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EndNote desktop: FAQs and tips

Vancouver (or a related medical-related style) allows for three variations for in-text numbering:

  • Parentheses (round brackets), like so: (3)
  • Square brackets, like so: [3]
  • Superscript, like so: 3

None of them is prescribed as the preferred variation, so different publishers might use any of these.

EndNote makes it easy to change between these variations.

By default, EndNote uses parentheses.

Change the format of in-text numerical citations - I'm hip to square brackets

1. In EndNote, ensure the Vancouver style (or other style you are modifying) is selected. You can find the drop-down style selector above the reference preview in the Summary tab (you might have to click the teal chevron in the lower right to reveal the preview).

screenshot of EndNote style drop-down showing Vancouver style selected

2. Tools menu > Output Styles > Edit "Vancouver" (assuming you have Vancouver chosen as your default EndNote style)

screenshot showing Edit Vancouver under Output Styles in the Edit menu of EndNote

3. In the Citations section of the style editor, select Templates​

4. Change the parentheses (round brackets) around Bibliography Number in both citation templates to square brackets

animated screenshot showing editing a round bracket to square in the style editor under Citation section, Templates

5. Save the style using File menu > Save As, or just close the style editor and wait for the save warning (see below). We recommend you rename the style to indicate it has been modified e.g. Vancouver with Square Brackets, or Vancouver with Superscript.

Style editor showing File menu with Save As selected

6. Close the style editor either by clicking on the standard close button or Using File menu > Close Style

screenshot of style editor with Close button indicated

7. When EndNote asks about saving changes to the Vancouver style before closing, click Yes

8. When it asks you to rename the modified style. rename it to something meaningful e.g. Vancouver (square brackets)

animated screenshot of renaming from Vancouver Copy to something meaningful before clicking Save

9. From the style selection drop-down, choose Select Another Style...

animated screenshot showing choosing the entry for Choose Another Style... from the EndNote drop-down style selector

10. Browse to and select your modified style

animated screenshot of choosing the newly modified style in the style list

 

Your modified Vancouver style will now use square brackets when inserting in-text numerical citations in Word.

screenshot of an in-text numerical citation using square brackets

1. In EndNote, ensure the Vancouver style (or other style you are modifying) is selected. You can find the drop-down style selector above your library list of references.

screenshot of EndNote style drop-down showing Vancouver style selected

2. Toolsmenu > Output Styles > Edit "Vancouver" (assuming you have Vancouver selected as your default EndNote style)

screenshot showing Edit Vancouver under Output Styles in the Tools menu of EndNote

3. In the Citations section of the style editor, select Templates

4. Delete the parentheses (round brackets) in both templates. Select the text for Bibliography Number and set it to superscript using the options above. Do not make the text for Author into Superscript

animated screenshot showing deleting parentheses and changing Bibliography Number to superscript

5. Save the style using File menu > Save As, or just close the style editor and wait for the save warning (see below). We recommend you rename the style to indicate it has been modified e.g. Vancouver with Supperscript.

Style editor showing File menu with Save As selected

6. Close the style editor either by clicking on the standard close button or Using File menu > Close Style

screenshot of style editor with Close button indicated

7. When EndNote asks about saving changes to the Vancouver style before closing, click Yes

8. When it asks you to rename the modified style. rename it to something meaningful e.g.Vancouver (superscript)

animated screenshot showing renaming default Vancouver Copy to Vancouver (superscript)

9. From the style selection drop-down, choose Select Another Style...

animated screenshot showing choosing the entry for Choose Another Style... from the EndNote drop-down style selector

10. Browse to and select your modified style

animated screenshot showing selecting newly modified style from style list

Your modified Vancouver style will now use superscript when inserting in-text numerical citations in Word.

screenshot of superscript in-text citation in a Word document

ABN 51 818 692 256 | CRICOS provider number 00103D | RTO code 4909 | TEQSA PRV12151 Australian University
   Federation University Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands and waters where our campuses, centres and field stations are located and we pay our respects to Elders past and present, and extend our respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and First Nations Peoples.