JSTOR issue solved

It seems JSTOR has restored the possibily to export citations without the need to log in. Direct import works fine again. It also shows that sending feedback to publishers and journal suppliers does have an impact. Thanks JSTOR, for listening!

Vista? Word 2007? Install Write-n-Cite III !

From mail messages we learned that people may run into trouble when using MS Vista in combination with Word 2007 trying to use Write-n-Cite to cite references or create bibliographies. Problems should vanish with installation of the latest Write-n-Cite III. There is help on the RefWorks site as well.

RefWorks is listening, blogs work

Blogs do have an impact. After the posting of (y)our wish list we got reaction form RefWorks stating that the list had been passed on to RefWorks developers. It is very likely that at least a few of the issues mentioned in the list will be solved in the next major update expected this summer. So keep sending in your feedback, by mail (j.bosman [at] uu.nl) or by commenting on the posts here. You can also join in and ask for a password to post directly.

JSTOR issue (II)

Customer action is fruitful. After the regretable change in the JSTOR interface that made registration required for downloading citations (reported earlier) JSTOR received a large number of complaints. One of the JSTOR directors quickly came with this statement: To help ease the transition for these users, we are in the process of implementing a one-off, single citation export feature, which will not require a MyJSTOR account. This will be available on the website shortly.

So expect a return to saving citations without registration soon. And let's hope it is an easy direct import function to RefWorks and Endnote, the way it was before.

Looking for a simple RefWorks crash course?

If you're having a hard time getting used to working with RefWorks you might like the site that Erasmus University Rotterdam developed recently for their RefWorks course. Yes, there are many more comparable sites out there, but this is recent, clear cut and focussed on basic use. And what's more: they have the same course in Dutch as well.

Thanks Kees!

Jstor direct import issue

The revamp of the JSTOR database has a minor drawback: to use the direct export to RefWorks you now seem to need a personal registration. Although this is free within the campus license, it is quite cumbersome to have an extra login for a simple citation download.

If you are affected by this, please let Jstor know by using their contact form.

Although JSTOR is a great resource with unique content I hope this glitch is temporary.

Output styles added in March

In the last month, RefWorks added these output styles to the already impressive list:

-Avian Diseases
-Breast Cancer Research and Treatment
-Current HIV Research
-Equine Veterinary Journal
-Food Hydrocolloids
-Genetic Epidemiology
-Head & Neck
-Journal of Biomechanics
-Journal of Clinical Periodontology
-Journal of Food Engineering
-Journal of Management Science
-Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
-Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition
-Journal of Power Sources
-Journal of the Air and Waste Management Association
-Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology
-Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine
-Medical Hypotheses
-Pediatric Pulmonology
-Recherche et Applications en Marketing (RAM)
-Reproduction
-Tissue Engineering
-Veterinary Clinical Pathology

What a shame actually that this is necessary. Come on publishers, you can make your and our lives simpler: stick to a generic (society) style or stick to only a few styles for all of your journals. Elsevier manages with some 6 styles for 2000 journals already, proving it can be done....

RefWorks wish list

OK, RefWorks is a nice tool, very nice in some ways, but ideal? No, not yet. Over the weeks and months I have collected things that could make RefWorks better. That wish list is below. Some wishes are very general, benefitting lots of users, others are targeted to special purposes. By commenting on this post you can add your wishes. RefWorks is reading this blog as well, so perhaps they'll pick some of these points up for a new release.

1. Better customizability of the list view (user fields, link to local file, option to add colums to the list view irrespective of output styles)
2. Stop the overload of confirmation messages ("successfully moved 1 item to antoher folder" etc.). It slows the workflow.
3. Fully shared folders, allowing for multiple editors of a folder and allowing folders to be part of several databases.
4. Find and replace functionality (for any string, across the database). This allows easy correction.
5. Create an output style that lists all information in the records (however incomplete that might be for some records)
6. Easier linking to local files (on hardrives or portable drives)
7. Faster operation by use of modern web technologies such as Ajax etc, making it possible to change pages without reloading them. This would be nice for instance for showing/hiding abstracts (more or less as implemented in Scopus).
8. Easier editing of page numbers in citations
9. ....[your ideas]