EndNote

The easiest way to use MEDLINE journal title abbreviations in EndNote is to import citations from a source that brings in journal titles as abbreviations by default (i.e., PubMed). If you use citations from multiple sources or have to enter citations by hand, this is the way to force EndNote to use abbreviations. Note: Not all titles have standard MEDLINE abbreviations, so you may have to make your best guess on occasion. Use the Journals database to find similar titles.

Part 1: Importing the Journal Terms List

1. Open your "Tools" tab on your toolbar. 
2. Scroll down to "Open Terms List." 
3. Select "Journal Terms List."

4. Select the "Terms" tab. Delete anything in the terms box. 
5. When you have nothing left in the box under the "Terms" tab, click the "Lists" tab. Select Journals from the list. 
6. When this is done, click the "Import List" button.

7. An "Open" box should pop up (looks like the "Save" box). In the "Look In" toolbar it should say "Terms List." If it does not, then click the drop down box and find your EndNote program file folder. Open the Terms List folder in your EndNote program file folder.
8. When that pops open, double click "Medical" to get the MEDLINE/Index Medicus journal abbreviations file.

9 . After it has finished loading, you should have around 8,900 journal titles and abbreviations loaded. To verify, click on theTerms tab. The titles and two sets of abbreviations will be listed, one set with periods and one without. Which abbreviation you will use depends on the style guidelines of the journal you are submitting to. Note which abbreviation you will need. 
10. Close this box .

Part 2: Link a Bibliographic Style to the Abbreviations

11. Go into "Edit" on the tool bar. 
12. Scroll down into "Output Style" and select your output style for editing. If you already have that style open, select "edit style name"

13. When the editing box comes up, scroll over to the left side of the box, the outline or table of contents, if you will. Select "Journals." 
14. The box that now comes up will give you the option to use the full journal title or abbreviations. Click the abbreviation version that you would like with this style and "save as." Title your new output style something you will remember, such as New England J Medicine EDITED.

Part 3: Putting it Together

15. Go into your Word document and unformat all of your citations (button with red arrow rounding over to the left) 
16. Reformat your bibliography using your new output style.

You may have some journals that are not part of the ones listed. If that is the case, the easiest way to approach the situation is manually add it to either your reference list or your library. You can also add it to your terms list manually.