Many databases let you export references directly into your RefWorks account. Others require the export of a file from the database and import into RefWorks. Use the instructions in the tabbed box below for our main database platforms (hosts) or specific databases.
1. Click on the article title in your results list and then on Cite on the top right hand side of your screen as shown in the image below:
2. In the Citation Tools window, select RefWorks under the Export to icon options. This will immediately open your RefWorks import window.
It is not possible to import multiple references to RefWorks in one step from Academic Onefile.
You can't import references directly from ACM Digital Library in to RefWorks in one step but you can carry out an indirect import or import a downloaded pdf file.
There are two ways to import single references, either:
1. Click on the Export Citation button (double quotation symbol) and follow steps 4 to 8 below
OR
2. Download the pdf of the source. Upload the file to your RefWorks folder by dragging and dropping it from your file manager into a folder in your RefWorks account.
1. Select the specific titles you would like to import or select all references, and click on the Export Citations button at the top of your results list as shown in the image below:
2. In the pop-up box that opens, choose BibTeX format if not displayed by default.
3. Toggle to 'Selected' or 'All Results' as needed and click on the download option - bottom right - as shown in the image below:
4. This will download an ACM bib file which you can rename if you wish but which shouldn't be edited.
5. In your RefWorks account, choose Import References from the Add menu (+ icon in the top menu bar).
6. On the Import References page, import your saved file by dropping it or selecting it from your computer.
7. You will be asked 'Import References'
Search for BibTeX in the search box. RefWorks should state that 'This file will be imported as: BibTeX ACM Digital Library' as shown in the screenshot below:
8. Click on the Import button to open the RefWorks import options window.
EBSCO databases include CINAHL, Medline, SportDiscus, PsycInfo, CAB Abstracts, Business Source Premier, Education Research Complete and many others. There is a new EBSCOhost search screen and functions as of 5 August 2025 with EBSCO rolling out some enhancements during Tri 1. Some export options are now only available when you create a personal EBSCOhost account. This also allows you to save searches and project folders, and to set up alerts.
A personal account is needed to save whole results lists or more than 50 articles at a time, for instance when saving results for systematic style reviews.
Create a personal EBSCOhost account once you have logged in with your ARU login.
Click on MyEBSCO on the top right hand side of the search screen, then Create an account as shown in the image below.
Use your ARU email address but it is good practice not to use the same password you use for your main university account. Follow prompts to complete your account.
Use this box to login when you come back to the database another time.
Please note: You can carry out up to 20 exports using this method in one 24 hour period. You can export up to 25,000 records.
. This puts references into your Saved area (left-hand menu).
)
You can do this without having a personal account. Your Saved references will be cleared each time you log off.
Please note, it is currently very step-heavy to export more than 10 records at a time from Saved records or Projects. EBSCO are considering changing this to allow easier selection and export of references (August 2025)
A direct export to RefWorks is not possible but references can be imported indirectly by downloading a RIS file.
To export several records at a time:
1. Select individual records or all records on one page of your results - selecting all results in a list is not possible.
2. Click on "Citations:download to RIS but do not open/edit the file that is downloaded.
3. In your RefWorks account, go to the Add menu (+ icon in the top menu bar) and choose Import References.
4. Choose your downloaded Emerald file, RefWorks should suggest the RIS format - Abbot labs for import. Select Emerald from the drop-down menu as shown in the image below:
5. Click on Import and your references will be imported into any specified folder and will also appear in Last Imported folder.
To export a single reference
1. Download the pdf of the source and upload to your RefWorks folder.
OR
2. Select a single reference and follow steps as for multiple records above.
1. Select the records you want to export using the tick boxes next to each reference.
2. Click Export at the top of the screen, and the Citations tab along the top of the drop-down box.
3. Choose the RIS radio button, the information to download, then Download.
4. Save the RIS file when prompted.
5. In RefWorks, choose Add and Import References then Import from a file.
6. Select your downloaded file and choose IEEE or IEEE/IEE Electronic Library as the specific RIS format and click Import.
You can only export references from one page of results at a time. Use IEEE Per Page settings to include up to 100 results per export.
1. Select the records you want to export using the tick boxes next to each reference.
2. Click Export at the top of the screen, and the Citations tab along the top of the pop-up box.
3. Choose the RefWorks radio button.
4. Choose the information to download (Citation Only or Citation & Abstract) then choose Download.
Useful when looking at the full display of one record in your results list.
1. Click on the title of the record to open it up.
2. Click on the Cite This button near the top of the screen.
3. Choose RefWorks and click on Go to RefWorks to import the record.
1. Select the references you want to export to RefWorks using the tick boxes next to each reference.
2. Click on Cite at the top of your results list.
3. Choose Export to RefWorks. Your references will be imported in to the Last Imported Folder in your RefWorks account.
1. Click on the Cite button. This can be found to the right of the results list entry or above the pdf display on the detailed page for the reference.
2. Choose Export to RefWorks below the reference format display.
Page includes instructions for Westlaw and Lexis+UK
There is no direct export from Westlaw to RefWorks. The following is a work around which only works for journal articles. Other formats will need to be entered manually.
1. Carry out your search in the Journals tab. You will not be able to export if you carry out a general search and then limit to journals. Select references to export.
2. Choose Export to EndNote under the Delivery menu at the top right hand side above the results list as shown in the image below:
3. This will create a saved .RIS file.
4. In your RefWorks account, click on Add a Reference and then Import References
5. Drag and drop the file into the box on the screen, or use the link
"select a file from your computer"
6. Select RIS format as the file import type and click in Import.
You can also download single pdf files and upload the file into RefWorks. However, RefWorks you may need to carry out significant editing for non-journal formats imported as a 'generic' format.
2. Click on the References icon (open book) in the toolbar at the top of the results list, as shown in the image below
3. The Export References (RIS file) window will open from where individual records can be included/excluded if necessary as shown in the image below:
4. Click on Download as RIS file(s).
5. In your RefWorks account, click on Add a Reference and then Import References
6. Drag and drop the file into the box on the screen, or use the link
"select a file from your computer"
7. Select RIS format as the file import type and click in Import.
1. Select the references you want to export to RefWorks. This can be individual references, a range of references, or all references. You can select and export up to 2000 references at a time. If you have more, select and export them in batches.
2. Click on Export at the top of your results list.
3. In the Export citation(s) dialog box, choose RefWorks from the Format drop down list. Choose the amount of information you want to capture from the Fields drop down list. Complete reference means all fields and information about the reference, it does not mean full-text.
4. Use the Export button to send references to RefWorks as shown in the screenshot below:
5. You may see an additional option to open your RefWorks import window if not automatically opened. Follow the instructions given by clicking on the link "The RefWorks application is displayed in a new browser window. Generally, this window opens on top of this page. If a second browser window has not launched, click this link to open the document."
1. From your results within PubMed, select specific references using the tick box or leave all un-ticked if downloading a page of results or the whole results list.
2. Click on the Send to button above your results list and choose Citation Manager from the drop-down list, as shown in the image below:
3. Choose the appropriate option from the Selection menu: All results on this page, All results, or Selection.
4. Click on Create File and note the name of the file that is downloaded.
5. In RefWorks, click on the plus symbol and choose Import references.
6. Under 'Import from a file', click on ‘select file from your computer’ and choose the file from your device. Alternatively drag and drop the file into RefWorks.
7. An Import references pop-up box will suggest the format of your file as NLM PubMed.
8. Click on Import.
It is possible to search PubMed from within RefWorks. It is not recommended to use this for literature searching as this does not have the same search facilities or comparable results using simple search techniques.
1. Select the references you want to export using the tick box next to each reference in your results list.
2. Click on the All save & export options ellipsis at the top of the results list, as shown in the image below:
3. Under Citation export, choose RefWorks
4. In the Export/Save window, choose the Content you want to download and click Continue (Output to: will already be set to RefWorks). You can choose to Deselect items when done if you want to remove all your previous selections before searching again.
5. RefWorks will open in a new window and you can then continue with the import.
SAGE have removed the option to directly export selected or whole results lists directly to RefWorks (option missing August 2023). Direct export is still possible for individual records.
To import individual records
1. Click on the title of the item in the results list to show the detailed display.
2. Click on Cite article option under the author/title/issue information.
3. Choose RefWorks as the citation manager software from the drop-down menu.
4. Tick the box for Direct import and click on Download citation.
Alternatively, download the pdf and drag and drop this from your file manager into your RefWorks folder.
To import several references or whole reference list
1. Select the references for import.
2. Click on Export selected citations at the top of the results list. This will open the Export citation box.
3. Choose RIS (ProCite, Reference Manager) as the export format from the drop-down menu and click Download citation. This will download a .ris file which you do not need to open.
6. In your RefWorks account, go to the Add menu (+ icon in the top menu bar) and choose Import References.
4. Select your SAGE .ris file from your device. RefWorks should suggest the file import as RIS format and default to Abbott Labs. Choose RIS format in place of Abbott Labs and click Import.
Use the Export option that appears under each reference in the results list and choose Save to RefWorks.
Alternatively, download one or more references then drag and drop each file from your file manager into a folder in your RefWorks account.
1. Select the references you want to export using the tick boxes next to each reference.
2. Click on the Export button at the top of your results list to open the Export screen.
3. Choose Save to RefWorks to open your RefWorks import window.
4. Please note that your selections are not automatically cleared from your search results if you continue to work on the same page. Refresh the page to clear selections.
You may need to create an account to export references from SCOPUS. If prompted, login to SCOPUS with your ARU login and then create a personal account. You cannot export directly to RefWorks from SCOPUS but you can download a file to upload from within RefWorks.
You can export your whole reference list or add references to a Saved list and export from there.
Import one or multiple references using RIS export
1. From within SCOPUS, select the references for export - using tick boxes or the Select all/this page options.
2. Click on the Export link at the top of the results list and choose File type RIS.
3. Choose the information you would like to export from the choices presented in the pop-up box and click Export.
4. Your SCOPUS Exports can be found under your name in the top right hand corner of the screen if you have a personal account. You can download them from here. 'Exports' are available for three days, after which they are deleted.
4. In your RefWorks account, go to the Add menu (+ icon in the top menu bar) and choose Import References.
5. Choose your downloaded RIS file, RefWorks should suggest the RIS format - Abbot labs for import. Select RIS Format from the drop-down menu as shown in the image below:
6. Click on Import and your references to open the RefWorks Import window where you can specify a destination folder.
1. From within Web of Science, select the references you wish to export. The following steps can be carried out from the results list, from your Marked List, or from the detailed display of single records.
2. Click on Export at the top of your results, and choose RIS (other reference software) as the Export option.
3. Click on the Export button to download a RIS file. Do not open or edit the file.
4. From within your RefWorks account, click on the plus symbol and choose Import references.
5. Under Import from a file, click on the link select file from your computer and choose the downloaded .ris file. Alternatively drag and drop the file into RefWorks.
6. Within the Import references pop-up box, choose the file format RIS format and click on Import
1. Click on " Export Citations at the top of your results list.
2. In the Export Citations pop-up, select references using tick boxes and click on Next.
3. Under Format, choose RefWorks and Citation file or direct import under type of import.
4. Click on Export which will open your RefWorks Import options window. This may open your RefWorks window in place of your Wiley search. If this happens, you can use the browser back-button to get back to Wiley without losing imported references.
5. From within your RefWorks account, click on the plus symbol and choose Import references.
1. Click on Tools on the detailed display of an individual reference and choose Export citation, as shown in the image below:
This will show you the export options for the chosen reference. Follow steps 3 and 4 as for multiple references.