EndNote X9

When managing a very large library, you might find keywords useful as a way to organise the library and as an alternative to using Groups. You can build up a set of personal keywords gradually or you can create a set in advance. Follow the instructions below or watch the video.

To add a personal keyword:

• Highlight the record to which you want to add a keyword.
• In the right-hand panel, choose the Reference tab and scroll down to the Keywords field.
• Type in your new personal keyword, remembering to use a unique prefix - see the Tip box.
• As you add keywords, the keyword index is automatically populated with a list of your chosen keywords.
• The next time to wish to add the same keyword to a record, simply type your unique keyword prefix and a list of your personal keywords pops up.
• Choose the one you want to use from the list.

From the File menu, choose Save to save your changes.

To create a set of keywords in advance: 

• From the Tools menu choose Define Terms Lists.
• In the pop-up menu click the Lists tab and select Keywords.
• In the Terms tab, you will see a list of the keywords already in use, including those that were automatically imported from databases.
• Click Add Term and type in your chosen personal keyword, remembering to use a unique prefix - see Tip box.
• Click OK to save the new keyword.
• Later, when you wish to add the new keyword to a record, simply type your unique prefix and a list of keywords pops up.
• Choose the one you want to use from the list.
• From the File menu, choose Save to save your changes.

Searching for records in your library that contain your keyword

• Click the All References folder at the top of the left-hand panel.
• In the Search panel, build a search to find records where the Keywords field contains your target keyword.
• Click Search and your results will be displayed in the central results panel.

If you wish to add the same keyword to a group of items, follow instructions on how to make changes to many references at once.

When using keywords it is important to plan carefully. Remember that some of the records you import from databases will contain keywords that were automatically added during the import process and that you did not choose yourself.

For this reason, we recommend that you choose a unique format for your personal keywords so that they stand out and are easy to manage. We suggest adding a common prefix to all your personal keywords, for example you could prefix them with your initials, or other unique characters.