How to Create a Bibliography in Word

When you write a university paper or a school assignment, you won't only need to print it out; adding a bibliography is also very important. The easiest way to do this is to add your citations and automatically create a bibliography in Microsoft Word according to the writing style you choose. Here, we will explain how to add citations, manage sources, create a bibliography in Word and update it when needed.

How Do You Add a Citation in Microsoft Word?

To add a new citation in Word for a source you have never used before, whether it is a book, article, website or other source, you will need the basic details about the source. So make sure the information is at hand, then follow the steps below.

• Go to the References tab on the ribbon and to the Citations & Bibliography section.
• Choose your writing style from the Style drop-down menu, which most likely shows APA by default. You will find the most common styles such as MLA, Chicago and others in the list.
• In the same section of the ribbon, select Insert Citation and select Add New Source.
• Use the Type of Source drop-down box to choose the type; you will see the fields below it update to suit the source type.
• Add the necessary details for your source. Optionally, you can check the Show All Bibliography Fields box if the fields you want don't appear.
• When you finish, select OK to save the source and you will see it added to your content in the format you chose.

How Do You Manage Sources in Microsoft Word?

After you add a source to your paper, you can edit or reuse it. Also, your sources are saved to a Master List that lets you use them in other Word documents.

• On the References tab, select Manage Sources in the Citations & Bibliography section of the ribbon.
• When the box opens, you will see the Master List of sources on the left. If you added one using the section above, you will see it in this list too.

1. To add an existing source to the current document, select it and select Copy in the middle. This moves it to the Current List (described below) so you can easily add it to your current document.
2. To edit a source, select it and select Edit. Then make your changes and select OK to save.
3. To add a new source, select the New button, enter the details and select OK to save the source.

• When you are done with Source Manager, select Close.
• With the sources in the Current List in Source Manager, you can quickly insert an in-text citation. Select the Insert Citation button on the References tab and choose the source from the drop-down list.

How Do You Create a Bibliography in Microsoft Word?

When you are ready to add a bibliography, Word automatically uses the sources you added to the Source Manager list.

• Place your cursor in the document where you want the bibliography and go to the References tab.
• Whether you are using APA, MLA or another style, confirm in the Style drop-down box that the writing style is correct.
• In the Citations & Bibliography section of the ribbon, select the Bibliography drop-down menu. You will see several built-in options with different headings to choose from. If you prefer one without a heading, select Insert Bibliography.
• Choose the option you want, and it will open in your document.

How Do You Update a Bibliography in Microsoft Word?

Because Word creates your bibliography automatically, just as when you insert a table of contents, you can easily update it when needed. You can add more citations for a source or edit its details.

• Select the bibliography, then select the Update Citations and Bibliography button at the top left.
• You will see the reference update list to add any additions or changes.

College is hard enough without worrying about how to create a bibliography for your paper. Hopefully, this how-to gets you off to a great start!