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Add a Citation Placeholder in Word – Instructions

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Add a Citation Placeholder in Word: Video Lesson

            This video lesson, titled “Insert a Citation Placeholder,” shows you how to add a citation placeholder in Word. This video lesson is from our complete Word tutorial, titled “Mastering Word Made Easy v.2019 and 365.”

Add a Citation Placeholder in Word: Overview

            You can add a citation placeholder in Word if you need to add a citation, but don’t have one yet. In this case, you can insert a “Citation Placeholder” to mark the location in the document for a future citation. You can then return to edit the placeholder and insert your citation information later.

            To add a citation placeholder in Word, place your cursor at the point in your document where you want to insert the citation placeholder. Then click the “References” tab in the Ribbon. Then click the “Insert Citation” drop-down button in the “Citations & Bibliography” button group. From the menu that appears, choose the “Add New Placeholder…” command. The “Placeholder Name” dialog box then opens. Enter a name for the placeholder in the text field that appears. Then click “OK” to insert the citation placeholder.

            Just like a regular citation, a field is then inserted into your document. It displays the name of the citation placeholder. It also appears surrounded by parentheses. When you click the citation placeholder, a drop-down arrow then appears. The drop-down lets you access a menu of options to edit the citation and source.

Add a Citation Placeholder in Word - Instructions: A picture of a citation placeholder in Word.

Add a Citation Placeholder in Word – Instructions: A picture of a citation placeholder in Word.

Add a Citation Placeholder in Word: Instructions

  1. To add a citation placeholder in Word, place your cursor at the end of the text you are quoting.
  2. Then click the “References” tab in the Ribbon.
  3. In the “Citations & Bibliography” button group, then click the “Insert Citation” drop-down button.
  4. Select the “Add New Placeholder…” command from the drop-down menu to open the “Placeholder Name” dialog box.
  5. Enter a placeholder citation name into the field in the dialog box.
  6. Then click “OK” to insert the citation placeholder into the document.
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