Using EndNote to Manage Search Results

The use of a reference managment software such as EndNote is beneficial during a systematic review process. It may help researchers store, organise, and manage the potentially large number of literature found during the search process. Here are some of the EndNote features that are worth exploring:

• Creating group sets, groups and smart groups (e.g. for databases, exclusion/inclusion criteria, reviewers)
• Exporting search results from databases
• Annotating the records (e.g. with database and date details)
• Using Research Notes field (e.g. for personal comments, reviewer comments)
• Creating and displaying customised fields (e.g. to add reviewer's comments)
• Finding and removing dublicate records
• Finding the full text of articles
• Attaching the full text of articles manually
• Viewing and annotating PDF files
• Sharing EndNote library
• Exporting the EndNote library to Covidence or Excel

Deduplicate Records

After running your search in multiple databases, you need to deduplicate the records. You can do this using one of these tools:
 

Covidence

Use the systematic review program Covidence. You will first have to create a UTAS Covidence account.
 

EndNote

This helpsheet steps you through the process of using EndNote to deduplicate your records for a systematic review:

Deduplicator

The Deduplicator is a tool from the Systematic Review Accelerator. You can upload an EndNote library with all your search results, saved as a XML file. Follow the instruction on the Deduplicator helpsheet.

This article compares different automated deduplication options, including EndNote, Covidence and the Deduplicator:

Sandra, M & Mir, ZM 2024, 'Considerations for conducting systematic reviews: A follow-up study to evaluate the performance of various automated methods for reference de-duplication', Research Synthesis Methods, pp. 1-9.

This is an open access article.

EndNote for UTAS Researchers

Downloading EndNote

Current staff and students of the University of Tasmania are eligible to install EndNote software on University and home computers. Download instructions can be found on the Download EndNote tab of the EndNote subject guide:

Using EndNote

The EndNote subject guide contains introductory guides to Endnote, offers links to online tutorials and details various features of EndNotes:

EndNote Training

The University of Tasmania Library offers regular introductory EndNote training sessions, open to all UTAS researchers:

Individual EndNote training can be provided on an ad-hoc basis, please contact the Learning & Research Librarians team:

Exporting Results to EndNote

For information on how to export results from a database to EndNote:

• Search the A-Z Database list for the database of your interest.
• EndNote help sheet may be available in the Notes column.

Each database has a limit on how many results can be exported to EndNote:

Other Systematic Review Tools

There are many other software options available which have been specifically designed for systematic reviews. See Systematic Review Tools.