Skip to main content
Dansk Deutsch Norsk Svenska

De-duplication of references in EndNote

Updated
endnote2025_launch.jpg

Now available: AI-powered summaries, reference chat and smarter reference discovery. Read more here.

The latest version of EndNote offers more efficient ways of de-duplicating your references. De-duplication by specifically using EndNote has previously been suggested, and the process described, by Bramer, Giustini et al. (2016). The described method by Bramer et al. can, however, be tweaked to enhance it further. Over time EndNote has evolved, adding more functionality to be utilized. Also, some existing functionality can be used to decrease the processing time and increase efficiency. Here we suggest some further improvement to the described de-duplication process (description is for EndNote 20 in Windows).

By adding the below steps, the de-duplication should be even more efficient.

  • Note 1: Bramer’s steps still apply
  • Note 2: use step 1-4 after you have collected the reference to be de-duplicated

1 - Supplement your references

Use the, in EndNote, built-in function for finding reference updates. This function will often find and add information like DOI-number (Digital Object Identifier) and the page number. Highlight relevant reference in EndNote, then References>Find Reference updates.

2 - Import the correct Journal term list (with full Journal names, and abbreviations)

  1. In EndNote go to Library>Open term list>Journal term list.
  2. Delete all existing terms from the list (Ctrl-A to highlight all terms, and then click “Delete term”).
  3. Click on the “Lists” tab and highlight the “Journal” list.
  4. Click “Import List”.
  5. In the File dialogue, select the list you want to use, and click “Open” to import the Journal term list with full names and abbreviations.

3 - Copy any information from the Accession Number field to the Label field

When importing reference data from online databases some database information like the PMID ends up in the "Accession Number" field. The accession number field is not available for checking duplicates in EndNote. We propose you copy the information in the accession number field to the "Label" field, which is available for checking duplicates in EndNote. Below we describe how to perform this copy as a batch process in EndNote:

  • Note1: This is a batch process that will be performed on all showing references, and the process cannot be undone!
  1. Make sure all references you which to process are shown in the window.
  2. Go to EndNote>Library>Move/Copy Fields
  3. Select "copy fields" - From: Accession Number, To: Label
  4. Select: Insert After Field's Text and click OK

4 – Export and import using our supplemented files

This style will correct the page numbers to a non-abbreviated form and change the Journal names to full Journal names (requires the import of correct the journal term list before execution). Export and import your library as described by Bramer et al. but instead use the, to this article, attached filters (see below).

5 - Take advantage of new duplicate parameters in EndNote 20

EndNote now provides the possibility to search for duplicates based on DOI and PMCID (PubMed ID). Incorporating these new possibilities should further smooth the de-duplication process. You find the choices for these parameters in EndNote under Edit>Preferences>Duplicates. Use these extra parameters in addition to the ones specified in the Bramer, Giustini et al. (2016) process.

You can find the whole article here https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4915647/

 

Bibliography

Bramer, W. M., D. Giustini, G. B. de Jonge, L. Holland and T. Bekhuis (2016). "De-duplication of database search results for systematic reviews in EndNote." J Med Libr Assoc 104(3): 240-243.

 

Related articles