TCA Letters to the Editor
Press Release
Title: Update to Review on EndNote Web
Date: January 2008
Organization: Yale University
Letter:
Since my initial review of EndNote Web the producer has implemented a redesigned interface. The new interface replaces the left column navigation with tabs running along the top of the page. These tabs include the major features, including My References, Collect, Organize, and Format.The subheadings, which previously displayed on the left menu, are now organized under these main headings but visible only when you select the relevant tab. An additional tab appears on the right called Optionsto change password or account information. This update cleans up and organizes the main screen.
When you first login to EndNote Web you see the My Referencesscreen with an alphabetized list of your references. The references are easier to distinguish since EndNote has separated alternate references by color. The default display is for 10 references per page as in the previous version, but that can now be changed to 25 or 50 references. All of the topical groups that a user has created for organizing references are listed on the right of this screen.
A major difference from the previous version is that references can now be assigned to more than one group. There are several options to do this. One way is from the My Referencesscreen by selecting one or more references and adding it to a group. The other way is through editing the reference. At the very bottom of the reference edit page is a list of all available groups. The user simply needs to check the box beside the groups to which that citation will be included. In both of these cases the user has the option of creating a new group. Each reference no longer indicates what group it is assigned to as part of the My Referenceslist as it did in the previous version.
Under the Collecttab, there are three options Online Search, New Reference, and Import References.Unfortunately for novice users, the Online Searchoption is the operation presented. This may confuse users who do not realize that not all databases are available for online searching through EndNote Web. The databases that are freely available include PubMed and library catalogs. The list does include commercial databases, with a login field. It would be useful if databases that require a login were distinguished as such.
A nice change in the Organize section is a tabular format listing all of the user's groups with a few simple buttons to perform major operations. For example, if the user wants to share a group with others, he or she clicks on the share groupbutton.
In the Format tab, users have options to create a stand-alone bibliography, format a paper, export references, or to download the Word plug-in. One helpful option is a list of Examples of Commonly Used Styles for major disciplines. Unfortunately, the examples only list the style names but do not provide formatted example citations.
With this interface, EndNote Web has gone farther to separate itself from the jargon of the software version. The previous version included links to obscure headings such as connection filesand import filters that are used in the software version. In this new version, EndNote has eliminated those terms. Now when a listing of options is presented to the user, he or she has an option to Customize this list.
The new look of EndNote Web helps to focus options for users. The screens provide a number of helpful hints, such as the customize this listand examples of commonly used styles. This version continues EndNote's efforts to appeal to a non-specialized user market.
Andrew Shimp
Yale Univeristy
andrew.shimp@yale.edu
