Thanks to The University of Memphis, students will not have to spend countless hours constructing bibliographies for term papers.
The U of M has purchased a site license to RefWorks, a Web-based database and bibliography manager that permits its users to gather reference information into a file and import it into the program, which in turn formats it.
Kay Cunningham, electronic resources librarian at the Ned McWherter Library, said RefWorks will be a great addition to any student's academic arsenal.
"It simplifies work because you don't have to type or write down all the reference information you have or key it into a style," she said.
Because it is Web-based, RefWorks offers unlimited access.
"It allows student access from any computer after they register," Cunningham said.
In addition to formatting reference information, this program also lets users cite sources saved in their files and insert them as they write term papers. After finishing the paper, users can go back and format the in-text citations in the correct form.
The writing formats available on RefWorks include MLA, APA, Chicago and Turabian.
In spite of its many advantages, Cunningham acknowledges the program has some drawbacks.
"It can be complicated because it was designed for scientists who publish and all sorts of journals," she said. "There are a lot of formats and styles that can confuse students.
"All of the features in it may be more than they want to use."
Cornisha McDonald, a junior nursing major, said RefWorks sounds like music to her ears because writing papers stresses her out.
"I don't like writing," she said. "It's too time consuming and some what frustrating. It sounds really helpful."
Andrew Nenninger, a senior communications major, said he thinks the program can be helpful, although he does not quite see a need for him to use it.
"From what I remember, I've never been penalized for writing a works cited page in the wrong order," he said. "Not that I pay attention to my returned works cited page."
Cunningham said students interested in registering for RefWorks, must do so on campus to avoid lightening their wallets.
"If you don't register on campus, they'll ask you for money," she said.
The RefWorks website must be accessed through The U of M library's homepage at http://exlibris.memphis.edu.
You must also have your U of M UUID name to login.
