Reference Management Tool Mendeley

Saturday 7 July, 2020

Reference Management Tool -  Mendeley

For research papers like thesis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOKMryqybLQ&feature=youtu.be

My peer review

Video Link – Tool Identification

I, conducted a peer review on Carlos Julien, See Video Link – for Tool Identification.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU6TlS-Maao&feature=youtu.be Carlos Endnote X9

See video link for https://youtu.be/zOKMryqybLQ Ilonka  Mendeley

I reviewed the informative video post and it appears that Endnote X9 has a lot to offer for researchers.  Here are my views on our selected tools in the area of features, functionality, usability, availability, and benefits, limitations of these two applications.  

Mendeley and EndNote X9

Mendeley is a free citation bibliographic reference management software tool used to collect, management, and store, retrieve, analyze information such as citations from eBooks, journals, pdf. and websites (Saleh, 2012).  EndNote X9 is also a citation bibliographic reference management software tool but it is costly to purchase (US$300) unless one has access through their academic institution when compared to Mendeley which is free and the upgrades are cost-effective. EndNote X9 is one of the most popular reference management tool used by researchers in libraries for educational institutions (Jenny, 2013; McMinn, 2011).

I enjoyed watching “How to start EndNote X9” and the EndNote tidbits. The EndNote X9 Demo I will use this as a small tutorial on How to use EndNote X9.

Features

Mendeley and EndNote X9 are both user friendly for both new and seasoned researchers.  Both tools have a web-based and desktop application. The ICloud storage is 2GB for basic, upgrade unlimited but at a fee.  They create bibliography, add references and citations to documents, annotates and highlight Pdf files, over 6000 citations styles and reference types, create researcher profile and collaborate with other researchers online, and in the area of current research activities and supports and provides an academic social network (Saleh, 2012).

Functionality, Usability and Availability

In my review of the video I did not see some items.  However, I would like to make some additions to the conversation:

Mendeley sync devices like computer, laptop, tablet, androids, Iphone, Ipad, and Ipod touch.  Mobile/tablet app is free.  However, EndNote X9 does not have this for mobile device such as Iphone and tablets, just the Ipad (Ivey & Crum, 2018). Mendeley is compatibility across web browsers such as Internet Explorer IE, Chrome, Mozilla, Safari – search engine friendly.   Mendeley is compatible across all platforms: Windows, Linus, ios, Mac and androids operating systems. (Ivey & Crum, 2018). For software integration, Mendeley utilizes Microsoft Word for Windows and Mac, LibreOffice for Linux, Mac, and Windows (Ivey & Crum, 2018). Even though both tools are compatible across most web browsers, however, EndNote X9 only uses Windows, Mac and does not use Safari as a web browser and Microsoft Word for Windows and Mac.

Benefits

Mendeley and EndNote X9, collaborate to create and share with small research groups, on social media – community sharing.  Mendeley have mobile device app for 3rd party app for tablet, Androids, IPhone, IPad, IPod touch is free to access online library from anywhere. However, this is not the case for EndNote X9, only have a mobile app for IPad (Ivey & Crum, 2018).

Both tools quickly create and add citations for manuscript, research papers and recommend articles based on research interest as tracker of academic trends. However, Endnote X9 is a better tool for large volumes of references and bibliographies coupled with unlimited iCloud storage space.

Limitations

Based on my evaluation of the two reference management tools both tools collaboratively share with a small group of 2 to 3 for citations and documents.  ICloud storage in only 2GB for Mendeley any more upgrade is required with at a cost.   EndNote X9, iCloud storage is unlimited but also at a cost.

My past experience with using my academic institution EndNote (EndNote X9 is an updated version), I utilized EndNote to search databases on a particular topic, and to quickly generate references for my literature review for my dissertation (Ivey & Crum, 2018; Saleh, 2013).  I just used my educational institution own free of charge. A drawback for me however, was using the various search features. 

To overcome this challenge, I also google scholar to help find research topics and manually generated the reference section.  As a result, your video on “How to start EndNote X9 and “the EndNote X9 Demo I will use that as a baseline to overcome some future learning challenges.

Mendeley can import file references and filters from BibTeX, EndNote, XML, RIS, Zotero. However, EndNote X9 cannot import references from Mendeley, and Zotero (Ivey & Crum, 2018). EndNote X9, only use the have a mobile app for iPad (Ivey & Crum, 2018). Both tools lack accessibility features for people with disabilities. This is being worked on.

When looking for a reference management tool that create a smooth work flow in your research efforts, then having accounts in both repositories would be brilliant coupled with benefits of the community networks in each. Mendeley can import my reference files and bibliographic information from EndNote X9 repository depending on the situation if they were needed (Ivey & Crum, 2018; Jenny, 2013).  

Recommendations

Mendeley reference management tool is free. I do not have any desire to incur any cost with a reference management tool.  Therefore, I would strongly recommend Mendeley as it suits my needs as I work with a lot of pdf files online and on my desktop or on my iPhone, the mobile apps are free and it syncs across all platforms that I used (Ivey & Crum, 2018; Saleh, 2012).

References

Ivey, C., & Crum, J. (2018). Choosing the right citation management tool: EndNote X9, Mendeley, Refworks, or Zotero.  Journal of the Medical Library Association. 106(3), 399–403. DOI: dx.doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2018.468

Jenny, E. (2013). Users and citation management tools: use and support.   Reference Services Review 41 No. 4, 2013 pp. 639-659 Retrieved from: 

https://www-emerald-com.library.open.uwi.edu/insight/content/doi/10.1108/RSR-02-2013-0007/full/pdf?title=users-and-citation-management-tools-use-and-support

McMinn, H. S. (2011). Library support of bibliographic management tools: a review, Reference Services Review, 39 No. 2, pp. 278-302. doi.org/10.1108/00907321111135493

Saleh, A. A.  (2012). Product: Mendeley. Journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association, 04/2012, 33(1), pp.29-30.