how to reference a research paper in ms word

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Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Insert Citations in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)

By Erin Wright

Managing citations for research papers, theses, dissertations, and other nonfiction works can be overwhelming. However, you can ease the process by learning how to insert citations in Microsoft Word using the software’s citation and bibliography tools.

This tutorial covers six topics:

• How to select a citation style
• How to insert citations for new sources
• How to insert citations for existing sources
• How to edit sources
• How to use citation placeholders
• How to insert bibliographies, reference lists, or works cited lists

Important Note: At the time this tutorial was published, Microsoft Word did not offer the most up-to-date formatting for several of our primary style guides , including APA, Chicago, MLA, and Turabian. Therefore, I encourage you to review the available styles before using the citation and bibliography tools. We will cover the steps to customize citation and bibliography styles in a separate tutorial.

This tutorial is also available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 200 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel .

The images below are from Word in Microsoft 365. The steps are the same in Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016. However, your interface may look slightly different in those older versions of the software.

How to Select a Citation Style in Microsoft Word

• Select the References tab in the ribbon.

• Select your citation style from the Style menu in the Citations & Bibliography group.

How to Insert Citations for New Sources in Microsoft Word

• Place your cursor where you want to insert the citation.

• Select the References tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
• Select the Insert Citation button in the Citations & Bibliography group.

• Select Add New Source from the drop-down menu.

• Select the source type from the Type of Source menu in the Create Source dialog box.

• Enter the source information into the bibliography fields.

• (Optional Step) Select Show All Bibliography Fields if you need to add additional information.

• (Optional Step) Enter the source information into the additional fields.

• Select the OK button.

Your citation should appear in your text.

How to Insert Citations for Existing Sources in Microsoft Word

Once you enter a source, as shown in the section above, you can create additional citations for that source without reentering the information.

• Place your cursor where you want to insert the citation (see figure 3).
• Select the Insert Citation button in the Citations & Bibliography group (see figure 4).
• Select the source from the drop-down menu.

Your citation should appear in your text (see figure 11).

How to Edit Sources in Microsoft Word

When you edit an existing source, you will also edit any existing citations for that source in your current document.

• Select the Manage Sources button in the Citations & Bibliography group.

• Select the source you want to edit in the Master List or the Current List in the Source Manager dialog box.

Pro Tip: The Master List is stored in your computer and is accessible in all your documents. The Current List is part of your current file and is only accessible in that file. By default, Word stores new sources in the Master List and the Current List.

• Select the Edit button.

• Enter your edits in the Edit Source dialog box. (Select Show All Bibliography Fields , if necessary.)

• Select Yes or No in the alert box stating that you will be updating the source in both the Master List and the Current List. (Strongly consider selecting Yes to update both lists if you plan to cite this source in future documents.)

• Select the Close button in the Source Manager dialog box.

How to Use Citation Placeholders in Microsoft Word

You can use placeholders if your source information is not available.

• Place your cursor where you want to insert the citation placeholder.
• Select Add New Placeholder from the drop-down menu.

• (Optional Step) Change the name of the placeholder in the Placeholder Name dialog box.

Pro Tip : You can use the same placeholder in the future by selecting it from the Insert Citation drop-down menu (see figure 12).

• When you are ready to replace the placeholder with a source, complete the steps in How to Edit Sources above.

How to Insert Bibliographies, Reference Lists, or Works Cited Lists in Microsoft Word

These steps will only work if you inserted your sources using Word’s citation and bibliography tools.

• Place your cursor where you want to insert the bibliography, reference list, or works cited list.
• Select the Bibliography button in the Citations & Bibliography group.

• Select Bibliography , References , or Works Cited from the drop-down menu.

Your bibliography, reference list, or works cited list should appear in your document.

Related Resources

How to Create Hanging Indents in Microsoft Word

How to Insert Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word

How to Convert Individual Footnotes to Endnotes in Microsoft Word (and Individual Endnotes to Footnotes)

How to Create a Cover Page in Microsoft Word (Built-In and Custom)

How to Add Citations and a Bibliography in Google Docs

Updated May 21, 2023

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How To Create a Works Cited in Microsoft Word

Last Updated: April 19, 2023 Tested

Inserting In-Text Citations

Using footnotes or endnotes, creating your bibliography.

This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Jennifer Mueller, JD . Jennifer Mueller is a wikiHow Content Creator. She specializes in reviewing, fact-checking, and evaluating wikiHow's content to ensure thoroughness and accuracy. Jennifer holds a JD from Indiana University Maurer School of Law in 2006. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 112,873 times. Learn more...

Microsoft Word has many automatic features that can help you write a report or academic paper. Among these, you can keep a list of sources and citations to automatically generate a bibliography (also called a "Reference List" or "Works Cited") at the end of your paper. If you need footnotes or endnotes, Word has features that can help you format those as well.

Things You Should Know

• Click Style within the "References" tab in Microsoft Word to select your desired citation style.
• Click Add New Source to enter info about a source, which can then be used when you next click Insert Citation .
• Click Bibliography under the "References" tab to open a menu of different bibliography formats, including an MLA Works Cited.

• Make sure the edition is the same as the one you need to use. Word typically offers the most recent edition of each style, but if you have an older version of Word you may need to upgrade. If you have a subscription version, simply download the latest update. [1] X Research source

• A dialogue box will appear with the necessary fields for the citation, including spaces for the author, title, year of publication, city, and publisher. Enter all the information you have for your source, then click "OK."
• If you have additional information about the source that doesn't fit into any of these basic fields, check the box next to "Show All Bibliography Fields."

Tip: If you don't have all the information for the source, or if you don't want to interrupt your train of thought to add a new source, you can click "Add New Placeholder" instead. This alerts you that you need to add a citation there.

• To edit an individual citation, such as if you wanted to add a page number for a direct quote, right-click the citation for citation options and click "Edit Citation." [2] X Research source

• Choose the source you want to edit from your master list. As you edit, you'll see a preview of the final citation in the lower box.
• If you inserted placeholders while you were writing, you can also use this menu to add information for those sources.

• Word will automatically create a superscripted number in your text and move the cursor to the footnote or endnote field.

Keyboard shortcuts:

Insert Footnote: Alt+Ctrl+F (PC); Command+Option+F (Mac) Insert Endnote: Alt+Ctrl+D (PC); Command+Option+E (Mac)

• By default, footnotes or endnotes will continue sequential numbering throughout your document. If you want the numbers to restart at the beginning of each new section or chapter, you can specify this in the settings.

If you need to convert footnotes to endnotes, click on the "Insert" menu, then "Footnote," then "Options." Select "Convert" from the menu, then click on "Endnotes."

• You can also use the "Placeholder" tool if you don't yet have all the information for the source and need to add it in later.
• Check the formatting against your style guide to make sure it's correct before you continue.

• Similarly, you can double-click a superscripted footnote number in the text to check that footnote, edit, or add to it. While you can also simply scroll down the page, this is a quicker way to get there.

To delete a footnote or endnote, highlight the footnote or endnote number in your text and press the delete key. Word will automatically renumber your other footnotes or endnotes to accommodate for the deletion.

• For example, if you're writing your paper in MLA style, you would want a "Works Cited" bibliography. Assuming you chose MLA as the style for your source citations, the "Works Cited" format would be the first format option in the "Bibliography" drop-down menu.

• The bibliography is considered a separate object from the paper you're writing, and will automatically start on a new page.

Tip: You don't have to wait until you've finished writing your paper to create your bibliography. Word will auto-populate your bibliography with any new sources you add after the bibliography has been generated.

• For example, if you made a typographical error when entering the information about the source, that error would carry over into your bibliography.

Expert Q&A

• The steps and information in this article are accurate for Word for Office 365, Word 2019, Word 2016, Word 2013, Word 2010, and Word 2007. If you have a different edition of Word, your menu options may differ slightly. [10] X Research source Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/how-do-i-upgrade-office-ee68f6cf-422f-464a-82ec-385f65391350
• ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/create-a-bibliography-citations-and-references-17686589-4824-4940-9c69-342c289fa2a5
• ↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/insert-footnotes-and-endnotes-61f3fb1a-4717-414c-9a8f-015a5f3ff4cb?ui=en-US&rs=en-US&ad=US
• ↑ https://guides.lib.umich.edu/c.php?g=283073&p=1888261
• ↑ https://www.pcworld.com/article/2687533/how-to-use-microsoft-words-works-cited-tools-sources-footnotes-and-more.html
• ↑ https://edu.gcfglobal.org/en/word-tips/how-to-create-a-bibliography-or-works-cited-page-in-word/1/

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How to insert Citations & References in Microsoft Word

How to add citations & references in word.

From here, click on the Insert Citation > Add New Source option.

KomalSrivastava@TWC

How To Reference In Microsoft Word

Step-By-Step Video Tutorial With Examples

By: Derek Jansen (MBA) | Expert Reviewer: Dr Eunice Rautenbach | March 2024

In this video tutorial, you’ll learn how to use Microsoft Word’s referencing function for in-text citations and bibliographies. We’ll cover selecting citation styles , adding sources , using placeholders , creating reference lists or bibliographies , and managing sources through Word’s Source Manager. We also discuss some free alternative reference managers like Mendeley and Zotero for more style options and flexibility.

Overview & timestamps

00:00 Introduction to Microsoft Word’s Referencing Function 01:00 Understanding the Reference Management Functionality 01:25 Setting the Citation Style 01:57 Adding and Editing Citations 03:55 Using Placeholders in Citations 04:28 Creating a Reference List or Bibliography 05:35 Understanding the Source Manager 07:07 Conclusion and Additional Resources

Key resources

• Mendeley tutorial
• Zotero tutorial
• Free templates and resources

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How to Select and Use Citation Management Tools: Citation tools in Microsoft Word

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• Shared Citations and Collaborative Projects
• Troubleshooting
• About Citation Styles

Citation Tools Housed in Microsoft Word

Using the citation tools in Microsoft Word

The citation tools in Word 2016 for PC are under the References* tab.

1. Begin by setting the citation style -- use the drop-down box labeled Style:

Creating a Source

2. Next, click Manage Sources and in the Source Manager box, click New...

4. In the Create Source box, first select the type of source. This will impact which fields are displayed below. Required fields will display with red asterisks to the left of the field. Note, however, that while some citation styles (such as APA 6th) require volume and issue number for journal articles, these do not appear in the default view of the Create Source box. Click on Show All Bibliography Fields to open these additional fields.

5. Next, fill out the fields as they should appear in your bibliography. Watch the bottom of the screen for formatting examples for each field.

6. When finished, click OK .You will be returned to the Source List box.

Making references available for citation

7. The Source Manager box will now show both a Master List of sources and a Current List. The current list pertains to the current document, and is the list that will be accessed by Word when you go to add citations to your document. Meanwhile the master list holds all the sources you have created previously using this process. Word will only include citations in the Current List for citation use in this document. You can add a source from the Master List to the Current List simply by clicking on it in the master list and then clicking Copy -> from the options in the middle. When you are finished, click Close .

Creating an in-text citation

8. To insert a citation from your Current List, place the cursor where you would like the citation to appear.

9. Next, click References then Insert Citation and click on the citation you would like to use from the drop-down list. (If your citation does not appear in the drop-down list, return to step 7, above.)

10. Your in-text citation will be added.

Inserting the Bibliography

11. When you are finished writing your paper and ready to insert the bibliography, place the cursor at the end of the paper, where you would like the bibliography to begin.

12. From the Bibliography drop-down in the References tab, select the bibliography with the heading you need ( Works Cited is generally used for MLA style and References is generally used for APA.)

13. You can highlight "References" and change the font color to black or highlight the text of the bibliography to manipulate the font type, size or spacing.

*Please note - these instructions, created using Microsoft Word 2016 for PC, may vary slightly among computer platforms and different versions of Microsoft Word.

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• Last Updated: Aug 21, 2023 9:12 AM
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Microsoft word: formatting your paper.

• Font & Font Size
• Header/Page Number
• Paragraph Spacing
• Works Cited/References/Bibliography

Using Docs to Create Your Citations

Using word to create your citations: brief overview.

• Video Tutorials

Citation Style Guides

• APA Style 7th Edition by Marla Gruner Last Updated Apr 4, 2024 980 views this year
• MLA Style 9th Edition by Marla Gruner Last Updated Feb 5, 2024 722 views this year
• Add Citations and a Bibliography Instructions for using the built-in Citations Tool in Google Docs

Once you have added all of your citations, use the tool to insert a Works Cited or References list. You can also use the tool to insert in-text citations.

The References tab allows you to add your citation information for your sources into your Word document. You select your citation style and Manage Sources to add each source. Select the type of source (Book, Article, Website, etc.) then type in all of the required information.

When you're ready, you can generate a Bibliography (choose Bibliography -> Insert Bibliography rather than selecting a preformatted option) and your Works Cited/References/Bibliography will be created.

You can use Insert Citation (once you put all your sources in) to insert an in-text citation and Insert Footnote to add a footnote.

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• Next: Video Tutorials >>
• Last Updated: Feb 15, 2024 12:57 PM
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Formatting a References Page in Word 2013/2016

Use the following directions to format your References page in APA format. Also, check out our APA 7th ed. sample paper . 

• After completing your paper, click the "Insert" tab and choose "Blank Page" to add a new page to your document. Your header with your page number should appear in the top right corner when you insert the new page.

• Click on the "Home" tab, then click the "Justify Center" icon. This will center your title.

• Type in your title: References. Your title should be bolded in size 12 Times New Roman font.

• Hit "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line. Then, hit the "Justify Left" icon to move the cursor back to the left. Make sure to unbold the text.

• Type in your full APA citation for your sources. Remember your References page should still be double-spaced!

• All References entries that are longer than a single line must include a Hanging Indent for second (and so forth) line(s).
• Choose the line you wish to indent. Move your cursor to the line you wish to indent.
• Hit CTRL T (or CMD T on a Mac) on your keyboard.

• Repeat (if necessary) for your third line.

Formatting a References Page in Word Online

Use the following directions to format your References page in APA format. Also, check out our APA 7th ed.  sample paper . 

• After completing your paper, add a new page to your document for your Works Cited. Hit "Enter" on your keyboard until you begin a new page.  Your header with your page number should also update automatically (although you will not be able to see them in the document).
• Click the "Home" tab, then click the "Justify Center" icon. This will center your title.

• Type in your title, References. Your title should be bolded and in size 12 Times New Roman font.

• Hit "Enter" on your keyboard to start a new line. Then, go to the "Home" tab and hit "Justify Left" to move the cursor back to the left. Make sure to unbold the text.

• Type in your full APA Citations for your sources. Remember, your References page should be double-spaced!

• All References page entries that are longer than a single line must include a Hanging Indent for second (and so forth) line(s). Move your cursor to the end of the first line.
• Using your mouse, move the cursor to the beginning of the second line of your citation.
• Hit "Tab" on your keyboard. This should indent only the second line of your citation.

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• Next: APA Handouts >>
• Formatting the Author & Title
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• Citing Part of a Book or Ebook
• Citing an Encyclopedia
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• Citing a Magazine or Newspaper Article
• Citing Interviews, Emails, etc.
• Citing a Website Article or Page
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• Formatting Your Title Page and Paper in Word
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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / How to Cite Sources

How to Cite Sources

Here is a complete list for how to cite sources. Most of these guides present citation guidance and examples in MLA, APA, and Chicago.

If you’re looking for general information on MLA or APA citations , the EasyBib Writing Center was designed for you! It has articles on what’s needed in an MLA in-text citation , how to format an APA paper, what an MLA annotated bibliography is, making an MLA works cited page, and much more!

MLA Format Citation Examples

The Modern Language Association created the MLA Style, currently in its 9th edition, to provide researchers with guidelines for writing and documenting scholarly borrowings.  Most often used in the humanities, MLA style (or MLA format ) has been adopted and used by numerous other disciplines, in multiple parts of the world.

MLA provides standard rules to follow so that most research papers are formatted in a similar manner. This makes it easier for readers to comprehend the information. The MLA in-text citation guidelines, MLA works cited standards, and MLA annotated bibliography instructions provide scholars with the information they need to properly cite sources in their research papers, articles, and assignments.

• Book Chapter
• Conference Paper
• Documentary
• Encyclopedia
• Google Images
• Kindle Book
• Memorial Inscription
• Museum Exhibit
• Painting or Artwork
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Sheet Music
• Thesis or Dissertation
• YouTube Video

APA Format Citation Examples

The American Psychological Association created the APA citation style in 1929 as a way to help psychologists, anthropologists, and even business managers establish one common way to cite sources and present content.

APA is used when citing sources for academic articles such as journals, and is intended to help readers better comprehend content, and to avoid language bias wherever possible. The APA style (or APA format ) is now in its 7th edition, and provides citation style guides for virtually any type of resource.

Chicago Style Citation Examples

The Chicago/Turabian style of citing sources is generally used when citing sources for humanities papers, and is best known for its requirement that writers place bibliographic citations at the bottom of a page (in Chicago-format footnotes ) or at the end of a paper (endnotes).

The Turabian and Chicago citation styles are almost identical, but the Turabian style is geared towards student published papers such as theses and dissertations, while the Chicago style provides guidelines for all types of publications. This is why you’ll commonly see Chicago style and Turabian style presented together. The Chicago Manual of Style is currently in its 17th edition, and Turabian’s A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations is in its 8th edition.

Citing Specific Sources or Events

• Declaration of Independence
• Gettysburg Address
• Martin Luther King Jr. Speech
• President Obama’s Farewell Address
• President Trump’s Inauguration Speech
• White House Press Briefing

Additional FAQs

• Citing Archived Contributors
• Citing a Blog
• Citing a Book Chapter
• Citing a Source in a Foreign Language
• Citing an Image
• Citing a Song
• Citing Special Contributors
• Citing a Translated Article
• Citing a Tweet

6 Interesting Citation Facts

The world of citations may seem cut and dry, but there’s more to them than just specific capitalization rules, MLA in-text citations , and other formatting specifications. Citations have been helping researches document their sources for hundreds of years, and are a great way to learn more about a particular subject area.

Ever wonder what sets all the different styles apart, or how they came to be in the first place? Read on for some interesting facts about citations!

1. There are Over 7,000 Different Citation Styles

You may be familiar with MLA and APA citation styles, but there are actually thousands of citation styles used for all different academic disciplines all across the world. Deciding which one to use can be difficult, so be sure to ask you instructor which one you should be using for your next paper.

2. Some Citation Styles are Named After People

While a majority of citation styles are named for the specific organizations that publish them (i.e. APA is published by the American Psychological Association, and MLA format is named for the Modern Language Association), some are actually named after individuals. The most well-known example of this is perhaps Turabian style, named for Kate L. Turabian, an American educator and writer. She developed this style as a condensed version of the Chicago Manual of Style in order to present a more concise set of rules to students.

3. There are Some Really Specific and Uniquely Named Citation Styles

How specific can citation styles get? The answer is very. For example, the “Flavour and Fragrance Journal” style is based on a bimonthly, peer-reviewed scientific journal published since 1985 by John Wiley & Sons. It publishes original research articles, reviews and special reports on all aspects of flavor and fragrance. Another example is “Nordic Pulp and Paper Research,” a style used by an international scientific magazine covering science and technology for the areas of wood or bio-mass constituents.

4. More citations were created on  EasyBib.com  in the first quarter of 2018 than there are people in California.

The US Census Bureau estimates that approximately 39.5 million people live in the state of California. Meanwhile, about 43 million citations were made on EasyBib from January to March of 2018. That’s a lot of citations.

5. “Citations” is a Word With a Long History

The word “citations” can be traced back literally thousands of years to the Latin word “citare” meaning “to summon, urge, call; put in sudden motion, call forward; rouse, excite.” The word then took on its more modern meaning and relevance to writing papers in the 1600s, where it became known as the “act of citing or quoting a passage from a book, etc.”

6. Citation Styles are Always Changing

The concept of citations always stays the same. It is a means of preventing plagiarism and demonstrating where you relied on outside sources. The specific style rules, however, can and do change regularly. For example, in 2018 alone, 46 new citation styles were introduced , and 106 updates were made to exiting styles. At EasyBib, we are always on the lookout for ways to improve our styles and opportunities to add new ones to our list.

Why Citations Matter

Here are the ways accurate citations can help your students achieve academic success, and how you can answer the dreaded question, “why should I cite my sources?”

They Give Credit to the Right People

Citing their sources makes sure that the reader can differentiate the student’s original thoughts from those of other researchers. Not only does this make sure that the sources they use receive proper credit for their work, it ensures that the student receives deserved recognition for their unique contributions to the topic. Whether the student is citing in MLA format , APA format , or any other style, citations serve as a natural way to place a student’s work in the broader context of the subject area, and serve as an easy way to gauge their commitment to the project.

They Provide Hard Evidence of Ideas

Having many citations from a wide variety of sources related to their idea means that the student is working on a well-researched and respected subject. Citing sources that back up their claim creates room for fact-checking and further research . And, if they can cite a few sources that have the converse opinion or idea, and then demonstrate to the reader why they believe that that viewpoint is wrong by again citing credible sources, the student is well on their way to winning over the reader and cementing their point of view.

They Promote Originality and Prevent Plagiarism

The point of research projects is not to regurgitate information that can already be found elsewhere. We have Google for that! What the student’s project should aim to do is promote an original idea or a spin on an existing idea, and use reliable sources to promote that idea. Copying or directly referencing a source without proper citation can lead to not only a poor grade, but accusations of academic dishonesty. By citing their sources regularly and accurately, students can easily avoid the trap of plagiarism , and promote further research on their topic.

They Create Better Researchers

By researching sources to back up and promote their ideas, students are becoming better researchers without even knowing it! Each time a new source is read or researched, the student is becoming more engaged with the project and is developing a deeper understanding of the subject area. Proper citations demonstrate a breadth of the student’s reading and dedication to the project itself. By creating citations, students are compelled to make connections between their sources and discern research patterns. Each time they complete this process, they are helping themselves become better researchers and writers overall.

When is the Right Time to Start Making Citations?

Make in-text/parenthetical citations as you need them.

As you are writing your paper, be sure to include references within the text that correspond with references in a works cited or bibliography. These are usually called in-text citations or parenthetical citations in MLA and APA formats. The most effective time to complete these is directly after you have made your reference to another source. For instance, after writing the line from Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities : “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…,” you would include a citation like this (depending on your chosen citation style):

(Dickens 11).

This signals to the reader that you have referenced an outside source. What’s great about this system is that the in-text citations serve as a natural list for all of the citations you have made in your paper, which will make completing the works cited page a whole lot easier. After you are done writing, all that will be left for you to do is scan your paper for these references, and then build a works cited page that includes a citation for each one.

Need help creating an MLA works cited page ? Try the MLA format generator on EasyBib.com! We also have a guide on how to format an APA reference page .

2. Understand the General Formatting Rules of Your Citation Style Before You Start Writing

While reading up on paper formatting may not sound exciting, being aware of how your paper should look early on in the paper writing process is super important. Citation styles can dictate more than just the appearance of the citations themselves, but rather can impact the layout of your paper as a whole, with specific guidelines concerning margin width, title treatment, and even font size and spacing. Knowing how to organize your paper before you start writing will ensure that you do not receive a low grade for something as trivial as forgetting a hanging indent.

Don’t know where to start? Here’s a formatting guide on APA format .

3. Double-check All of Your Outside Sources for Relevance and Trustworthiness First

Collecting outside sources that support your research and specific topic is a critical step in writing an effective paper. But before you run to the library and grab the first 20 books you can lay your hands on, keep in mind that selecting a source to include in your paper should not be taken lightly. Before you proceed with using it to backup your ideas, run a quick Internet search for it and see if other scholars in your field have written about it as well. Check to see if there are book reviews about it or peer accolades. If you spot something that seems off to you, you may want to consider leaving it out of your work. Doing this before your start making citations can save you a ton of time in the long run.

Finished with your paper? It may be time to run it through a grammar and plagiarism checker , like the one offered by EasyBib Plus. If you’re just looking to brush up on the basics, our grammar guides  are ready anytime you are.

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Why i ditched my gaming chair for the steelcase series 1, 7 reasons why windows users avoid linux (which aren’t true anymore), quick links, access your source list, add a source, manage your source list.

If you use Word's citation feature for adding sources and creating bibliographies , you can manage those sources so that you can reuse them. This is handy if you use the same or similar sources in various documents.

Because the sources in Word are saved at a global level (meaning across all of your documents), you can reuse them in any Word document you create. You can add and edit sources at one time so they're ready to go when you need them. Then, just pop them into your document.

Navigating to your source list in Word is slightly different on Windows than on Mac. Once you open the list, the process for adding or editing a source is the same.

In Word on Windows

Open a Word document, head to the References tab, and select "Manage Sources" in the Citations & Bibliography section of the ribbon.

You'll then see the Source Manager window display with your list of sources.

In Word on Mac

Open a Word document, go to the References tab, and select "Citations" in the Citations & Bibliography section of the ribbon.

When the Citations sidebar opens, click the arrow next to the three dots on the bottom right and pick "Citation Source Manager."

You'll then see your list in the Source Manager window.

If you added a source to your document that you want to include in your Master List, you'll see this in the Current List on the right. Select it and pick "Copy" to move it to the Master List on the left.

To add a source, pick "New." At the top of the Create Source window, you'll see Type of Source where you can choose an option like book, journal article, report, website, film, or interview.

The fields for the source beneath vary depending on the type you pick at the top. You'll see the basic fields you need for the bibliography in the style you have set on the References tab such as APA or MLA.

You can also display all fields if you like by checking the Show All Bibliography Fields box on the bottom left. If you do this, you'll see the recommended fields marked with an asterisk.

After adding the necessary details, click "OK" to include it in your Master List.

Related: How to Create Your Own Bibliography Template in Microsoft Word

As you'll notice, Word on Windows gives you a couple of handy options to search for a source or sort your list by title, author, tag, or year. This is convenient if you want to find a particular source.

To view a source, select it on the left side in the Master List section. You'll see the preview at the bottom.

To make changes to a source, select it on the left and click "Edit." When the Edit Source window appears, make your changes and select "OK" to save them.

To use a source in your current document, select it on the left and click "Copy" to move it to the Current List on the right.

After you move a source to the Current List to use it in your document, you'll then see it in the Insert Citation drop-down menu on the References tab on Windows. On Mac, you'll find the source in the Citations sidebar.

When you finish adding new sources or editing the current ones, click "Close."

Related: How to Use Researcher in Microsoft Word for Essays and Papers

If you find yourself reusing sources or needing to add citations by the same author or website, updating your master source list can help you save time on your next article, essay, or research paper .

If you also use Google Docs, take a look at how to add citations for media and how to create a bibliography in Docs too!

• Microsoft Office
• Microsoft Word

MS Word Referencing Tool

• Setting the Bibliographic Style
• Inserting In-text Citations

How to create a Reference List

• Managing Sources
• Editing Citations
• Updating your Reference list

When you have added citations for your sources, you can use the referencing tool to automatically generate a Bibliography or Reference List.

• Put the cursor in your document where you want the Reference List or Bibliography to appear
• Click the drop-down arrow beside ‘ Bibliography ’ in the References tab
• Use your mouse to hover over ’Bibliography’ or ’References’ or 'Works Cited' and click to select your choice. Your reference list will then appear.

The only difference between ‘Bibliography’, ‘References’ and ‘Works Cited’ using the Microsoft Word Referencing tool is the title that Word gives your list. All of the lists created will include all the sources that you have in the ‘ current list ’ for your document. You can check this list anytime by clicking on ‘ Manage Sources ’.

Any sources typed in on a different occasion in a different document which appear in your ‘ Master list ’, but not the ‘Current list’ can be copied over to the current list by clicking copy ->.

If you require a Reference List only, check your ‘ Current list ’ to ensure that only the references that you have actually cited in your document are listed there. Sources in the ‘Current List’ which have a tick next to them have been cited in the text.

• << Previous: Inserting In-text Citations
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• Last Updated: Jun 7, 2024 9:20 AM
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Research a paper

Researcher in Word helps you research topics, find reliable sources, and add content with citations all within Word.

Note:  Researcher for Word is only available if you have a  Microsoft 365 subscription in the following languages: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, and Japanese.

Research and add content with citations

Researcher uses Bing to pull in the appropriate content from the web and provide structured, safe and credible information.

Select Reference > Researcher .

In the search box, type a keyword for the topic you're researching, and press Enter.

Choose a topic in the Results pane.

Or, select the plus sign in the upper right hand corner of on any result to begin an outline, add the result as a topic heading, and save a link to the result in a comment.

Explore the text in the Results pane and select one of the following:

Add - to add only text to your document.

Add and Cite - to add text and also include a citation for the source.

See all images - to open the image gallery. Choose the plus sign to add the image to your document.

After you add text or image, you are prompted to update your bibliography. Select Update to automatically create or update your existing bibliography.

Edit citations

Select the citation and select Edit Citation from the drop-down..

Create a bibliography

Editing citations

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How To Write Better Research Papers In Microsoft Word

Being a student isn’t easy. When you’re writing academic papers and theses, help in any shape or form, is highly welcome, especially if you hate writing.

That’s why being familiar with new tools and just keeping up to date with current tech trends, will make the writing process much easier.

As a student, you‘re no doubt familiar with Microsoft Word’s spelling and grammar checker that helps you polish your writing. But do you ever go beyond those two features when drafting your documents?

In case you didn’t know, Microsoft comes with Editor and Researcher tools to complement the ones you commonly use and have at your disposal.

The Researcher tool gives you the opportunity to explore online information without leaving the document editing page, while the Editor tool improves and simplifies your spell check and grammar.

If you haven’t used these features or don’t even realize the power of what they can do for your papers, you’re missing out. Whether you need to boost your writing skills for that summer course you’re taking or looking to improve for next September, these features just might do the trick.

Let’s explain how these can help you a bit more.

Researching Tips — All You Need To Know

Everything starts with an idea and the same goes for your paper writing. When you’re done with brainstorming it’s time to start educating yourself a bit more about your topic and start the actual writing.

But when you’re doing your thesis writing in Microsoft Word , you probably spend a lot of time on tiresome and tedious online research. That’s why Microsoft Word 2016 created the Researcher tool to assist you with the exhausting process.

The Researcher feature is a service that helps you find and incorporate credible sources and content to your Word documents. The feature uses Microsoft’s Bing Knowledge Graph to get the desired information online and place it directly into your document.

And you don’t have to worry about the trustworthiness of your data. Microsoft created and curated a list of trusted material and reference sources from which it pulls out your research. Researcher provides structured, credible and, more importantly, safe information you can use freely.

You can even use the option to automatically create your citations and directly add quotes to your research paper. So you don’t have to worry about writing references in MS Word. This eliminates the hard work that includes finding, inserting, and citing any published sources you use, giving you more time to refine and strengthen your thesis rather than going back and digging up more research to support it.

You can find the Researcher option under the References Tab in the top menu bar:

After clicking the icon, a right sidebar will appear where you can search for the term you’re researching.

The Editor Feature That Will Help You Write More Naturally

What makes the difference between a great research paper and a poor one? The secret is in the way everything is edited for the final version. Behind every good student lies a top class editing tool and to help you here, Microsoft offers up an Editor feature.  

The Editor feature is a digital writing assistant that helps you with proofing and editing your content. Simply put, the feature flags any unclear phrases, marks up complex words, and makes suggestions by displaying various alternatives. It’s aimed at improving your writing style in MS Word.

The writing style functionality uses a combination of machine learning and human input, making the writing clearer or more effective. Rather than concentrating solely on spelling errors, MS Word’s style suggestions ability can replace complicated phrases with more direct alternatives.

To boot, details on why MS Word suggested the proposed changes are also added inside your document so you get a chance to learn from your mistakes.

Spelling checks and grammar edits will still be underlined, while writing style suggestions have their own design with dotted lines:

• Spelling mistakes are underlined with a red squiggle
• Blue double underlines are  for any grammar issues
• Gold dotted lines are reserved for writing style concerns

Bonus Tip: Present Your Paper In A More Dynamic Way

If you’ve done everything right, then it’s time to present your work. It’s not uncommon to use MS PowerPoint to create presentations and visually explain your theses. And now this is even easier with an option in Microsoft PowerPoint 2016 you also probably didn’t know about.

This nifty feature is the   Zoom feature , which looks similar to what Prezi is offering. This is aimed at making presentations more appealing, giving your slides a breath of fresh air.

Instead of presenting slides one by one, you can quickly provide a full summary and let the audience know exactly how long is left in the presentation. This way you get a clear view of what section is being covered and the Zoom feature will make it more visually appealing.

Essentially, it gives the student a “thumbnails” view of upcoming slides, managing individual ones more like hyperlinks to different web pages.

With these features writing a paper or presenting your ideas becomes much easier. And this isn’t useful just for students. It’s useful for anyone conducting, writing and presenting research.

Will the Researcher tool make your life easier and will the style suggestions actually be useful for you? Let us know in the comment section below.

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What to select for "type of source" for a paper in Microsoft Word?

I am currently doing my very first paper at university and am a bit lost with Word’s citation system. What does a scientific paper (more specifically this one ) classify as when it comes to “type of source” in Word?

This probably is a very simple question, but I am really having trouble finding an answer. Here’s an explanation of my thought process:

It is certainly not a book nor a book section.

I don’t feel like it would count as an article in a journal or peridocal as from my understanding research papers are published as a stand-alone?

Conference Proceeding: I have no idea what that is, but I think it isn’t it.

Maybe a report? As it reports on findings that were made ... but I feel this is also not quite right ...

It is not a website.

I might use document from website , however this paper is available on several websites (at least through my Google Scholar search) that seem to have picked it up, however it was not originally published through them from what I can tell.

While I have it as a PDF, I don't think that is meant by **electronic source.*

• Sound Recording: no
• Performance: no
• Interview: no
• I have no idea what is meant by case. As in a lawsuit?
• Misc is what I will pick for now, but I guess citing research papers in a scientific work isn’t something happening so seldomly that one would have to resort to misc.

• 28 I strongly recommend against using Microsoft Word for paper writing. Yes, it’s widely used. No, it’s not good at it. — If you’re comfortable with it, author your paper in LaTeX, Pandoc-Scholar or similar. If you’re not comfortable with it, at least use a proper collaborative editing system like Google Docs. — More to the point, do not use Word’s integrated citation system. Use a proper reference manager software. It will save you a lot of pain. –  Konrad Rudolph Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 15:17
• 3 @KonradRudolph While true, some journals/etc. prefer Word as the format, by my understanding. –  JAB Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 16:12
• 4 @KonradRudolph: TBH, besides the collaborative aspect - which can indeed be a strong plus -, Google Docs is quite ridiculous in typesetting capabilities, lacking features that were available on Word 6 for Windows 3.1 (one for all that left me baffled: custom styles). I wouldn't use it for anything moderately serious. –  Matteo Italia Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 18:25
• 6 To pile on a little bit: I won't argue one way or the other about using Word to write papers, but I would recommend that you try a separate bibliographic database system/organizer such as Zotero ; it has lots of advantages, one being that your references won't be locked in Word if you decide to switch writing platforms. –  Ben Bolker Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 20:10
• 3 @CrazyQwert You're wise to use the same tool as your collaborators. Good luck with your paper! –  cactus_pardner Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 22:32

The paper you link is not a journal article. It's published as part of a conference proceedings.

You can find the complete proceedings in which that paper appears here (link is to the SPIE page for the 1994 conference Telemanipulators and Telepresence Technologies).

To address some other points in your question, I cannot think of a legitimate research paper that was not published in a journal or conference. Publishing in this sense means putting the paper through peer review, an essential part of contributing to the literature if you want your work to be taken seriously.

Furthermore, conference proceedings are exactly what it says on the tin: proceedings (i.e. talks) from a conference that have been written up and published. Publishing in this way is more common in some fields than others, for example, in computer science, just like the paper you linked.

• 5 Depending on field, recent work might appear on a preprint server such as the arxiv up to a year or more before it passes peer review. In an extreme case where a student has moved on to other pastures, that might be the only easily citable version of the work available. –  origimbo Commented Apr 15, 2018 at 18:38
• One standard set of examples of extremely legitimate research papers that were never published in a journal or conference proceedings are Perelman's groundbreaking works that won him a Millennium Prize and a Fields Medal. –  Danu Commented Apr 16, 2018 at 8:03

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