How to use Mendeley Desktop, Web Importer & MS Word Plugin (Full Tutorial)

Introduction to Mendeley

In this section, Derek introduces Mendeley as a reference management software and explains that the episode will cover how to use Mendeley desktop, the web importer, and Microsoft Word integration.

Downloading and Installing Mendeley

• To download Mendeley, visit mendeley.com and click on the "reference management" tab.

• Click on the "download now" button to download the software.

• Mendeley is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Getting Started with Mendeley Desktop

• After installing Mendeley, open the software. You may see a popup message for first-time users; you can close it.

• The home base of Mendeley is called Mendeley desktop.

• Install add-ons by going to the Tools menu and selecting "install web importer" and "install Microsoft Word plugin."

Populating Your Reference Library in Mendeley

• Before adding citations to your document, you need to populate your reference library in Mendeley.

• There are multiple ways to do this:

• Drag and drop PDF files into the interface. This method works best for journal articles but may not be as effective for other types of literature.

• Use Mendeley's built-in literature search functionality. Enter keywords or titles of journal articles to find relevant resources. Save references from search results into your database.

• Use the web importer function to import webpages or blog posts from reputable sources.

Using Web Importer Functionality

This section focuses on using Mendeley's web importer functionality.

Citing Webpages with Web Importer

• Install the Mendeley web importer extension for your browser (e.g., Firefox).

• While on a webpage you want to cite, click the web importer button in your browser's toolbar.

• Sign in to your Mendeley account if prompted.

• The web importer will automatically detect the webpage and populate relevant information such as title and author name.

• This method is useful for citing webpages or blog posts from reputable sources that may not be available through literature search.

Conclusion

Derek concludes the episode by summarizing the methods covered for populating references in Mendeley.

Summary

• Download and install Mendeley software from mendeley.com.

• Use drag and drop, literature search, or web importer to populate your reference library in Mendeley.

• Web importer is particularly useful for citing webpages or blog posts from reputable sources.

Timestamps are approximate and may vary slightly.

New Section

This section explains how to add entries manually into the Mendeley database using the Mendeley desktop app.

Adding Entries Manually

• To add an entry manually, right-click in the white area of the Mendeley desktop app and select "add entry manually".

• Select the appropriate type of resource (e.g., book section, film, encyclopedia article).

• Fill in the required data to populate the entry in the database.

New Section

This section demonstrates how to insert citations from the Mendeley database into a Word document using the Mendeley Microsoft Word add-in.

Inserting Citations in Word

• Install the Mendeley Microsoft Word add-in.

• In Microsoft Word, go to the references tab and click on "insert citation".

• Select your preferred citation style from the drop-down menu.

• Search for relevant citations and insert them into your text.

New Section

This section explains how to change citation formatting and search for additional citation styles in Mendeley.

Changing Citation Formatting

• To change citation formatting, select a citation and manually edit it.

• Mendeley will prompt you to edit it if you make changes.

• You can customize citation styles by adding author names or modifying punctuation.

Searching for Additional Citation Styles

• If your desired citation style is not available in the drop-down menu, click on "more styles".

• Use keywords to search for specific styles (e.g., searching for "Harvard" will display all Harvard style variants).

New Section

This section explains how to build a reference list in a Word document using Mendeley.

Building a Reference List

• Write your title on a new page in your Word document.

• Click on "insert bibliography" to automatically generate the reference list.

• Mendeley will build the reference list based on the data in the Mendeley database.

New Section

This section provides an overview of Mendeley as a reference management software and mentions its compatibility with Zotero.

Overview of Mendeley

• Mendeley is a popular reference management software.

• It offers features such as desktop version, web importer, and Microsoft Word integration.

• It is highly recommended for those looking for a reference management software.

Compatibility with Zotero

• If you are currently using Zotero, you can import or transfer your data from Zotero to Mendeley.

• Both Mendeley and Zotero are great options for reference management.

New Section

This section concludes the video by encouraging viewers to leave any questions, comments, or suggestions in the comments section.

Conclusion

• The video covered various aspects of using Mendeley as a reference management software.

• Viewers are encouraged to ask questions or provide feedback in the comments section.