Bibliography Manager'.
4. Click 'Show links to import citations into' and select EndNote in the drop-down menu.
5. Click 'Save' on the bottom right.
6. Search results should now have a 'Import into EndNote' link underneath each one.
7. Click 'Import into EndNote' for the citation you want to save.
8. The computer will ask you if you want to open or save: choose open.
Note: If you are using EndNote Online you will want to choose RefMan from the dropdown menu in Step 4, then choose RefMan (RIS) from the import options in EndNote Online.
6. HighWire Press (direct export)

1. Mark citations you want to keep and choose 'get all checked abstracts' at bottom of page.
2. At the next page, choose 'download all selected citations to citation manager'.
3. Choose 'EndNote' on the next page and you'll be asked to choose a library to save in.
 
7. IEEE Periodicals Package (direct export)

1.  Mark the citations you want to keep and choose 'Download Citations' near the top of the page.
      OR
     Go to the abstract of an individual article that you want and choose 'Download Citation' near the top of the page.
2. Choose 'Citation & Abstract' and 'RIS'.
3. Click Download Citation.
4. The computer will ask you if you want to open or save: choose open.
 
8. ISI Web of Knowledge Databases (direct export):

1. Mark the citations that you want to keep. At the top of your results, choose 'add to marked list'.
2. Click on 'marked list' at the very top of the page to view your list.
3. Check the additional fields that you want to appear in your EndNote library (eg. Abstract)
4. Click on 'Save to EndNote online' or 'Save to EndNote desktop'.
5. The computer will ask you if you want to open or save: choose open.
 
9. JSTOR (save results and import):

1. After a seach, mark the citations you want to keep and click on the link to 'export citations'.
2. From the drop down menu select 'Export a RIS file'. 
3. A box will pop up asking if you want to open or save, choose 'open'.
4. EndNote should open up automatically with your citations imported.
 

10. Lexis Nexis Academic

1. After a seach, mark the citations you want to keep and click on the 'Export Citations' (books) icon.
2. A dialog box will open. Under citation type, select the 'RIS file for 3rd party citation tool, eg EndNote' option.
3. Click the Download button.
4. A box will pop up asking if you want to open or save, choose open' (with Web export helper).
5. EndNote should open up automatically with your citations imported.
 
11. MSU Library Catalog (connect online):

1. Select 'Export' in the menu on the right of an item record.
2. Choose the option for Direct Export in RIS Format.
3. In EndNote, import the resulting citation file as a RefMan RIS import.
 
12. Ovid/SP databases (direct export):

1. Mark citations you want to keep.
2. Click on the choice to Export .
3. A box pops up: choose EndNote and then Complete Reference (to export the most information), then click 'Export'.
4. Another box pops up asking if you want to open or save, choose 'open'.   
5. EndNote will open up automatically with your citations imported.
 

13. ProQuest databases (direct export or save results and import):

Option 1: direct export

1. Mark citations you want to keep and click on 'Save' near the top of the page.
2. From the drop down menu select 'Export to RIS (works with EndNote, Citvai, etc.)'.
3. If the computer asks you if you want to open or save: choose open.
4. EndNote should open automatically with your citations imported.
(Note: Using the Direct Export from ProQuest may still have a problem with author names. These may be imported in reverse order (first name as last name) or otherwise incorrectly. You can fix these manually in your EndNote Library. Alternatively, use Option 2 to import citations correctly)

or Option 2: save results and import

1. Mark citations you want to keep and click on 'Save' at the top of the page.
2. Under the Export section, select 'Export to RIS'.
3. This will display your citations as a text file. Save this file to your computer.
4. Open your EndNote Library.
5. Go under file menu and choose 'Import'
.6. A box will open asking you for information. Click on 'choose file' and find your saved file of citations.
7. Choose the import option for ProQuest.
8. Click on import.

If your references do not appear correctly, you may need to download the newest ProQuest filter.
 

14. PubMed (save results or connect online):

Option 1:  save results and import

1. Search in PubMed. Mark citations you want to keep and click on 'send to' at the top right hand side of the page. Under 'Choose Destination', click on 'citation manager'.
2. The box will drop down--click on 'Create file'.
3. If the computer asks you if you want to open or save, choose open.
4. EndNote will open asking you which library to save citations in.

 

Option 2:  connecting to PubMed within EndNote

1.  When you are in your EndNote Library, check for Online Search on the left hand side of the page below My Groups.
2.  PubMed should be one of the options. Choose it and search boxes will appear. Searching in those boxes will allow you to search PubMed. Be sure you note whether you are searching the author, year, or title. Results will be downloaded to your EndNote Library.
3.  Be careful of doing keyword searches because you may get thousands of results to download to your EndNote Library. This method is better for searching the full title of an article to download one known specific item to your library rather than for topical keyword searching. 

 
15. Science Direct (direct export):

1. Mark citations you want to keep and click on 'export' at the top of the page.
2. Choose 'Export citation to RIS'.
3. The computer will ask you if you want to open or save: choose open.
 
16. SciFinder Scholar--Web version (direct export):

1. Mark citations you want to keep and click on the download icon at the top of the page.
2. Choose 'Citation (.ris)' under Download Detailed Results.
3. The next box will ask you if you want to open or save. Choose Open.
4. EndNote should open automatically with your citations imported.
 
17. Springer Journals (direct export)

1. When you are in Springer journals, it's easiest to export citations individually.
2. At the abstract for the article, click on 'Cite article'.
3. Choose .ENW format for EndNote.
4. A box will come up asking if you want to save or open the file. Choose to Open. EndNote should open automatically with your citations imported.