Unit 3.1. Import references from Library database saved search results

You can search Library databases (such as PubMed or PsycINFO), save (download) the results to disk, and then import them into EndNote automatically. You must save your results in the right format and use the right EndNote import filter.

1. Save search result as an EndNote compatible .txt file

First do your search in the database and save the search results in the right format for EndNote. The save method is different in different databases: the Library's Import Filters page has instructions.

For example, if you are searching PubMed

check the Import Filters page and link to the instructions next to PubMed.
Follow these instructions for saving when you run your search in PubMed.
Your search result is saved as a .txt file with each field labelled as Author, Title etc as in this PubMed search result example. (If you want to use this file example for practice in the next step, save it by right clicking the link and choosing Save Target As on a PC.)
Make sure your text file is closed before importing it in the next step.

2. Import the .txt file into a new EndNote library

Databases produce search results with different formats (e.g. the author may be labelled as AU or Author) and EndNote uses software files called filters to interpret the various formats. For each database there is an EndNote filter which matches the saved search result file to the layout of the EndNote record so that the author is imported correctly to the author field, the title to the title field etc.

Create a new temporary library. It is better not to import directly into your main permanent library in case of mistakes.
From the FILE menu, select IMPORT.
Click Choose File then select the .txt file you wish to import and Open.
At Import Option, select the filter you want to use e.g. the PubMed filter if your search result is from the PubMed database.
- The first time you import a database search result, that database's filter may not show under Import options. Click Other Filters then click the filter you want and Choose. In future, that filter will show under Import Option so that you can select it directly.
- If a database has more than one filter, choose the correct database provider's name (e.g. EBSCO or SP for Silverplatter) for the database you have searched.
- Sometimes there may not be a filter for your database. See below: Notes on Filters.
Leave Duplicates set as Import All and Text Translation as No Translation.
Click Import.

3. Check and edit the imported references

Compare the EndNote file of imported references with the original .txt saved search result. Importing works more neatly for some databases than for others. Journal article references usually have a more consistent layout and are often imported more accurately than books, book sections or conferences.

Has EndNote imported the right number of references?
Open each EndNote reference to check it. Open the original .txt file in Word or a text editor.
Does each EndNote reference have the right reference type i.e. Book, Journal Article, Book Section?
Have all data you want from the .txt file (e.g. abstract, publication details) been imported into each reference?
Have the data been imported into the correct fields? Do any fields contain wrong data?
Look especially at publication detail fields (author, title, journal title, publisher, place, pages, volume, year). Any mistakes you leave in the publication detail fields will be reflected in the bibliography you eventually produce in your article or thesis.

Edit the references to correct them while you have the original search result to hand. If necessary, cut and paste information from the original .txt file to the EndNote reference.

4. Copy references into your permanent library

Once you have checked and edited the references in your temporary EndNote library, copy them to your main permanent library.

In the temporary EndNote library of imported references, close any opened references.
From the EDIT menu choose SELECT ALL then from the EDIT menu select COPY.
Open your main permanent EndNote library. From the EDIT menu select PASTE. All the references from the temp library appear in the appropriate order within the main library.
Find and remove duplicates but take care which duplicate you remove - see Unit 1.3.
Delete the temporary libary.

Notes on filters

EndNote already has filter files for many databases. At the University of Adelaide, we use a range of databases from providers such as SilverPlatter, EBSCO, CSA and ISI.

To see the list of available filters, choose EDIT > IMPORT FILTERS > OPEN FILTER MANAGER. Click the Name column heading to sort the import filters by database name and scroll to a database. Or use Find to search for the database name.

Sometimes the filters provided with EndNote become out of date as the database changes. Sometimes no filter is provided with EndNote but one later becomes available. When that happens, try downloading updated filters from:

Save new or updated filters to EndNote's Filters directory/folder. On most PCs this is at System (C:)\Program Files\EndNote\Filters. It is best to exit from the EndNote program while you download filters.

You can edit filters if necessary but it can be a time consuming process. Instructions are in the EndNote manual installed on your computer.