# Citations in Word: in-text citations, bibliography and footnotes

> Citations in Word made automatic: choose a style, add a new source, cite again with a page number, insert and update the bibliography, add footnotes.
>
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![Citations in Word: in-text citations, bibliography and footnotes](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/word-references/word-references-cover-en.webp)

## Before you start: know your citation style

Every department asks for a specific citation style, and APA is one of the best known. Ask your instructor or check your department's guide before you add the first source, because the style decides how in-text citations and the reference list look. If you need APA, the detailed rules, such as author and year order, are in [APA citation](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/apa-citation/). Here we focus on making Word do the work.

## Step one: choose a style and add your first source

1. **Place the cursor**: Click at the end of the sentence or paragraph you want to cite.
2. **Choose the style**: Go to the References tab, then Style, and pick the style your department wants from the list.
3. **Insert a citation**: Select Insert Citation.
4. **Add the source**: Choose Add New Source and fill in the details: source type (book, article, website), author, title, year and the other fields shown.
5. **Save**: Select OK. The citation appears in your text in your chosen style, and Word stores the source for later.

![5-step flow: Place the cursor / Choose the style / Insert a citation / Add the source / Save](https://tiswa.app/assets/blog/word-references/word-references-inline-1-en.webp)


> **Tip**: Fill in every field the first time. The reference list is built from these same fields, so anything missing here will be missing there.

## Step two: cite the same source again

You do not need to type the source details again. Following Microsoft's steps:

1. **Place the cursor**: At the end of the text you want to cite.
2. **Pick the source**: Go to References, Insert Citation, and choose the source from the list.
3. **Add a page number**: If you quote directly or take an idea from a specific page, select Citation Options, then Edit Citation, and add the page number.

This keeps the source formatted the same way every time, and it appears only once in the reference list however often you cite it.

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## Step three: insert the bibliography

1. **Go to the end**: Place the cursor where the reference list should go, usually on its own page after the conclusion.
2. **Insert it**: Go to References, Bibliography, and choose a format.
3. **Review it**: Check that every source you cited is there and that the fields are complete. If a source is wrong, edit the source itself, not the text of the list.

## Step four: update after every new source

If you cite a new source after inserting the list, Microsoft says to click anywhere in the bibliography and select Update Citations and Bibliography. Word adds the new source and reorders the list to match the style. Make this part of your pre-submission routine, like updating the table of contents.

## Footnotes and endnotes

Some departments, especially in Sharia, law and history, want references in a note at the bottom of the page instead of in the text. Word numbers notes automatically too:

1. **Place the cursor**: Where the note number should appear in your text.
2. **Insert the note**: Go to References, Insert Footnote. Word adds the number in the text and the matching note at the bottom of the page.
3. **Type the reference**: Write the source details in the note as your department requires.
4. **For endnotes**: To put notes at the end of the document instead, choose Insert Endnote the same way.

The benefit of automatic notes is that adding one in the middle of the paper renumbers everything after it, so you never fix numbers by hand.

## Arabic and English sources in one paper

Many papers at Saudi universities mix Arabic and English sources. Word's citation tool stores what you type in each field as it is, so enter Arabic sources in Arabic and English sources in English. How the list is ordered, and whether Arabic and foreign sources are split, is up to your department's guide, and some ask for two separate lists. If yours does, review the generated list carefully and adjust it to the guide before you submit.

## A workflow while you write

The best time to cite a source is when you use it, not after the paper is done. Leave it to the end and you will be hunting for a page you read two weeks ago. A simple routine many students follow:

1. **Keep a notes file**: Whenever you read a useful source, note its full details and the page you used, in a notes file or an app such as Notion.
2. **Cite as you write**: When a paragraph relies on a source, insert the citation right away with Insert Citation.
3. **Insert the list early**: Put the bibliography at the end of the file from the start and update it now and then to check it looks right.
4. **Review before submitting**: Update the list, then match every in-text citation to an entry, and check page numbers on direct quotes.

If you find a reference in another paper and want its details in Word's fields fast, ask an AI tool to split it up, then check every field against the original yourself:

Split a reference into fields:

```
Here is a reference copied from a reference list: [paste the reference]
Split it into separate fields: source type, author, title, year, publisher or journal, volume and issue, pages, link if any.
Do not add anything that is not in the text, and write missing for any empty field.
```

## Common citation mistakes

- Typing a list by hand and then adding sources with the tool: you end up with two overlapping lists. Pick one method from the start.
- Editing the list text directly: your edit disappears on the next update. Edit the source itself.
- Switching style at the last minute: you can change it under References, Style, but review the list afterwards because every citation changes.
- Quoting directly without a page number: use Edit Citation to add it.
- Trusting sources an AI tool suggested without checking: AI can help you search, but make sure every source is real and in front of you before you cite it.

## Where to go next

After citations you will usually need an automatic table of contents, see [table of contents in Word](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/word-table-of-contents/). For spacing and margins read [format a research paper in Word](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/word-research-formatting/). If you are writing from scratch, start with [how to write a research paper](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/how-to-write-a-research-paper/), and every writing guide is in [the writing section](https://tiswa.app/en/blog/c/writing/).

## Questions

### How do I add citations in Word automatically?

Go to References, Style to choose a style, then Insert Citation and Add New Source for each source. At the end of the paper, choose Bibliography to insert the reference list.

### How do I add a page number to a citation?

Select the citation, then Citation Options, Edit Citation, and add the page number.

### I added a new source but it is not in the list. What do I do?

Click inside the bibliography and select Update Citations and Bibliography.

### How do I add a footnote in Word?

Place the cursor where the number goes, then go to References, Insert Footnote and type the reference at the bottom of the page. For notes at the end of the document, choose Insert Endnote.

### Can I change the citation style after writing the paper?

Yes, under References, Style, but review your citations and reference list after the change.


## Sources

[^1]: support.microsoft.com, https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/create-a-bibliography-citations-and-references-17686589-4824-4940-9c69-342c289fa2a5
[^2]: support.microsoft.com, https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/word/training/insert-footnotes-and-endnotes-in-word
[^3]: support.microsoft.com, https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/insert-a-table-of-contents-882e8564-0edb-435e-84b5-1d8552ccf0c0