How do I indent my references in Microsoft Word?

Answer

To create a hanging indent on the References page for APA:

  • Highlight the References list.
  • Under Home tab, click on the arrow by Paragraph.
  • In the Indentation section, use the drop down under Special to choose Hanging.  
  • Click OK.

Using keyboard shortcuts, highlight the text then press CTRL + T for a hanging indent

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  • Last Updated Feb 22, 2021
  • Views 397143
  • Answered By Baker Librarians

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Was this helpful? 527 79

Comments (65)

  1. Thanks guys, that was really helpful.
    by henry on Feb 27, 2014
  2. I found this very helpful for my post graduate project writing. Thanks a lot!!!
    by Tosin on Aug 04, 2014
  3. Thank-you! This was exactly what I was looking for and helped immensely :)
    by Lynn on Sep 17, 2014
  4. THANKS I REALLY NEEDED THIS. IT WAS VERY HELPFUL TO ME.
    by Paris on Dec 17, 2014
  5. Was very helpful. Thank you.
    by trix on Jan 15, 2016
  6. Another way to create a hanging indent is, after highlighting the area you want indented, right click on the highlighted area and from the list select Paragraph. This will give you the option to change the drop-down menu under Special: to Hanging.
    by Patrick Mullane on Feb 03, 2016
  7. Thank you. I have learned a very important aspect. Continue teaching us.
    by Edna on Sep 21, 2016
  8. Haha! Exactly what I've been looking for! Just three four clicks and it's done... just the way I wanted. God bless you! I mean it!!
    by Nelson on Oct 11, 2016
  9. Thank you very much...it is very useful for APA reference.
    by syed on Oct 22, 2016
  10. Thanks so much. I was out of ideas and this information was easy to follow. Perfect!
    by Chris on Nov 16, 2016
  11. Really helpful. I was so worried about doing it. I did it after reading this.
    by Hakim on Feb 26, 2017
  12. Bless you!
    by Glenn on Feb 27, 2017
  13. For Mac, highlight what you want, then go to format --> paragraph --> under indentation its the drop down that says special --> hanging.
    by paige on Mar 06, 2017
  14. I learned something! This is so important to know for my research papers. Thank you, really. Really, thank you!
    by ninette on Apr 05, 2017
  15. This was so helpful. Thank you so much.
    by Alden on Apr 23, 2017
  16. So helpful. Thank you!
    by Fat on Apr 29, 2017
  17. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! REALLY BLESS YOU.
    by Jarisbeth on Apr 29, 2017
  18. Thank you so much this really helped me when i was in great need.
    by Queen Frimpong on May 05, 2017
  19. I LOOOOOOOOOVE YOU!!
    by Matt on May 16, 2017
  20. its really very help full..thankyou thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou so much....most of time my supervisor use to insult me because of referencing..she is also unaware about it....its miracle
    by Aati on May 20, 2017
  21. Thank you Paige for the note for MAC users!!!!!!
    by Sonya on Jul 01, 2017
  22. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR! REALLY USEFUL!! THANKS A LOT FOR YOUR HELP.
    by qwert on Jul 04, 2017
  23. Easy Peasy. So many other sites make it so complicated. Thank you so much!
    by Barbara on Jul 06, 2017
  24. Same can be done with a shortcuts. Press CTRL T while the text is highlighted. This will create hanging indent.
    by Bob on Aug 09, 2017
  25. Thankx a lot
    by nil on Sep 08, 2017
  26. Thanks a lot ,it really helped me
    by alice on Sep 18, 2017
  27. I've been stressing about this and you made it easy. Thank you so much!!! :)
    by Dee on Oct 18, 2017
  28. WOW thank you!! Ive been using "tricks" for years and always been frustrated my last few years in college. So easy but I never knew. Thank you :)))
    by hollz on Oct 21, 2017
  29. Fast and easy!
    by JURATE on Dec 13, 2017
  30. Thank u so much..;)
    by Maricel on Dec 15, 2017
  31. Thank you very much.
    by Eboh on Jan 07, 2019
  32. Thank you so much I spent hours trying to indent my citations properly
    by mecca on Feb 26, 2019
  33. Thank you so much for this!
    by Kaiting on Apr 10, 2019
  34. Praise the lord!!!! How simple! Asking the help section in word is like asking a loaf of bread the meaning of life! but this is great.... Thank you!
    by Ben on Jul 24, 2019
  35. Thank You. A very short and helpful solution.
    by Javeed Farooqi on Oct 29, 2019
  36. Thank you very much. It was very helpful. It saved a lot of time.
    by Dhanaji Chavan on Nov 06, 2019
  37. Thank you!!!!
    by Ndiana on Nov 15, 2019
  38. Just in a second I got a solution to a struggle. Thanks a lot
    by Cloneria N Jatileni on Dec 26, 2019
  39. wow...you really helped me.
    by Henry on Mar 18, 2020
  40. This is the fastest I've had a question answered regarding my laptop in a while and was clear and simple. Thank you very much!
    by Kenley on Apr 06, 2020
  41. Thanks for taking the time so that it was easy for me to do.
    by J on May 19, 2020
  42. Thanks, you helped with my paper!!
    by s on Nov 18, 2020
  43. Fast and Easy. liked it.
    by Harry on Nov 19, 2020
  44. This has really been very helpful, thanks very much.
    by Ivan Kituno Waninga on Nov 28, 2020
  45. This help me A LOT!!!!!! THANK YOUU IVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR THIS EVERYWHEREEEE
    by Sabrina on Jan 12, 2021
  46. Halleluja. I tried so hard to do this on my own. You have helped tremendously!
    by Dee on Feb 12, 2021
  47. thank you
    by judith on Feb 24, 2021
  48. Thank you so much !! I was stuck for 30 min trying to figure this out. You are awesome!!
    by Anna on Apr 02, 2021
  49. This has be very helpful. Thanks a lot.
    by Dennis on Jun 14, 2021
  50. It was really helpful. God bless!
    by Jamiu Ishola on Jun 22, 2021
  51. Thanks a lot.
    by Esther on Jun 25, 2021
  52. THANK YOU. I couldn't find even find in my APA hand bood.
    by Bethany on Jun 27, 2021
  53. Thank you. I also do it by highlighting the references list and clicking ctrl+T
    by Gordon on Jul 22, 2021
  54. Thanks a lot, it was very helpful
    by Baluku Brian on Sep 05, 2021
  55. That was magical! It saved me a lot of work. THANKS!
    by Victor Jaba on Nov 02, 2021
  56. Thank you!!!
    by Jacky on Dec 08, 2021
  57. thank u so much!! this is so helpful arhhh!!
    by ain on Dec 30, 2021
  58. THANK YOU
    by Adaeze on Nov 30, 2022
  59. Thanks a bunch
    by Bissi on Dec 16, 2022
  60. Thank you so much, exactly what I needed and so easy!
    by Melissa on Apr 30, 2023
  61. Thank you so much, this is really helpful! Cheers🧑🏻‍💻🥰
    by Hassan H.Y on May 13, 2023
  62. Exactly what I was looking for! Thank you!
    by Marthie on May 30, 2023
  63. I was stuck. But with a click of a finger I've succeeded.
    by Lawrence Mutembei on Nov 28, 2023
  64. Thank you, this was very helpful.
    by Maryam on Jul 17, 2024
  65. Thank you you saved me! <3
    by Ching on Nov 26, 2024

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