How and when to use reference manager - (Jul/01/2008 )

I hear everybody about reference manager, I do have to program on my computer, but what can I do with it? Is it only to manage the publications for yourself? because I'm still working with printed papers (easier to read) and I have my own storage system for them.
Or can you for instance also automatically insert the refernces for your own written paper (now, I have to do by hand)?

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It is very helpful when writing a manuscript. Managing the large number of references and quickly changing their format according to different requirements for different journals as you go down the journal submission lane

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Honest Suggestion. Don't think. Start Using. Nothing to lose, plenty to gain.

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With the reference managing software, you can maintain a database of the papers U have read and that U may want to recall for referencing or any other purpose. (May be that's what you are doing with 'your own system' .. but it is better to rely on what everyone has been doing and has been tested)

Yes, some of the referencing managers can be integrated with MS Word/Oo Writer to insert citations and make bibliography.

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I can only agree with the others. Using it when writing a manuscript will save you LOTS of time. And as said cellcounter, the fact that you can change the display of your reference in the text but also in the bibliography according to the journal's specification is a blessing!

The longest part though is to incorporate all of you article in the programm. But again, most of these programm are able to connect themselves to Pubmed. So you only have to search by keywords and incorporate the whole reference (with the authors, the title, the journal's name, #, abstract, etc)

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