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Mendeley - Vietnam Guide

Mendeley is a free academic reference manager tool. This start guide will provide you with information on how to create your account, build up your Mendeley Library, and use the MS Word plugin to insert citations and references.

Navigation in Mendeley

Mendeley Reference Manager has a three-column structure interface. 

1. The left-hand side column (column 1) provides you filtering options such as 'All References', 'Recently Added', 'Recently Read'. 

2. The column in the middle (column 2) shows you the references that you imported to Mendeley Library from your research. 

3. The column on the right-hand side (column 3) displays the details (or metadata) of a reference that you selected from column 2. 

Please note:

  • You can modify the metadata of each individual reference by selecting the particular field. For example, author field/year/title. Sometimes, Mendeley may not capture enough details for a reference and you will need to modify/add the details to ensure accuracy. 

4. The 'Add new' button

You can use the 'Add new' button to add references into your Mendeley library. You can add one file or multiple files into Mendeley library by selecting 'Import file(s) from computer'.

  • You can also add a whole folder of PDFs into your Mendeley library. Alternatively, you can add a reference manually (for references that can't be imported automatically). 

Automatically Export References

You can add references to Mendeley library automatically by exporting them from library databases, Google Scholar and more. 

Many Library databases allow options for exporting references in a format called RIS (.ris) type. You can then import the RIS file(s) into Mendeley. Here are the methods to export RIS file(s) from LibrarySearch, ProQuest database, and Google Scholar. 

1. Export references using LibrarySearch

Select the reference from LibrarySearch result, choose 'Export RIS' and select 'Download'.

2. Export references from library databases.

Most library databases will allow you to export references in RIS format. Usually you can export references by navigating to the 'Cite' function. Example below shows how to import references with ProQuest database. 

3. Export references from Google Scholar

Choose the 'Cite' option below each result in Google Scholar. Select 'RefMan' to download the .RIS file into your device.

After downloading these RIS files, you can then add them into your Mendeley library: Open Mendeley Reference Manager - select 'Add new' - 'Import file(s) from computer'. 

Useful tip: It is always a good practice to double check the details of references after you imported them into Mendeley. 

Adding References Manually

What if your sources do not support automatic exporting? 

Here are the steps to manually create a new reference:

1. Click on the 'Add new' button. Choose the 'Add reference manually' option (as screenshot below).

2. Choose the Reference type:

Select the appropriate Reference type from the available drop-down options (e.g., Journal Article, Book, Website).

3. Complete the fields:

Carefully fill in the required fields for the selected document type. This typically includes:

  • Title
  • Author(s)
  • Publication year
  • Journal/Book title (if applicable)
  • Volume/Issue (if applicable)
  • Pages (if applicable)
  • DOI (if available)
  • URL (if available)
  • Any other relevant information.

4. Select 'Add entry' to add the reference into your Mendeley library. 

Mendeley Web Importer

Mendeley Web importer allows you to add references quickly to your Mendeley library from the internet. 

You can install the Web Importer to your internet browser from this link: https://www.mendeley.com/reference-management/web-importer

Useful tip: after you install the Web Importer, you can bookmark it in your internet browser toolbar for quick access. As you browse the internet, you can select the Web Importer to add references to your Mendeley library (log in with Mendeley account required). 

Please note:

  • It is always a good practice to proofread the details (authors, title, publication year, type) of the references that you added to your Mendeley library. When the details are not correct, or missing, you can modify those. 
  • To locate the references added using the Web Importer, you can check the 'Recently Added' tab on the left-hand side column.
  • If you can't find the reference(s) using the Web importer, select the 'Sync' button located at the bottom left side of Mendeley.