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EndNote Tutorials: How to Search a Remote Database Directly from EndNote?

EndNote is a citation management tool used by researchers, faculty, and students to store, organize and cite references. This guide is to show how to use EndNote effectively.

Search PubMed in EndNote

If you are looking for a particular reference, you may search for it in a remote databases directly from EndNote. This is particularly easy when the database is publicly accessible, so that you do not need to authenticate your access. I would not recommend using this search function if you are doing a topic search. 

To search PubMed from EndNote:

  • First, you need to have an internet connection.
  • Open EndNote. In the upper left corner (I am using a Windows computer), there are three icons: Local Library Mode, Online Search Mode (Temporary Library), and Integrated Library & Online Search Mode. Please click on the middle one: Online Search Mode.
  • Click on PubMed (NLM) under Online Search on the left Navigation pane.
  • A search box will appear. Enter the terms to search. In this search mode, I usually search by title in order to increase the likelihood to get a matching item.
  • If too many items were retrieved, you may either refine your search by clicking on Cancel or decide how many references you would like to preview by entering a number in the box next to "through" and then click on the OK button.
  • The defined number of references will be placed in the temporary library for you to select.
  • Highlight the references you would like to keep. 
  • Right click on the highlighted references, choose "Copy References to" a select library. The library you were last work with is usually displayed in the favorite list.
  • After your search is completed, click on the icon for Integrated Library. The references you just copied should be in your library.

Search NLM Catalog in EndNote

If the reference you want to search for is a book reference and is related to health sciences, you may search for it in the NLM online catalog. To search NLM catalog from EndNote, here are the steps:

  • First, you need to have an internet connection.
  • Open EndNote. In the upper left corner (I am using a Windows computer), there are three icons: Local Library Mode, Online Search Mode (Temporary Library), and Integrated Library & Online Search Mode. Please click on the middle one: Online Search Mode. 
  • Click on National Lib of Medicine under Online Search on the left Navigation pane.
  • A search box will appear.
  • Enter the search terms  in the box(es) to search for your desired book.
  • You may retrieve more books than you expected. If too many were references were retrieved, you may either refine the search or decide how many references you would like to preview.
  • Click on the OK button.
  • The defined number of references will be placed in the temporary library for you to preview and select.
  • Highlight the references you would like to keep. 
  • Right click on the highlighted references, choose "Copy References to" a select library. The library you were last work with is usually displayed in the favorite list.
  • After your search is completed, click on the icon for Integrated Library. The references you just copied should be in your library.

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