Unit 4: Tools and Add-ons
Find Duplicates
You can use the 'Find Duplicates' function to search your current RefWorks project (or a specific folder) for duplicate references.
Duplicate references may crop up if you have imported results from several databases based on searches using the same keywords.
Academic journals may have their contents indexed within multiple databases, so each new import of results increases the likelihood of duplicates. This function is useful for helping you gain a more accurate understanding on how much literature exists on certain topics.
This process helps automate the search for duplicate results somewhat, but bear in mind it may not be perfect. We encourage you to be critical and evaluate the presence of duplicates by examining the contents of any folders of references yourself.
Access 'Find duplicates' function
- If you wish to find duplicates within a certain RefWorks folder only, open that folder before proceeding.
- You can access the 'Find duplicates' function by clicking Duplicates > Find duplicates from the RefWorks sidebar on the left of the screen.
- You can also select it by clicking Tools > Find duplicates from the Toolbar above the folder name.
Find duplicate references
- Choosing 'Find duplicates' provides you with several options before proceeding.
- You can choose between searching for duplicates within your current RefWorks project, or searching your current folder only.
- The next option allows you to determine how the primary reference is determined. The primary reference in this case is the one that will be marked for retention, with any other duplicates being marked for deletion. You can choose to alter the criteria from 'Completeness' (the reference with the most populated fields) to 'Oldest' or 'Newest' (determined by the date you added the reference to RefWorks). Overall, 'Completeness' tends to offer the best chance of retaining the best-quality reference, but you can always change which reference gets deleted later if you wish.
- The next option is 'Matching settings'. These can either be exact match (information in your chosen fields must be exact before counting as a duplicate), or a loose match (information in your chosen fields must be similar to be flagged as a duplicate). You may wish to run more than one 'Find duplicates' process (exact followed by loose) to ensure best results.
- The final option is the 'field selection'. Here you can select the fields (parts of a reference) that RefWorks will search as part of the duplication process. Title, author and year will be selected by default, but you can deselect these or add any others you may wish to include.
- Once you have made your decision, click 'Find Duplicates' to proceed.
Deduplication process
- Once the deduplication process is started, you will receive a notification message, and a loading bar will appear below the 'Find duplicates' option in the RefWorks sidebar. Depending how many references you have asked RefWorks to analyse, this process may take some time. You do not need to be logged into RefWorks during this process.
- Once this process is complete, a button reading 'Process completed: See results' will appear within the 'Find duplicates' option in the RefWorks sidebar. Click this to view the deduplication results.
- Your results will be presented on the resulting page, with any potential duplicates already marked for deletion. You can review RefWorks' choice of duplicates, and deselect any as necessary.
- Once you are ready to remove any duplicates, click the 'Delete' option at the top of the screen to proceed.
- You will be presented with a couple of options already covered by our guidance on deleting references, as well as a new option called 'Move All Duplicates to Trash'. Only choose this option if you are confident RefWorks correctly identified all duplicates. If not, you may wish to use 'Move selected to Trash' after deselecting some of RefWorks' choices.
