RefWorks has an excellent series of tutorials on its YouTube page.
Start with Learn to use RefWorks in 20 minutes. This is a group of 10 short videos that (you guessed it) only takes twenty minutes to watch. Numbers 8 and 9 are only applicable if you have Microsoft Word 2016 or higher.
Additionally there are other videos going into more depth on topics or covering additional features.
Caution: if you are looking at the related videos list, be sure you select videos about New RefWorks, not Legacy RefWorks.
![]() |
New RefWorks |
Legacy RefWorks |
RefWorks has decided to change to the new style recommended by the APA experts. However, it is not doing it correctly! (not the preferred option or the option as shown in the Manual).
The DOI (link) should be formatted as:
https://doi.org/10.1177/1362361315607724
When the Reference list is created in MS Word,
RefWorks
removes the https:
displays unnecessary URL from the database
displays unnecessary “Retrieved from” statement
Delete any information in the URL field
1. If the field reads //dx.doi.org change it to //doi.org
Note: if you add the full prefix " https://doi.org/" RefWorks will delete the https:
2. If the field only contains the DOI, add //doi.org/ in front.
Note: if you add the full prefix " https://doi.org/" RefWorks will delete the https:
You will need to add the https: later
When you finish writing and create the bibliography for the final time*: add: https: in front of the double slash
* it must be the final "create bibliography" because every time the bibliography is created, anything added to the document in the gray highlighted areas (i.e., RefWorks codes) will be reset.
The new APA formatting option says that the DOI can be a live (active) if you want it to be.
This method is less typing than either of the other options!
To create an active link, you need to use the URL field; not the DOI field.
RefWorks inserts the label "Retrieved from" in front of any information in the URL field in your Word document.
You will need to delete the "Retrieved from" from each reference. You can do this using the Find and Replace option in MS Word.
Delete the information in the DOI field
Paste the DOI into the URL field, with prefix https://doi.org/
Before
After
When you finish writing and create the bibliography for the final time* you will need to delete the phrase:
Retrieved from
* it must be the final "create bibliography" because every time the bibliography is created, anything added to the document in the gray highlighted areas (i.e., RefWorks codes) will be reset.
Select the "Replace" option in the editing section of the toolbar
Type Retrieved from in the Find what box. Leave the Replace with box empty. Select: Replace All
The DOI should be formatted as:
doi:10.1177/1362361315607724
Note: this format is recommended in the Manual.
When Reference list is created in MS Word, RefWorks
does not display the field label doi in front of the DOI
displays unnecessary URL from database
displays unnecessary “Retrieved from” statement
Delete any information in the URL field
The field should have only the doi (begins with the number 10)
RefWorks does not insert the field label in front of the DOI. You will need to type/paste this before the DOI
doi:
For information about APA rules on in-text citations and references, see the resources on this guide:
If submitting your paper electronically, remove the RefWorks/Write-N-Cite field codes. Be sure to save a copy of your document with the codes so you will be able to edit the paper later.
Select: Remove Field Codes from the top menu of the RefWorks tab in Microsoft Word.