When importing all available lists (i.e. medical, chemical etc.) into the journal term list many journal appear more than once and with different abbreviations. When using cite as you write the first appearance in the list seem to be selected to use for abbreviation and this is not necessarily the correct abbreviation for the style I am using. How can I work around this (preferably not manually)? Should I have only one term list imported (my field is interdiciplinary though, covering more than only e.g. chemistry or bioacience).
Unfortunately, you will need to manually edit the abbreviated journal names by either: 1) correcting the problematic journal names as they arise while you’re working; or 2) exporting the journal terms list (which exports as a.txt file) , then using MS Word to correct/delete the incorrect entries, re-saving the file then importing it back into Endnote (after you deleted the current journal terms list).
To minimize discrepancies with abbreviated journal names arising from importing multiple terms list, you might try starting with one list that you deem primary, then see how that list works before importing a 2nd list (or more). It may be that one list works fine and it’s just a matter of selectively increasing the terms as you add references. This method might offer you better control over your terms list.
You might also check with the university librarian(s) overseeing your assorted disciplinary fields if they can recommend resources for compiling an aggregate list of abbreviated journal names applicable for your needs.
I tend to stick with biosciences and have added a few manually – but it has the major medical titles and the major chemical titles that I need as well. You can also create multiple journal terms lists and change the term list that is linked to the journal field.
Finally ensure you have the auto update off in preferences, which otherwise enters new terms from databases - often into the wrong column, which really messes up the terms list. Otherwise I am not sure why the various terms lists would have different info in the columns. I suspect it is due to auto-updates, not the combination of the original sources of the terms lists.
You might want to follow the knowledgebase article below and start over, turning off those auto-update preferences? http://endnote.com/kb/82228