Microsoft Word has many automated features that help you in the process of writing academic reports or articles. With one of these features, you can create a list of sources and citations to produce a bibliography (known as a list of references [reference list] or a list of references [works cited]) automatically at the end of the article. If you need footnotes or endnotes, Word also offers features that help you format those notes.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Adding Quotes in Text
Step 1. Select a citation style from the "References" tab
When you click the "References" tab, you'll see the word "Style" next to the drop-down menu. If you click on the menu, you can select the citation style to use for the reference entries.
Make sure the edition of the selected citation style is the same as the edition you need to use. Word usually offers up-to-date editions for each style, but if you're using an older version of Word, you may need to upgrade or update the version. If you are using the subscription version, just download the latest update
Step 2. Click " Add New Source " to add information about the source
On the " References " tab, click the " Insert Citation " button in the " Citation and Bibliography " option group. The sources that have been entered will be added to the drop-down list. Select "Add New Source" if the text you want to quote is not yet available.
- A dialog box with fields of citation information (including author, text title, year of publication, city, and publisher) will be displayed. Enter all the information you have for the source, then click "OK".
- If you have additional information about the source that doesn't match the base columns shown, check the box next to " Show All Bibliography Fields ".
Tip:
If you don't have all the source information or don't want to interrupt the flow of ideas while writing just because you need to add a new source, click the "Add New Placeholder" option. This option will tell you that in the selected or marked section, you should add a citation.
Step 3. Keep quoting as you continue writing
Place the cursor at the end of the sentence to which you need to add a quote. Return to the " References " tab and click " Insert Citation " to display a list of sources. Click the source you want to cite and Word will automatically create a citation in the text with the specified citation style.
To edit individual citations (eg if you need to add page numbers for direct citations), right-click the citation to display options, then select " Edit Citation"
Step 4. Use the "Manage Sources" button to edit or delete sources
If you are writing a long article, especially one with multiple sources, you may notice that you have several duplicate entries or sources that you no longer need. You can add, delete, or edit source entries using the " Manage Sources " button in the " Citation & Bibliography " option group on the " References " tab.
- Select the source you want to edit from the main list. While editing, you'll see a preview of the end-of-quote entry in the box at the bottom of the window.
- If you previously added placeholders while writing, you can also use this menu to add citation information that needs to be added.
Method 2 of 3: Using Footnotes or Endnotes
Step 1. Select the footnote or endnote option on the "References" tab
Place the cursor where you want to add a footnote or endnote number to the text. Usually, you need to add a number at the end of a sentence, but you can also insert it after a key phrase or author's name. Go to the "References" tab and click "Insert Footnote" or "Insert Endnote".
Word automatically superscripts the text and moves the cursor to the footnote or endnote field
Keyboard shortcuts:
To insert a footnote: “alt="Image"”+” Ctrl”+”F” (PC); “Command”+” Option”+”F” (Mac)
To enter a final note: “alt="Image"”+” Ctrl”+”D” (PC); “Command”+” Option”+”E” (Mac)
Step 2. Use the " Expand " icon to adjust the footnote or endnote settings
You can use consecutive numbers or letters, or other symbols to mark footnotes or endnotes. You can also specify a number or letter that is used as the starting point for marking footnotes/ends.
By default, footnotes/endnotes will continue the numbering of the document. If you want to repeat the number from the beginning at the beginning of a new segment or chapter, you can set it through the settings
If you need to convert footnotes to endnotes, Click the "Insert" menu, select "Footnote", and click "Options". Select " Convert " from the menu, then click " Endnotes ".
Step 3. Type a footnote/end note into the document
You can enter citations manually or use the " Insert Citation " tool to add citations to footnotes/ends. Select a source from the drop-down menu or add a new source if you want to cite sources that have not been added to the list.
- You can also use the " Placeholder " tool if you don't already have all the source information and need to add it later.
- Check the format against the style guide to make sure it's the right format before continuing.
Step 4. Double-click the footnote number to return to the document
When you're ready to return to the last section you wrote and continue writing, double-click the number or symbol at the beginning of the footnote. The cursor will return to the end of the last text you wrote.
In addition, you can also double-click the footnote superscript number in the text to check, edit, or add a footnote. While you can simply scroll the page, this is the fastest method for accessing sections of text
To delete footnote/end note, mark the note number in the text and press the “Delete” button. Word will automatically adjust the numbering of the footer/endnote after deletion.
Method 3 of 3: Creating a Bibliography
Step 1. Choose a bibliography format
Word automatically creates a bibliography when you add a source. Select "Bibliography" from the "References" tab, then specify the desired type of bibliography from the drop-down menu.
For example, if you are writing an article in the MLA citation style, you will need to select the "Works Cited" bibliography. If, say, you select the MLA style as the source citation style, the " Works Cited " format will be the first format choice in the " Bibliography " drop-down menu
Step 2. Create a bibliography with one click
Once you find the format you want, simply select it and click on the format from the drop-down menu. Word will automatically create a bibliography at the end of the document.
The bibliography is considered a separate object from the writing/article that is created and will automatically be added on a new page
Tip:
You don't have to wait until the writing is complete to create a bibliography. Word will automatically populate the bibliography with new sources added after the bibliography is created.
Step 3. Review the bibliography carefully
Even though Word automatically formats and creates bibliographies, you still need to double-check each entry. Make sure the correct sources are used and the entries are formatted according to the style you choose.
