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Endnote or Refworks? / A comparison chart

If you are wondering which bibliographic citation software to use to go with, this chart should make the decision easier.
  RefWorks EndNote
Cost Free to anyone with a PennKey.

Requires individual purchase by user. Discounted copies available from Computer Connection
Operating System Operating System Independent (Web-based). Macintosh, Windows, and Networked Systems.
Program Same for all operating systems. PC and Mac require different software programs.
Ease of Use It is simpler than EndNote and easier to learn. Slightly more difficult to use than RefWorks. One also needs to learn where and how to update some utility files for filters, styles, and connections.
End-user Support and Training Available from RefWorks via e-mail or phone and Penn librarians. Some guides available. Training workshops available from the library. Penn librarians. Some guides available. Training workshops available from the library.
Database/Record Structure
RefWorks
EndNote
Sharing of Data between programs Yes Yes
Maximum # of records per library or folder Unlimited Unlimited
Maximum record size The notes, abstract and user definable fields are limited to 1 gigabyte of information. 50KB (10 pages of text)
Maximum # of fields (e.g. author, title)

Pre-defined: 31

Custom fields: 5

Predefined (customizable): 44

Custom fields: 7
Maximum # of reference types (e.g. journal, book)

Pre-defined: 31

User-defined: None

Pre-defined (customizable): 35

User-defined: 2
Editing/Entry of Information
RefWorks
EndNote
Search and Replace No Yes
Global editing Can globally add terms. Can globally add/replace terms.
Auto completion of data No Yes, for author(s), keyword(s) and journal title(s)
Spell Check No Yes
Duplicate detection Yes Yes
Authority lists Yes, authors, keywords, and journal titles automatically generated. Yes, authors, keywords and journal titles automatically generated.
Support of special characters Unicode compliant. Use operating system character map for Greek, mathematical, and typographical symbols. Special language characters may be entered if browser and keyboard are set to specific language. Electronically transferred records with special characters are converted to Unicode. Unicode compliant. Use operating system character map for Greek, mathematical, and typographical symbols. Special characters may be entered if browser and keyboard are set to specific language. Electronically transferred records with special characters are converted to Unicode.
Linking to PDFs or other materials on the web or desktop. Yes: OpenURL compliant. Uses PennText button Yes: Open URL compliant.
(No PennText button button available.)
Store and cite images and objects No Yes, with v.8 or higher.
Searching
RefWorks
EndNote
Sort capabilities Yes, by selected fields. Results of a search are automatically ranked by relevance.

Yes, by any field. No relevancy ranking.
Boolean AND, OR, NOT Yes Yes
Field Searching Yes, by selected fields. Yes, by any field.
Advanced Search Yes: includes truncation (except for keywords). Yes: Includes truncation and date range searching.
Direct Search of Online Catalogs/Databases Yes: 220+ Yes: 430+
Search Across Multiple Folders/Libraries Yes No
Authority list browsing Author, Keyword, Journal Title Author, Keyword, Journal Title
Save search strategies No Yes
Importing Data
RefWorks
EndNote
Filters for importing from online databases

Yes: About 230 available

Others available on request

Yes: 390+

Others available on request
Editing or creating filters No Yes
Use of Direct Export Feature Currently around 15 different database vendors offer direct export of records into RefWorks Yes: Currently around 14 different database vendors offer direct export of records into EndNote.
Word Processor Compatibility
RefWorks
EndNote
Work within a word processor to create formatted bibliographies, in-text citations, and footnotes. Yes: Write N Cite plug-in works with Microsoft Word 2000 and up. Use On-line/Cite View for all platforms, browsers, and word processors. Yes: Cite While You Write plug-in works with Microsoft Word 2000 and up and Mac Word 10.1.2 - 10.1.4. Use EndNote Add-in for WordPerfect. Use RTF Document Scan for most other word processors.
Can you insert references manually and then automatically generate formatted bibliographies, in-text citations, and footnotes? Yes. Yes.
Creating Bibliographies
RefWorks
EndNote
Automatically create a formatted bibliography, footnotes, and in-text citation. Yes. RefWorks has 400+ styles from which to choose. EndNote has 1,200+ styles from which to choose.
Can you Edit/Create styles? Yes: You can edit an existing style or create a new style. Yes: You can edit an existing style or create a new style.
Create a bibliography as a file within RefWorks or EndNote? Yes: Choose a style and select a file type. File types supported are Word for Windows 2000 or later
Word for Mac 98 or later
HTML
Rich Text Format (RTF)
Plain Text

Yes: Choose a style and select a file type.File types supported are
HTML
Rich Text Format (RTF)
XML
Plain Text
Create a Subject Bibliography (create a list of references grouped by subject). No Yes: You may generate a bibliography grouped by any field, e.g. subject, author).
Create a formatted list of figures, charts, etc. No Yes
Special Features
RefWorks
EndNote
Collaboration features Facilitates collaboration with its multi-user access and simultaneous editing of an account, while also offering, Read Only access of the same data. Facilitates collaboration with its creation of a mini-EndNote Library within a word processor document, as well as being able to pack PDFs within a library rather than just linking to them in a different location.
Web publishing Can publish or share own database on the web. No direct web publishing capability.
Palm compatibility No References can be downloaded to Palm top devices.
Exporting to Other Programs Allows you to export records to other RefWorks users, or in a format compatible with other bibliographic database management programs. Allows you to export records to other EndNote users, or in a format compatible with other bibliographic database management programs.
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