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Formatting an Academic Paper in Microsoft Word: Creating a References or Works Cited Page

Creating a Reference List for an APA Paper

  1. Go to the end of your paper.
  2. Click the Insert tab.
  3. In the "Pages" section of the toolbar, click "Page Break".
  4. Type "References". This heading should be in boldfaced text (to make text bold, highlight it, then press Ctrl-B). The heading should also be vertically centered (to center, highlight the text, then press Ctrl-E). Press Enter.
  5. Press Ctrl-L to align your text with the left-hand margin.
  6. Begin typing your references, using the rules listed in the APA style guide, 7th edition and summarized at the Purdue Online Writing Lab.
  7. The first line of each entry on your References page should be aligned with the left-hand margin.
  8. Each line after the first should be indented half an inch (this is called a "hanging indent). To create a hanging indent, highlight the text and press Ctrl-T.

Creating a Works Cited Page for an MLA Paper

  1. Go to the end of your paper.
  2. Click the Insert tab.
  3. In the "Pages" section of the toolbar, click "Page Break".
  4. Type "Works Cited". The heading should also be vertically centered (to center, highlight the text, then press Ctrl-E). Press Enter.
  5. Press Ctrl-L to align your text with the left-hand margin.
  6. Begin typing your references, using the rules listed in the APA style guide, 7th edition and summarized at the Purdue Online Writing Lab.
  7. The first line of each entry on your References page should be aligned with the left-hand margin.
  8. Each line after the first should be indented half an inch (this is called a "hanging indent). To create a hanging indent, highlight the text and press Ctrl-T.

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