How to Use Mendeley in Writing Your RRL

It is always a struggle for a researcher to write the Review of Related Literature. Some even don’t know where to start and they give up even without giving a try.

If you are one of the few who wanted to pursue this academic endeavor of collecting related literature to support your claims, problems, concepts, and discussion of results in your research subject, here are some tips for you on how Mendeley Software can make the task easier.

Just a FRIENDLY reminder, this does not take away the basic requirement of READING all your collected literature. Also, you need to prepare the PDF files of your collected literature and/or the DOI files from the online platforms where you have retrieved your readings.

• Download the Mendeley Software

I assume that you are using your computer desktop or laptop while doing your RRL. You can visit this link to download the software:

https://www.mendeley.com/download-desktop-new/

Yes. You can use the software for Windows 7, 8.1, and 10 (Version 1803), even in other systems like Mendeley Desktop for macOS and Mendeley Desktop for Linux.

• Install the Mendeley Software by clicking the downloaded icon.

Just follow the instructions of your PC. Do not forget to create a Desktop Shortcut for easy access to the Software.

• Before you run the software. Create first your ELSEVIER account by clicking here.

• Your ELSEVIER login details will be used in signing in to your Mendeley account.

• Run the Mendeley software and a window will pop up.

Allow the software to be an add-on to your MS Word. Make sure to close all the MS Word files in running the set-up. After the installation, you can navigate the REFERENCES tab and look for the icon Mendeley that is added.

• Import all your PDF and DOI files to your Mendeley software.

You will notice that once you click the file being imported, the software automatically runs the file and provide you with the details about the research document.

Below is a screenshot of my Mendeley software showing all my imported PDF and DOI files, clicking Duru Okan as the author. On the right side of the software, all details are provided.

• As you write your RRL in your MS Word, click the Mendeley Icon from the References Tab.

For example, I will be writing about the politics and governance behind the Maritime Affairs. It would look like if I will be citing an author by clicking the INSERT CITATION button:

Find the title of the PDF/DOI file that you have imported and the software will also provide you with suggestions. Click the author/file suggested and an in-text citation will be added to your paragraph.

• Do that in all statements that you will credit to the authors of your collected literature.

Make a list of your BIBLIOGRAPHY by clicking the part of your paper where they should be added and automatically, all the authors in the paper will appear in the list.

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Final note

Honestly, when I realized that I can make use of this software, it made sense to me the things I did in collecting all those PDF files. Instead of manually extracting all the details from it and logging them in my MS Excel file for literature inventory, this MENDELEY software did all the job.

I hope this article helps.

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