Mastering the Art of Proper Referencing in Word

Are you seeking ways to cite references and books in Word to complete your thesis or research papers? In this article, Software Hacks shares the most accurate way to cite references in Word.

1. What is Referencing in Word?

When precision and authenticity are paramount in Word documents, it's imperative to include relevant sources and authors you've used in your writing. Referencing is done when you want to quote verbatim a sentence, evidence, or idea as a reference material and interpret it in your own thoughts and style. Whether you're creating reports, essays, or any document in Word, it's advisable to include reference citations (if applicable) for easy tracking and to enhance credibility and professionalism in your documents. Referencing in Word also asserts that you're not simply copying content but using it as a reference material. Additionally, citing references shows respect to the authors who conducted previous research endeavors.

2. How to Cite References in Word

In Word, there's a dedicated feature to assist in citing references, and you can fully utilize this feature to cite references swiftly.

Step 1: Position your cursor where you want to create the reference citation.

Step 2: Select the References tab ➞ Insert Citation ➞ Add New Source to add a new citation source.

Step 3: Now, the Create Source dialog box will appear, and you need to input the following information:

- Type of Source (1): The origin of the citation, specifically:

• Book: Written work
• Book section: Contribution by an author within a book
• Journal article: Published article in a journal
• Article in a periodical: Published article in a periodical
• Report: Formal report
• Website: Web page
• Film: Motion picture
• Conference proceedings: Conference or symposium
• Documents source: Electronic document such as CD, DVD, eBook
• Art: Artwork
• Sound Recording: Audio recording
• Performance: Live performance
• Interview: Interview
• Patent: Patent
• Case: Legal case

- Bibliography Fields for IEE (2): Information about the citation source

• Author: Enter the author's name. If the reference has multiple authors, check Corporate Author.
• Title: Title of the article
• Journal Name: Name of the journal
• Year: Year
• Pages: Pages
• Volume: Volume number
• Issue: Issue number within the year
• City: City
• Publisher: Publisher

After filling in all the details according to the form, select OK (3) to complete.

Step 4: Finally, go to the References tab and select Insert Citation to see the newly created citation in Step 3. Now, simply click on the citation, and the system will automatically fill it in for you.

If you have multiple references to cite, follow the above steps to create more.

3. How to Create a Referenced Bibliography

Typically, when reading Word documents such as essays, reports, or research papers, you'll notice a dedicated referenced bibliography at the end of the document. Indeed, Word professionals always include a referenced bibliography at the end to compile all cited references and provide comprehensive information for readers.

Step 1: Position your cursor where you want to create the referenced bibliography in Word.

Step 2: Then, navigate to the References tab ➞ Bibliography ➞ Insert Bibliography to add the referenced bibliography.

Step 3: At this point, the referenced bibliography has been generated in the document. Select the Style tab and choose a display method that suits your citation content.

Step 4: Thus, you have successfully completed creating referenced bibliography with citations in Word swiftly.

In this article, Software Tips has shared the most accurate way to cite references in Word. Have a great day!