APA (American Psychological Association) style is commonly used in the social sciences, education, and business fields for citing sources in research papers, essays, and other written assignments. A bibliography is a list of sources that you have consulted in writing your paper. In this guide, we will provide step-by-step instructions on how to create a bibliography in APA format in Microsoft Word.
Step 1: Set up your document
Before you start writing your bibliography, make sure that your document is set up to use APA style. Here are the basic guidelines:
Use Times New Roman font, size 12.
Double-space your entire document, including your bibliography.
Use one-inch margins on all sides.
Use a running head at the top of your pages, consisting of the title of your paper in all capital letters, followed by the page number. The running head should be flush left, and the page number should be flush right.
To set up your document in APA style, follow these steps:
Open Microsoft Word and create a new document.
Click on the “Page Layout” tab in the ribbon at the top of the screen.
Click on “Margins” and select “Normal.”
Click on “Size” and select “Letter (8.5 x 11).”
Click on the “Home” tab in the ribbon.
Click on the arrow next to “Font” and select “Times New Roman” from the drop-down menu.
Click on the arrow next to “Size” and select “12” from the drop-down menu.
Click on the “Insert” tab in the ribbon.
Click on “Header” and select “Blank” from the drop-down menu.
Type your running head in all capital letters, followed by the page number. For example, if your paper is called “The Effects of Social Media on Mental Health,” your running head would be “THE EFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON MENTAL HEALTH” (without the quotation marks). Make sure that the running head is flush left and the page number is flush right.
Double-click on the body of your document to exit the header.
Step 2: Create your bibliography
To create your bibliography in APA format, follow these steps:
Start a new page at the end of your document by pressing “Ctrl + Enter” on your keyboard.
Type the word “References” (without the quotation marks) at the top of the page, centered.
Double-space between the title and the first reference.
List your sources in alphabetical order by the author’s last name. If there is no author, list the source by its title.
Each reference should include the following information:
Author’s name (last name first, followed by the initials)
Year of publication (in parentheses)
Title of the article or book (in sentence case)
Title of the journal or book (in title case)
Volume number (if applicable)
Issue number (if applicable)
Page numbers (if applicable)
DOI (if available)
Here is an example of a reference for a book:
Smith, J. D. (2005). The psychology of learning (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Wiley.
Here is an example of a reference for a journal article:
Johnson, L. M., & Smith, K. M. (2010). The effects of caffeine on memory consolidation. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition, 36(3), 595-606. doi: 10.1037/a0018900
Step 3: Format your references
In APA style, there are specific formatting rules for each type of source. Here are the basic guidelines:
Books: List the author’s name (last name first, followed by the initials), year of publication, title of the book (in sentence case), edition (if applicable), and publisher’s name and location.
Journal articles: List the author’s name (last name first, followed by the initials), year of publication, title of the article (in sentence case), title of the journal (in title case), volume number, issue number (in parentheses), and page numbers.
Websites: List the author’s name (if available), year of publication (if available), title of the webpage (in sentence case), name of the website (in italics), and the URL.
To format your references in APA style, follow these steps:
Select the reference that you want to format.
Click on the “Home” tab in the ribbon.
Click on the arrow next to “Paragraph” in the “Styles” group.
Select “APA Bibliography” from the drop-down menu.
Make any necessary changes to the formatting (e.g., capitalization, italics, punctuation).
Repeat steps 1-5 for each reference in your bibliography.
Step 4: Check your work
OnceWriting a bibliography in APA format requires following specific guidelines and formatting rules. Microsoft Word offers several tools and templates that can make this process easier. In this article, we will provide a step-by-step guide on how to write a bibliography in APA format using Word.
Step 1: Create a new document
To begin, open a new document in Microsoft Word. You can use any version of Word, but the steps may vary slightly depending on the version you are using. Once you have opened a new document, save it with a name that is easy to remember.
Step 2: Select the APA style
In Word, click on the “References” tab at the top of the screen. Next, click on the “Style” drop-down menu and select “APA” from the list of options. This will set the formatting rules for your bibliography to comply with the APA style.
Step 3: Add sources
To add sources to your bibliography, click on the “Manage Sources” button in the “References” tab. This will open a window where you can add, edit, and delete sources.
To add a source, click on the “New” button and select the type of source you want to add, such as a book, journal article, or website. Fill in the required fields, such as author, title, publication date, and publisher.
Step 4: Insert citations
Once you have added your sources, you can insert citations into your document. To do this, place your cursor where you want the citation to appear and click on the “Insert Citation” button in the “References” tab. Choose the source you want to cite from the list of sources you added earlier.
Step 5: Create a bibliography
To create your bibliography, click on the “Bibliography” button in the “References” tab. Choose the type of bibliography you want to create, such as “References” or “Works Cited.”
Your bibliography will be automatically generated based on the sources you added and the citations you inserted in your document.
Step 6: Check formatting
After you have created your bibliography, it is important to check the formatting to make sure it complies with the APA style. Make sure that the author names are listed in the correct order, the titles are italicized or in quotation marks as appropriate, and the publication information is formatted correctly.
Step 7: Edit and revise
Finally, it is important to carefully edit and revise your bibliography to ensure that it is accurate and complete. Check for spelling and grammar errors, and make sure that all of the sources are listed in alphabetical order.
In conclusion, writing a bibliography in APA format using Word requires following specific guidelines and formatting rules. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can create a professional-looking bibliography that meets the requirements of the APA style.
