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Mendeley

Tips and instructions on getting started using the Mendeley citation management software.

Desktop vs Web

Mendeley Desktop excels  at:

- adding PDFs and automatically creating citation data from the information in the PDF.

- offers excellent feature for managing PDFs on your computer and searching and viewing them.

 

Mendeley Web excels at:

-allowing you to access your saved research on the go

-collect citations while browsing online databases

-provides access to articles via the Papers collection

 

Web Importer

 
The Web Importer lets you add citations from databases and from websites (this includes whole websites themselves).
  • If you're using a database, such as PubMed or CINAHL, perform your search.
  • If you need to select from a list of citations identified in your search, you can

o     make your selections in the Web Importer window

o     add your citations to the Clipboard (PubMed) or to a folder

  • Click Save to Mendeley. A new window opens
  • Click the Import icon for each item you want in your library.
  •  If you haven't already logged in to your Mendeley online account, you'll be prompted to do so
After importing items, you can add tags, place items in specific collections, and add notes to each record right in the Import window. If there is a PDF available, it will be imported as well.
 
Records are imported to your online account. Remember to sync your desktop library with your online library when you add a new record.

Installing Web Importer

Go to https://www.mendeley.com/reference-management/web-importer/#id_1 and follow the instructions for adding the Save to Mendeley button in your browser. 

The Save to Mendeley button is an application that sits on your Bookmarks Toolbar. You will click the Save to Mendeley button/bookmark when you want to save a citation from an online source (such as a database or website). If you use more than one browser, do this to all of them.  Run the Pop-up blocker test and turn off blocking for Mendeley or you will not be able to automatically collect citations.