How to Add and Manage Citations in Word 2016

Edited 2 weeks ago by ExtremeHow Editorial Team

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Microsoft Word 2016 is a versatile word processing tool that allows users to create many different documents. A useful feature for many users is the ability to add and manage citations. This is especially beneficial for students, researchers, and anyone who needs to include references in their documents. Being able to manage citations effectively can help create professional-looking documents with properly formatted references. This article will guide you step-by-step on how to add and manage citations in Word 2016.

Understanding quotes

Before taking a deeper look at how to use citations in Word 2016, it's essential to understand what citations are and why they're important. Citations are a way to signal to your readers that some material in your work came from another source. They also give your document a level of credibility and help you avoid plagiarism by properly attributing ideas to their original authors. Citations can come in a variety of styles, including APA, MLA, Chicago and more, depending on the requirements of your work or the field you're writing for.

Adding citations to your document

Word 2016 provides an easy way to insert citations into your document. Follow these steps to add a citation:

1. Open your document: Start by opening the document in which you want to include the citation.
2. Go to the ‘References’ tab: At the top of your Word document, you will see several tabs like Home, Insert, Design, etc. Click on the ‘References’ tab to access the citation features.
3. Choose a citation style: Before adding citations, select the style to use for your document. On the References tab, there is a 'Citations & Bibliography' group. Click the 'Style' drop-down menu and choose the citation style you need (e.g., APA, MLA).
4. Place your cursor: Click where in your text you want to insert the citation.
5. Insert a citation: On the References tab, click 'Insert Citation' in the Citations & Bibliography group, then choose 'Add New Source.'
6. Enter the source information: A dialog box will appear where you need to fill in the details about the source such as author, title, year, etc. After entering the information, click on 'OK'.

Now, you will see that the citation has been inserted in your text. You can follow the same steps to add more citations.

Managing citations with source manager

In Word 2016, you can manage all your citations using the Source Manager. This feature allows you to efficiently add, edit, and organize your citations. Here's how you can use the Source Manager:

1. Open Source Manager: Go to the 'References' tab, and click 'Manage Sources' in the Citations & Bibliography group.
2. View your sources: The Source Manager dialog box will appear, in which you will see a list of 'Master List' and 'Current List'. The Master List contains all the sources used in your Word documents, while the Current List shows the sources in the open document.
3. Add new sources: You can click 'New...' to add new sources, using the same process as in the Insert citations step.
4. Edit a source: Select a source and click 'Edit...' to change any information if necessary.
5. Copy source: If you want to use a source from a different document, you can copy it from the master list to the current list using the 'Copy' button.
6. Delete a source: To delete a source, select it and click the 'Delete' button. Note that this will only delete the source from the current document list, not from the master list.

Using a source manager can help you maintain all of your citations accurately and efficiently, making it easier if you need to use the same sources in multiple documents.

Creating a bibliography

Once you've added citations, you may also need to create a bibliography or works cited page at the end of your document. This is a list of all the sources referenced in your work. To create a bibliography, follow these simple steps:

1. Go to the end of your document: Click at the end of your document where you want to insert the bibliography.
2. Insert a bibliography: On the References tab, in the Citations & Bibliography group, click 'Bibliography.' Choose from the available formats such as 'Bibliography,' 'References,' or 'Works Cited.'

Word will automatically generate a bibliography based on the citations that exist in your document. This feature saves time and ensures that your bibliography is formatted correctly and up to date with your citations.

Editing citations and bibliographies

To make your document even more accurate, you may need to edit the citations and bibliography. Here's how you can do that:

• Edit a citation: Click on any citation in your document. An arrow will appear next to it. Click on the arrow and select 'Edit Citation' to modify it.
• Edit Bibliography: You can click on the Bibliography section and make changes manually if needed. However, for consistency it is better to manage your sources and citations through the Source Manager.

Advanced suggestions

For more advanced management of citations in Word 2016, consider these tips:

• Custom citation styles: If you need to use a citation style not included by default, you can modify existing styles or import new styles using XML files. This requires more advanced knowledge of XML and is typically used for academic publications.
• Managing a large number of sources: For longer projects with many references, it can be helpful to categorize your sources using folders and tags within the Source Manager.
• Updating the bibliography: If you add or remove sources in your document, don't forget to update the bibliography. Click on the Bibliography section and select 'Update Citations and Bibliography'.

Conclusion

Adding and managing citations in Word 2016 is a straightforward process once you become familiar with the available tools. By properly citing sources, you lend credibility to your work and adhere to academic integrity. The built-in features in Word 2016, such as the Source Manager and various citation styles, provide a robust solution for creating well-documented papers and projects. With practice, you can manage references efficiently, save time and ensure accuracy in all your documents.

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