How to create a bibliography in Word
If you are writing a college essay or homework, not only do you need to print it out, but it is also of paramount importance to include a bibliography. The easiest way to do this is to add your citations and automatically create a bibliography in Microsoft Word according to the writing format you choose.
Here we’ll walk through adding citations, managing sources, and creating a bibliography in Word and updating it as needed.
Add a new citation in Microsoft Word
To add a new citation in Word for a source you’ve never used before, you need the basic details for it, whether it’s a book, article, website, or other source. So make sure you have the information handy and then follow these steps.
Step 1: Go to references tab and the Quotations & Bibliography section of the tape.
Step 2: Choose your writing format in the style Drop-down menu likely to show as APA by default. In the list you will find the most popular formats such as MLA, Chicago and others.
Step 3: Choose insert quote in the same section of ribbon and pluck Add new source.
Use the type of source Drop-down box to select the type and you will see the fields under Update to include the source type.
Step 4: Add the required details for your source. Optionally, you can check the box for Show all bibliography fields if the desired ones are not displayed.
Step 5: When you’re done, select OK to save the source and it will be added to your content in the format you selected.
Manage your sources in Word
After adding a source to your work, you can edit or reuse it. Also, your sources are saved in a master list that allows you to use them in other Word documents.
Step 1: On the references tab, select manage sources in which Quotations & Bibliography section of the tape.
Step 2: When the box opens, you will see the master list of the sources on the left. If you added one in the section above, it will appear in this list as well.
- To add an existing source to the current document, select it and click Copy Downtown. This moves it to the Current list so you can easily paste it into your current document (see below).
- To edit a source, select it and choose To edit. Then make your changes and select OK to save her.
- To add a new source, select it New click, enter the details and select OK to save the source.
Step 3: When you’re done with the source manager, choose Close.
With sources in the current list in the source manager, you can quickly add an in-text citation. Choose insert quote button on the references and select the source from the drop-down list.
Create a bibliography in Word
When you’re ready to insert a bibliography, Word automatically uses the sources you added to the Source Manager list.
Step 1: Put your cursor in the document you want the bibliography in and go to references Tab.
Step 2: Confirm that the writing format is correct style Drop-down box whether using APA, MLA or any other style.
Step 3: Choose bibliography drop-down menu in the Quotations & Bibliography section of the tape. You will see some built-in options to choose from with different headings.
If you prefer one without a headline, go for it Insert bibliography.
Step 4: Select the option you want and it will appear in your document.
Update a bibliography in Word
Because Word creates your bibliography automatically, you can easily update it if necessary, just like inserting a table of contents. You can add more citations or edit the details for a source.
Step 1: Select the bibliography and then select the Update citations and bibliography button at top left.
Step 2: You will see that the list of references is updated to include additions or changes.
College is tough enough without worrying about how to create a bibliography for your work. Hope this guide gets you off to a good start!
Now that you know how to create a bibliography in Word, let’s see how to double-space your work or how to add page numbers in Word.
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