Keeping your literature searches and references organized is a key part of research. Here are some tools that can help you.
Need help with your literature search? Talk to your subject librarian. You may also find the following helpful:
Research Strategies by 
Conducting Research Literature Reviews by
Ideal for students, researchers, marketers, planners, and policymakers who design and manage public and private agencies, conduct research studies, and prepare strategic plans and grant proposals, this new edition includes: - Nearly a hundred online examples and references from the social, behavioural, and health sciences - A revised and updated list of online articles databases - Case studies in the use of major online databases (e.g., the Web of Science) - Expansion of the exercises at the end of the chapter to include more online searching - Clarification of some of the basic concepts of research that are essential in making judgments about the quality of research methods - Explanation of the major available formal systems (such as CONSORT, TREND, PRISMA) for evaluating the literature's transparency and quality - More qualitative research examples and guidelines and checklists for evaluating their quality - Discussion and examples of mixed-methods research - Additional examples of how to write up reviews and how others have done it.
Reference management or citation management software allows a user to organize citations for various kinds of materials, such as books, articles, government reports, websites, and to categorize them based on groupings defined by the user.
Typically, citation management software will work directly with library databases to export content into the software. Once the citations are loaded into the software, the user can make notations or edit the citation.
Some citation management software allows you to input citations into your work and formats the citations automatically based on which citation style you have chosen. Most will also allow you to make global style changes with a click of a button, e.g. you could format your citations in MLA style and then have the software convert them to APA style.
Citation management software are not perfect so it is important to learn about different citation styles. Purdue Owl is a good source of information on the main citation styles including APA, MLA and Chicago Manual of Style.
PFW students, staff, and faculty have access to several citation management tools.
This comparison chart describes different citation management software:
EndNote for the desktop is available on all campus computers and for download to personal machines from the campus software portal. EndnoteBasic on the web is a scaled-down option that is free to the general public, making it a great tool when working with collaborators from outside the university. EndnoteBasic on the web does not require an PFW login.
For most users, the web version will work as well if not better than the desktop but does require you to download a plug-in for Word and a constant reliable internet connection. The desktop does not require internet access and allows for customization of non-standard citation styles, but virtually all other features are mirrored in the web editions. The Web and the desktop will sync with one another. If you work on more than one computer, having a web account to sync the desktop versions is critical.
