How to Cite in Word (APA, MLA, Chicago) — Step by Step

To cite in Word, open the References tab, choose a citation style (APA, MLA, or Chicago), add each source with Insert Citation → Add New Source, then insert in-text citations and build a bibliography. Word stores your sources in one list so you can reuse them across the document and refresh the bibliography after edits.

Key Takeaways

• Set the style first: References → Style → APA, MLA, Chicago, or another required format.
• Add a source: Insert Citation → Add New Source, then fill Type of Source and fields.
• Place citations at the insert point, then generate Bibliography / Works Cited / References at the end.
• WPS Writer can open and edit .docx papers with citations; keep Style and source fields consistent for clean export.

Choose a Citation Style in Word

1. Open your document in Microsoft Word.
2. Go to the References tab.
3. In the Citations & Bibliography group, open the Style dropdown.
4. Select APA, MLA, Chicago, or the style your instructor or journal requires.

Set the style before you add sources. Changing later still reformats citations, but starting with the correct style reduces cleanup.

Add a New Source (Book, Website, Journal, and More)

1. Place the cursor where the first citation should appear.
2. Click Insert Citation → Add New Source.
3. Choose Type of Source (Book, Journal Article, Website, Report, and so on).
4. Enter author, title, year, publisher, URL, DOI, or other required fields.
5. Click OK. Word inserts the in-text citation and saves the source to the document’s source list.

Use Show All Bibliography Fields when you need edition, volume, issue, or page numbers that are hidden by default.

Insert Citations You Already Added

1. Put the cursor after the quote, paraphrase, or claim you need to credit.
2. Click Insert Citation.
3. Select the source from the list.
4. Optional: click the citation → open citation options → add page numbers or suppress author/year when the sentence already names the author.

Reuse the same source entry for every mention. Do not create duplicate sources with slightly different titles or years.

Create a Bibliography, Works Cited, or References List

1. Move the cursor to the end of the paper (or to a new page).
2. On the References tab, click Bibliography.
3. Choose Bibliography, References, or Works Cited based on your style.
4. Word inserts a formatted list from your source library.
5. After you add or edit sources, click inside the bibliography and choose Update Citations and Bibliography if available, or reinsert the list.

For hanging indents and spacing, keep the bibliography selected and apply the style’s paragraph format, or use Word’s built-in bibliography styles.

Manage and Edit Sources

1. Go to References → Manage Sources.
2. Use the Current List for this document and the Master List for sources saved across documents on this PC.
3. Select a source → Edit to fix author names, years, or URLs.
4. Copy sources between lists so team papers stay consistent.
5. Delete unused sources from the Current List so they do not appear in the bibliography.

Author names should follow Word’s Last, First format so sorting and initials remain correct in APA and MLA.

Citation Styles at a Glance

Style	In-text example focus	End list title
APA	Author–year (Smith, 2024)	References
MLA	Author–page (Smith 15)	Works Cited
Chicago	Notes-bibliography or author–date	Bibliography / References

Confirm which Chicago system your course uses. Word’s Chicago options support common academic workflows, but always match the syllabus or journal guide.

Cite in Word on Mac and Word for the Web

On Mac: open References, set Style, then use Citations → Add New Source (or Insert Citation) and insert the bibliography the same way as on Windows.

On Word for the web: basic citation tools are more limited. Prefer the desktop app when you need full source types, Master List management, or a clean bibliography refresh. You can still draft in the browser and finish citations on desktop.

How to Cite in WPS Writer

1. Open your .docx paper in WPS Writer.
2. If the document already contains Word citations, keep editing the text and verify that fields and the bibliography still display correctly.
3. For new papers, build citations in Microsoft Word’s References tools when you need APA/MLA/Chicago field automation, then continue drafting in WPS Writer for a free, Microsoft-like editor.
4. Before submission, open the file again in Word and refresh the bibliography so formatting matches the required style.

WPS Writer is useful for everyday editing of Word papers. For automated APA, MLA, or Chicago citation fields, finish sourcing steps in Word’s References tab, then save as .docx.

Common Citation Mistakes to Avoid

• Switching styles mid-paper without regenerating the bibliography.
• Leaving placeholder text like “Title” or “Author” in source fields.
• Creating two sources for the same book with different years or spellings.
• Forgetting page numbers on direct quotes when the style requires them.
• Submitting the paper without updating the bibliography after last-minute source edits.

Building the end list? See Works Cited page examples for MLA, APA, and Chicago. Citing a PDF? Start with how to cite a PDF using APA style.

FAQs About Citing in Word

How do I cite in Word APA style?

Go to References → Style → APA, add sources with Insert Citation → Add New Source, insert citations as you write, then insert a References list from Bibliography.

Where is Insert Citation in Word?

Open the References tab. Insert Citation sits in the Citations & Bibliography group next to Style and Bibliography.

How do I add a website citation in Word?

Choose Insert Citation → Add New Source → Type of Source: Website, then enter author (or organization), page title, site name, URL, and access or publication date.

Can Word create a Works Cited page automatically?

Yes. Set Style to MLA, add your sources, then choose Bibliography → Works Cited at the end of the document.

What if my citation looks wrong after I edit a source?

Edit the source under Manage Sources, then update or reinsert the bibliography so every in-text citation and end list entry refreshes.

Does WPS Office support Word citations?

WPS Writer opens .docx files with citation content for editing. Use Word’s References tools for full APA/MLA/Chicago field automation, then keep drafting in WPS Writer.

Summary

How to cite in Word: set References → Style, add each source with Insert Citation → Add New Source, place citations as you write, then insert a Bibliography / Works Cited / References list and update it after edits. Finish citation fields in Word when you need APA, MLA, or Chicago automation, and use WPS Writer for free .docx editing.