Update existing endnote database with new DOI information

EndNote EndNote General
1

I have an EndNote database that I’ve been building up for years. The most recent version of APA style  requires that DOIs are included in a reference. Is there any way of automatically updating the database with this new information?

2

Just a few thoughts.  You might recheck the APA 6th manual as the APA “recommends when DOIs are available to include them both for print and electronic sources”:  http://www.apastyle.org/learn/faqs/what-is-doi.aspx 

If you still wish to pursue adding DOIs to already-created EndNote records it’s not going to be an easy process.  Currently there is no option to automatically update a library or groups of EndNote references based on a single field. So unless there’s another option that leaves just manual procedures such as:

  1. Searching an online aggregate database (e.g., Ebsco, PsychInfo, etc.) to locate and export records into a new library or copy the DOI into existing records. (Note: There’s a possibility encountering records not having DOIs.)

  2. Using the URL link (if present) from exported records to access the article to locate the DOI.

3.  Obtaining DOIs from CrossRef.  CrossRef provides the information free of charge to individuals for scholarly, research, educational, personal or non-commercial purposes. (Request access at: CrossRef’s Simple Text Query form)

3

Thanks for your reply. Sort og glad to hear I am haven’t missed an obvious automatic method. I have just been asked to update a reference list by an editorial person where DOIs are available. The thing is they are, even for older 1980s refs, as I suppose they have been added retrospectively. So it looks like theres no real option apart from redownloading my refs again and starting from scratch?

4

You might contact the developers to see if an update feature is in the works for a future version…?

5

Leanne is correct. We are working on a feature that enables one-click updating of things like DOI [and many other fields] in existing EndNote records. This should be included in the upcoming version X5 - available next month.

Jason Rollins, the EndNote team

6

Dear Jason,

I have updated to X5, but cannot find the update feature. Where is it, and how do you use it?

7

From the EndNote “References” menu there should be an option called “Find Reference Updates…” This will scan through a record stored in your EndNote library and use Web of Science, CrossRef, and PubMed to try to find updated information related to the record and present it to you. DOI is one of the fields EndNote will try to update.

I hope this helps.

Jason Rollins, the EndNote team