Effectiveness of EndNote Intervention in Enhancing Citation Skills Among MPhil and PhD Scholars: A Pre-Experimental Study in Nepal

Abstract

Skills for effective use of citation management tools are essential for quality academic writing. However, many graduate researchers lack adequate preparation in using tools. This study examined the effectiveness of an intervention using the citation management tool EndNote in strengthening citation skills among MPhil and PhD scholars at the Graduate School of Education (GSE), Tribhuvan University. Using a pre-experimental one-group pretest-posttest design, the study implemented structured intervention sessions for 34 purposively selected GSE MPhil and PhD scholars on reference organization, citation formatting, source grouping, and bibliography configuration. The intervention was implemented for five months. The results of the study revealed significant improvements in participants’ citation management skills following the intervention, particularly in customizing references and managing diverse source types. Socio demographic factors showed no significant influence on the development of citation management skills. The findings underscore the importance of structured intervention sessions in improving citation practices and the quality of academic writing. The study highlights the need for universities to integrate a systematic citation management course into research programs to support efficient, accurate, and ethical scholarly writing.