LibGuides: Referencing: RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM)

What is RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM)?

RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM) is an add-on for Microsoft Word and other similar applications such as Google Docs and Hangul, enabling the user to seamlessly insert and edit RefWorks citations and bibliographic details in a document.

RCM is suitable for Microsoft Word 2016, 2019, and online running on Windows 8.1 or above. For Mac users, RCM will work on MacOS X versions 10.6+ and iOS (iPad).

You will find for further guidance on the right add-on for your operating system and version of Microsoft Word from Finding the right writing tool add-on.

Installing RCM

RCM is available through the Microsoft Store and can be downloaded and installed directly from Microsoft Word. The following instructions will help you install RCM on your personal device. The location of the Store 'Add-ins' area will vary depending on the version of Word you are using.

1. For Microsoft 365, open Word and location the 'Add-ins' in the Home tab.

For older or other versions of Microsoft Word, click on the "Insert" tab and select "Get Add-ins".

2. In the search box, type RCM or the words Refworks in full and press "Enter". Depending on your device set-up, you may be able to download RefWorks from the Store or from the Admin Managed area of the app.

3. Add the RefWorks Citation Manager (RCM) follow the on-screen instructions to install RCM. After the installation, RCM will appear in the main "Toolbar" ribbon.

Using RCM

To log in to RCM,

Click on the RCM tab and then the button that appears below the toolbar.
The log in pane will open on the right hand side. Log in with your RefWorks username and password.
Once logged in, RCM will synchronize with your RefWorks account. This may take a few moments and after that the sidebar will populate with your saved references.
You are now ready to use RCM.

Before you insert citation in your document, make sure the referencing style selected correspond with the style you have chosen to display in your RefWorks account.

Position the cursor where you want to insert the citation
Open the folder containing the references you would like to use
As you hover the mouse over a reference, you will have the option either to quickly insert - "Cite This" or edit the citation before use
To see a preview of what the citation will be like, check in the box next to the reference. You then have the option to edit or click "Insert Citation" if no change is needed.

For a Footnote style, such as Chicago, position the cursor where you want to place the citation.

Click on "References" from the Word menu and select "Insert Footnote".
Select the reference you want to use in RCM and click on "Edit This"
Select the Footnote radio button and then "Insert citation"

Select the reference you would like to edit and click on the "Edit"
From the edit pane, you can add page numbers, hide or include author and date, add prefix or suffix as necessary
Once that is done, click on "Insert Citation".

By default the tool used to generate references is switched off. To generate references with RCM,

Place the cursor at the end of the document where you want the references to be
Select the "Menu", which is the three lines at the top next to the citation style.
Click on "Bibliography: Off" to switch it on. The full references of the citations used will appear in an alphabetical order.

RCM Features

Automatically synchronizes with your RefWorks account when you log into RCM.

Enables you to view and insert citations into your document, using previously formatted citation styles.

Can configure to add references at the end of your document as you insert citations.

RCM will automatically update your references as you add or remove citations.

Using RCM on Brunel Devices

RCM is installed on all Brunel University devices.

If you cannot find the RCM tab on Word's Ribbon, you can add it yourself from the Microsoft store.

Click on the Insert tab and select "Get Add-ins".

Below the "Office Add-ins" heading, select "ADMIN MANAGED" and select "RefWorks Citation Man..." from the list of apps.

Editing your References

You must manually edit your references in RefWorks to ensure they are correctly formatted and there are no missing features before you start using them.

RCM is not able to do this for you.

Additional Resources

You will find additional support about RCM here;