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EndNote 20 for Windows

Step-by-step guidance on using the most popular functions of EndNote 20 on PC

How to insert author-date citations in Word

This page explains the different methods you can use to insert in-text citations in your MS Word document.

Once you insert an in-text citation using the EndNote Tab (also known as Cite While You Write - CWYW) a full reference for that citation will be automatically generated at the end of your document or presentation. This page explains how to use the EndNote tab (CWYW) in MS Word. 

How to insert citations in Word: 3 different methods

This EndNote Training video tutorial shows how to insert citations in a Word document by selecting the "Insert Citation" button in Word and finding and inserting a citation:

Method 1
  1. Open your EndNote tab. Place your cursor where you want the citation to appear and add a space.
  2. Select the Insert Citation button in the EndNote tab. A little search bar should appear. Insert citation button
  3. Type a keyword, author, or title into the search box and select Find.  Alternatively, input a and press Enter/Return. All your references in your EndNote Library will appear.
  1. Highlight the reference you want. 

 

To insert a citation of multiple works:

  1. Select the Insert Citation button in the EndNote tab. A little search bar should appear.
  1. Input the letter 'a' and press Enter/Return. All your references in your EndNote Library will appear.
  1. Highlight the references you want. To select multiple citations, hold down the Ctrl key and select the desired reference with your mouse. Repeat the process until you select your desired references.
  1. Select Insert. 

Reference search screenshot

​​Method 2
  1. Open your document in Word and ensure you can see the EndNote tab open on the Word ribbon. Place your cursor where you want the in-text citation to appear, and add a space.

     

  2. Select the Go to EndNote button > Select the reference you wish to insert.
    • To select multiple citations: Hold down the Ctrl key and select each desired reference with your mouse.

       

  3. Go to Tools > Cite While You Write [CWYW] > Insert Selected Citation[s]

Alternatively, do ALT+1.

Your in-text citation appears where your cursor is and the full reference entry will appear at the end of your document.

Method 3
  1. In your EndNote library select one or more references.
    • To select multiple citations: Hold down the Ctrl key and select each desired reference with your mouse.

       

  2.  Switch to your Word document and place your cursor where you want the citation to appear.
  3.  Select the bottom half of the Insert Citation button  Insert selected citation button screenshot
  4. In the drop down box select Insert Selected Citation(s). The references will appear in alphabetical order intext and be added automatically to your Reference List.

 

Insert citations in the narrative style, i.e., Author (Year)

To insert citations in the Author (Year) style, known as the narrative style in various citation styles, follow these steps:

  1. Follow Method 1 in the "How to insert citations in Word: 3 different methods" box up to Step 3. 
  1. Highlight your desired reference and select the drop-down arrow in the Insert button. A drop-down of options will appear.
  1. Screenshot of inserting in-text citation in Author (Year) style in word

 

  1. Select Insert and display as: Author (Year).

The citation should appear where you have your cursor and the reference entry should appear in alphabetical order in your bibliography.

If you want to repeat a narrative style citation in the same paragraph in APA Style, follow these steps:

  1. Follow steps 1-2 on the previous tab.
  2. For step 3, instead of selecting Author (Year), select Insert & Exclude Year.

The citation will appear with the year excluded, and the author in parentheses. In APA Style, a repeated narrative style citation in the same paragraph should not be in parentheses. Leave this citation and then fix it at the end. 

  1. When you are done with inserting in-text citations in your Word document, convert your document to plain text. See: Convert document to plain-text page
  2. Delete the parentheses.

FAQ

FAQQ. What is the Author-Date system?

A. In the Author-Date system,  you cite references to all material you have used as sources for the content of your work within your text (Flinders University, 2006). These are known as in-text citations. Full publication details need to be given in a reference list at the end of the text. 

Different citation styles vary in the formatting of the Author-Date.

Reference & further info: