Citations and References in APA Format
Proper citations show academic honesty and give credit where it's due. In APA format, citations vary based on the number of authors. For one author, use (Smith, 2023); for two authors, use (Smith & Borne, 2023); and for three or more authors, use (Smith et al., 2023).
Your reference list should follow specific formatting rules. Each entry includes the author's name (last name, first initial), publication date, title, and source information. Book titles, journal names, and volume numbers should be italicized. For online sources, include the URL after "Retrieved from."
Creating citations manually can be time-consuming, but MS Word offers a helpful feature to streamline this process. To insert citations, place your cursor where you want the citation, click the References tab, select "Insert Citation," and add a new source. Fill in the required details, click OK, and the citation will appear in the correct format.
⚡ Time-Saving Tip: Once you've entered a source in Word, you can reuse it throughout your paper by selecting it from the dropdown list when you click "Insert Citation." This ensures consistency and saves time.
To generate your complete reference list, place your cursor on a new page at the end of your document, click the References tab, select Bibliography, and choose your preferred format. Word will automatically compile all your citations into a properly formatted reference list. If you need to make changes to any source, use the "Manage Sources" option to edit entries.