Find information and guidance on publishing research, research writing, referencing, copyright and creative commons, scholarly journals, and open access publishing. Access eBooks on writing and publishing, medical writing, and data. If you have suggestions for additional guides or require research assistance, contact us at library@monashhealth.org.
APA, Vancouver, and Harvard are the most commonly used referencing styles at Monash Health. See our guide to APA 7th below.
Note: We are currently updating our own PDF guides to Vancouver and Harvard referencing styles. In the meantime, please refer to:
Clinical practice references in APA 7th
Wondering how to cite clinical practice guidelines in APA 7th? Read this Clinical Practice References guide by APA Style.
More resources for APA 7th
Note: There are numerous variations of the Harvard referencing style -- check with your publisher or supervisor before submission to confirm which version of Harvard is required. The above is based on the Australian Government Style Manual.
EndNote is a reference management system that helps students and researchers collect, store, manage and share resources. Go to the EndNote user guide for instructions and videos on adding references, finding full text, creating groups, sharing an EndNote library and managing citations & bibliographies. Register for an upcoming EndNote training session via our calendar of events.
Obtain an EndNote license
You can obtain an EndNote desktop license through Monash Health, purchase approval from your Monash Health supervisor or manager is required. The procurement process is through the MH IT Online Shop. Please see instructions here.
Good news! EndNote 20 software is available on all PCs in Monash Health libraries.
EndNote Online is a free, simplified online version of the EndNote Desktop. You can access EndNote Online on any device, effectively allowing you to access, manage and share your references from any computer.
In this section:
Create an online Account
There are two ways to create an account:
Via web browser:
Via EndNote Desktop:
Note: You must complete the 'Via EndNote Desktop' steps if you want to sync your desktop library to your online account..
Sync libraries
Once registered you have access to your references from any computer with an internet connection. You can also Sync your desktop and online libraries.
Important!! It is recommended you make a backup copy before starting synchronisation
Tips!!
The following quick reference guides outline the steps for configuring EndNote Sync (for Windows and macOS).
Add a new Reference to online library
Click the Collect tab > New reference
Export results from a database
Export references from your databases search results to EndNote Online.
1. Mark selected records
2. Look for a Save or Export option in the database
3. If given options, choose full records and EndNote format e.g. RIS
4. Save the file to your Downloads folder (or somewhere you can find it)
5. In EndNote Online - click Collect - Import References
6. Select the database filter to allow your records to be imported correctly.
Cite While You Write - using EndNote Online
You can enter citations and a bibliography in a word document using your EndNote Online library. However, you cannot use this feature simultaneously with both applications. Follow these steps to set up your word document so that it will connect with your EndNote Online library:
!!! When you return to your EndNote desktop, repeat these steps but chose application - EndNote
Mendeley is a free online reference management tool which can be accessed via desktop** and web applications. It lets you create, store and manage your own libraries and add citations when writing and incorporates social media functions for researchers.
**Mendeley Desktop retiring 1st September 2022 - More info here
NEW Mendeley Reference Manager - web application:
Important Downloads
Mendeley, 2020, The new Mendeley Reference Manager, YouTube, 29 September
Adding items to your Mendeley Library
By dragging and dropping a PDF file or a folder of PDF files onto the Mendeley Reference Manager or Mendeley Web, papers can be added to your library. You can also add files and folders by choosing the 'Add new' option on the interface. Mendeley will read the details in the file and automatically create a library entry for each file.
Further instructions, information and support can be located on the Mendeley website.
Import Citations
Citation libraries from other reference management software applications such as EndNote, Refworks, Jabref and Zotero can be imported into Mendeley.
To export an existing library from your current software application, locate the export option, and decide whether you want to export an individual citation, or an entire list. When saving your file, keep in mind that the following file types are supported by Mendeley:
BibTeX
RIS
Endnote XML
Import to Mendeley
In both Mendeley Reference Manager and Mendeley Web, click on the 'Import library' option from the Add New menu. Locate the file you exported from the other application, select it, and click the "Open" button. Your exported items should then be filed in your Mendeley library.
Please note that PDF files are not included in the exportation - you will need to manually add the PDF file for each citation.
Using the Mendeley Citation Plugin
The Mendeley Citation Plugin allows you to cite and reference materials in your Mendeley library. You can cite as you write and update your bibliography at the same time. This plugin is compatible with Microsoft Word or Libre Office on Windows or Mac.
You will need to have installed the Mendeley Reference Manager before you can install the Mendeley Citation Plugin. The 'Install Mendeley Cite for Microsoft Word' option can be found under the Tools menu of the Mendeley Reference Manager:
Once installed, the Mendeley plugin can be accessed via the References tab in Microsoft Word with the name, Cite with Mendeley, displayed underneath. Click on the icon to begin inserting in-text citations and references.
To insert an in-text citation, search for a reference in the search bar and select the reference by ticking the box on the left-hand side. Click 'Insert citation'. The citation will appear at the cursor location in the word document.
To insert a reference, select 'Insert Bibliography' under the More drop-down menu. The reference will appear at the cursor location in the word document.
Further help and support
Visit the Mendeley website for help and information on installing and using the plugin.
Zotero is a free online reference management tool which can be used on desktop and mobile devices. It collects citations, lets you to create your own libraries for storage and management. It can be used for sharing citations in your study, research and group work. It can search, save and store relevant references while you are using online resources.
To use Zotero, you will require both the Zotero application and the Zotero Connector, an application allowing you to save directly to Zotero from your preferred web browser.
UNC Park Library, 2019, Using Zotero, YouTube, 20 February
Adding items to your Zotero Library
The best way to add items to Zotero is through the Zotero Connector, an application that allows you to save directly to Zotero from your preferred web browser.
Through the use of the Connector, Zotero will automatically find bibliographic information on webpages you visit and allow you to add it to Zotero with a single click. The 'save' button will turn into an icon representing the media you're viewing (the image below shows the save icon for a journal article).
Clicking the save button will create an item in Zotero with the information that Zotero has identified. If it is available, Zotero will also save any PDF accessible from the page or an open-access PDF that can be found for the saved item.
Further instructions, information and support can be located on the Zotero website.
Import Citations
Citation libraries from other reference management software applications such as EndNote, Refworks, and Mendeley can be imported into Zotero.
To export an existing library from your current software application, locate the export option, and decide whether you want to export an individual citation, or an entire list. When saving your file, keep in mind that the following file types are supported by Zotero:
CSL JSON
MODS (Metadata Object Description Schema)
BibTeX
RIS
Refer/BibIX
Unqualified Dublin Core RDF
Endnote XML
XML ContextObject
Web of Science Tagged
MEDLINE/nbib
Import to Zotero
In Zotero, choose the "Import" option from the File menu. Locate the file you exported from the other application, select it, and click the "Open" button. Your exported items should then be filed in your Zotero library in a date-stamped collection.
Please note that PDF files are not included in the exportation - you will need to manually add the PDF file for each citation.
Further information
Listed below are detailed instructions on importing records from the following software applications:
Using Zotero with Word Processor Programs
By using ‘word processor plugins’ – including Word, LibreOffice and Google Docs, you can have new citations placed in your document whilst working on it, at the same time automatically updating your bibliography.
Microsoft Word Plugin
Installing the Zotero plugin will add a "Zotero" tab to the top toolbar of Microsoft Word. The tab contains the following options:
Add/Edit Citation | ![]() |
Add a new citation or edit an existing citation in your document at the cursor location. |
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Add/Edit Bibliography | ![]() |
Insert a bibliography at the cursor location or edit an existing bibliography. |
Document Preferences | ![]() |
Open the Document Preferences window, e.g. to change the citation style. |
Refresh | ![]() |
Refresh all citations and the bibliography, updating any item metadata that has changed in your Zotero library. |
Unlink Citations | ![]() |
Unlink Zotero citations in the document by removing the field codes. This prevents any further automatic updates of the citations and bibliographies. Note that removing field codes is irreversible, and should usually only be done in a final copy of your document. |
Google Docs Plugin
Support for Google Docs requires use of the Zotero Connector, an application allowing you to save directly to Zotero from your preferred web browser. Use of the Zotero Connector adds a new menu to the Google Docs interface:
The menu provides the following options:
Add/Edit Citation | Add a new citation or edit an existing citation in your document at the cursor location. |
---|---|
Add/Edit Bibliography | Insert a bibliography at the cursor location or edit an existing bibliography. |
Preferences | Open the Document Preferences window, e.g. to change the citation style. |
Refresh | Refresh all citations and the bibliography, updating any item metadata that has changed in your Zotero library. |
Unlink Citations | Unlink Zotero citations in the document by removing the field codes. This prevents any further automatic updates of the citations and bibliographies. Note that removing field codes is irreversible and should usually only be done in a final copy of your document. |
Further help and support
Go to the Zotero Guide To Word Processor Integration and Plugins for Zotero for help and further information.
RefWorks is a web-based reference management tool which lets you create, store, organise and share your references.
Monash Health employees have access to RefWorks.
Instructions for new users:
Adding items and importing citations to RefWorks
References can be manually added or imported. To manually add a reference, go to 'References' -> 'Add New'. Fill in the appropriate fields in the new window and click 'Save Reference'.
Citation libraries from other reference management applications such as EndNote and Zotero can be imported into RefWorks. To export an existing library from your current software application, locate the export option, and decide whether you want to export an individual citation, or an entire list. When saving your file, keep in mind that the following file types are support by RefWorks:
Import to RefWorks
Go to 'References' -> 'Import'. Under 'Import Filter/Data Source' and 'Database', select the appropriate file type (e.g. BibTeX, RIS or EndNote). Locate the file you exported from the other application and click 'Import'. Your references will appear in the 'Last Imported' folder in RefWorks.
Further help and support
Go to the RefWorks page for further help and information.
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