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Using ProQuest RefWorks: A Sequenced Tutorial

RefWorks is a citation management tool that allows users to "collect, manage, organize, and cite your research as well as collaborate with friends and colleagues by sharing collections" of resources (RefWorks, 2016).

ProQuest RefWorks: Reading and Annotating Documents

Using ProQuest RefWorks: Reading and Annotating Documents

If you have uploaded PDF files into your new RefWorks account, you can read and annotate them right inside of RefWorks. If you have shared these resources with others, they will see your notes.

Reading Documents in RefWorks:

Select the reference you want to read and click the "Read" button in the viewing pane.  The full document or article will open for you to read and annotate.  If the item does not contain a document, the reference metadata will display.

Screenshot of RefWorks list page with article selected and viewing pane displayed on the right with the READ button highlighted.

You have several options, all of which can be found on the tool bar on the top of the page:

Screenshot of the RefWorks reading toolbar.

  • Return to your collection
  • Zoom in or zoom out on the document for enhanced viewing
  • Print a copy of the document
  • Download a PDF version of the document to your computer
  • Highlight certain portions of the text
  • Comment on the selected text
  • Add notes to the document that you are viewing
  • Edit the document reference data

Annotating Documents in RefWorks:

Once you have selected a document to read, you can annotate it by clicking the Document Notes icon Notes iconfrom the reader menu and entering your notes. Any note you type is automatically saved.

Screenshot of the RefWorks reading toolbar with notes icon highlighted.
If you want to highlight text, select the text using the Highlight Selected Text icon Highlight Selected Text icon and select the words of text by clicking and dragging through the lines of text.

Screenshot of article in RefWorks with portions of document text highlighted.

To remove highlighting, click the highlighted area until the delete option displays.  Click "Delete Conversation".

Screenshot of RefWorks with Delete Conversation option highlighted.
You may also click and drag using the Comment icon Comment icon to highlight the text and make a comment on it.

Screenshot of RefWorks with the comment icon highlighted.

Click on the three dots at the far right to change the color of your note, change the color of the highlighted text, edit your note, or delete your note altogether. 

Features to make changes to notes or annotations in RefWorks are highlighted.


For more information, check out this guide on using ProQuest RefWorks.

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