Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Create a Citation with Multiple Sources in Microsoft Word

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There are several third-party plug-ins that can help you create a citation with multiple sources in Microsoft Word. But today, we are going to create multi-source citations in Word without using a plug-in. We will also look at how to remove or edit individual sources within a multi-source citation.

Quick Links:

The steps below are based on the assumption that you have already created your single-source citations. For step-by-step instructions on how to create a citation in Word, please see my other tutorial titled “How to Insert Citations in Microsoft Word.”

This tutorial is available as a YouTube video showing all the steps in real time.

Watch more than 100 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel.

The images below are from Word for Microsoft 365. These steps will also work in Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016.

How to Create a Citation with Multiple Sources

Here are the basic steps to create a citation with multiple sources. If you want to add a source to an existing citation, skip to step 5.

  1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the citation.
  2. Select the References tab in the ribbon.
References tab in Word 365
Figure 1. References tab
  1. Select the Insert Citation button in the Citations & Bibliography group.
Insert Citation button in Word 365
Figure 2. Insert Citation button
  1. Select the first source you want to cite from the Insert Citation menu.

Alternatively, select Add New Source and then create a new source, as shown in “How to Insert Citations in Microsoft Word.”

Insert Citation menu in Word 365
Figure 3. Insert Citation menu

The single-source citation should appear in your document.

  1. Place your cursor to the left of the closing parenthesis.
Cursor placed to the left of closing parenthesis
Figure 4. Cursor placed to the left of closing parenthesis
  1. Reselect the Insert Citation button (see figure 2).
  2. Select the second source you want to cite from the Insert Citation menu (see figure 3).

The second source should be inserted within the existing parentheses.

  1. Repeat steps 5 through 7 until you have added all the sources needed in the citation.
Example of citation with multiple sources
Figure 5. Example of citation with multiple sources

Pro Tip: The punctuation inserted between the sources will depend on the style guide chosen for your citations in the Style menu in the References tab. For example, the Chicago and Turabian styles use commas between sources, and the APA and MLA styles use semicolons between sources.

Citation Style menu in Word 365
Figure 6. Style menu

How to Remove or Edit Individual Sources in a Multi-Source Citation

These steps show how to remove sources or edit sources in a citation, including adding page numbers and removing information through suppression.

  1. Select the citation and then select the Citation Options menu arrow.
Citation Options menu arrow in Word 365
Figure 7. Citation Options menu arrow
  1. Select Remove Citation, Edit Citation, or Edit Source from the menu.
    • Remove Citation lets you remove individual sources.
    • Edit Citation lets you add page numbers or suppress (remove) the author’s name, year, or title.
    • Edit Source lets you edit the source information.
Citation Options menu in Word 365
Figure 8. Citation Options menu
  1. Select the source you want to remove or edit from the menu.
Citation Options source menu
Figure 9. Citation Options source menu
  1. If you chose Edit Citation, enter the page number(s) you want to insert. Or, choose to suppress (remove) the author, year, or title.

Select the OK button after making your choices.

Edit Citation dialog box in Word 365
Figure 10. Edit Citation dialog box
  1. If you chose Edit Source, update the source information in the Edit Source dialog box.

Select the OK button when you are finished editing.

Important Note: Word will automatically update all other citations in your current document that reference the source you just edited.

Edit Source dialog box in Word 365
Figure 11. Edit Source dialog box
  1. Select the Yes button in the alert box if you want to update the source in your master source list and your current source list. Select the No button if you only want to update your current source list.
Update source alert box in Word 365
Figure 12. Update source list alert box

The individual source in your citation should be updated.

Related Resources

How to Cross-Reference Tables and Figures in Microsoft Word

How to Create and Update a List of Tables or Figures in Microsoft Word

How to Create and Update a Table of Contents in Microsoft Word

Updated January 14, 2022