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Erin Wright Writing

Writing-Related Software Tutorials

How to Insert Citations in Microsoft Word (Step-by-Step)

By Erin Wright

Managing citations for research papers, theses, dissertations, and other nonfiction works can be overwhelming. However, you can ease the process by learning how to insert citations in Microsoft Word using the software’s citation and bibliography tools.

This tutorial covers six topics:

• How to select a citation style
• How to insert citations for new sources
• How to insert citations for existing sources
• How to edit sources
• How to use citation placeholders
• How to insert bibliographies, reference lists, or works cited lists

Important Note: At the time this tutorial was published, Microsoft Word did not offer the most up-to-date formatting for several of our primary style guides , including APA, Chicago, MLA, and Turabian. Therefore, I encourage you to review the available styles before using the citation and bibliography tools. We will cover the steps to customize citation and bibliography styles in a separate tutorial.

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

Watch more than 200 other writing-related software tutorials on my YouTube channel .

The images below are from Word in Microsoft 365. The steps are the same in Word 2021, Word 2019, and Word 2016. However, your interface may look slightly different in those older versions of the software.

How to Select a Citation Style in Microsoft Word

• Select the References tab in the ribbon.

• Select your citation style from the Style menu in the Citations & Bibliography group.

How to Insert Citations for New Sources in Microsoft Word

• Place your cursor where you want to insert the citation.

• Select the References tab in the ribbon (see figure 1).
• Select the Insert Citation button in the Citations & Bibliography group.

• Select Add New Source from the drop-down menu.

• Select the source type from the Type of Source menu in the Create Source dialog box.

• Enter the source information into the bibliography fields.

• (Optional Step) Select Show All Bibliography Fields if you need to add additional information.

• (Optional Step) Enter the source information into the additional fields.

• Select the OK button.

Your citation should appear in your text.

How to Insert Citations for Existing Sources in Microsoft Word

Once you enter a source, as shown in the section above, you can create additional citations for that source without reentering the information.

• Place your cursor where you want to insert the citation (see figure 3).
• Select the Insert Citation button in the Citations & Bibliography group (see figure 4).
• Select the source from the drop-down menu.

Your citation should appear in your text (see figure 11).

How to Edit Sources in Microsoft Word

When you edit an existing source, you will also edit any existing citations for that source in your current document.

• Select the Manage Sources button in the Citations & Bibliography group.

• Select the source you want to edit in the Master List or the Current List in the Source Manager dialog box.

Pro Tip: The Master List is stored in your computer and is accessible in all your documents. The Current List is part of your current file and is only accessible in that file. By default, Word stores new sources in the Master List and the Current List.

• Select the Edit button.

• Enter your edits in the Edit Source dialog box. (Select Show All Bibliography Fields , if necessary.)

• Select Yes or No in the alert box stating that you will be updating the source in both the Master List and the Current List. (Strongly consider selecting Yes to update both lists if you plan to cite this source in future documents.)

• Select the Close button in the Source Manager dialog box.

How to Use Citation Placeholders in Microsoft Word

You can use placeholders if your source information is not available.

• Place your cursor where you want to insert the citation placeholder.
• Select Add New Placeholder from the drop-down menu.

• (Optional Step) Change the name of the placeholder in the Placeholder Name dialog box.

Pro Tip : You can use the same placeholder in the future by selecting it from the Insert Citation drop-down menu (see figure 12).

• When you are ready to replace the placeholder with a source, complete the steps in How to Edit Sources above.

How to Insert Bibliographies, Reference Lists, or Works Cited Lists in Microsoft Word

These steps will only work if you inserted your sources using Word’s citation and bibliography tools.

• Place your cursor where you want to insert the bibliography, reference list, or works cited list.
• Select the Bibliography button in the Citations & Bibliography group.

• Select Bibliography , References , or Works Cited from the drop-down menu.

Your bibliography, reference list, or works cited list should appear in your document.

Related Resources

How to Create Hanging Indents in Microsoft Word

How to Insert Footnotes and Endnotes in Microsoft Word

How to Convert Individual Footnotes to Endnotes in Microsoft Word (and Individual Endnotes to Footnotes)

How to Create a Cover Page in Microsoft Word (Built-In and Custom)

How to Add Citations and a Bibliography in Google Docs

Updated May 21, 2023

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Add citations in a Word document

In Word, you can easily add citations when writing a document where you need to cite your sources, such as a research paper. Citations can be added in various formats, including APA , Chicago-style , GOST, IEEE, ISO 690, and MLA . Afterwards, you can create a bibliography of the sources you used to write your paper.

To add a citation to your document, you first add the source that you used.

Add a new citation and source to a document

On the References tab, in the Citations & Bibliography group, click the arrow next to Style and click the style that you want to use for the citation and source. For example, social sciences documents usually use the MLA or APA styles for citations and sources.

Click at the end of the sentence or phrase that you want to cite.

On the Reference tab, click Insert Citation and then do one of the following:

To add the source information, click Add New Source , and then, in the Create Source dialog box, click the arrow next to Type of Source , and select the type of source you want to use (for example, a book section or a website).

To add a placeholder, so that you can create a citation and fill in the source information later, click Add New Placeholder . A question mark appears next to placeholder sources in Source Manager.

If you chose to add a source, enter the details for the source. To add more information about a source, click the Show All Bibliography Fields check box.

Click OK when finished. The source is added as a citation at the place you selected in your document.

When you've completed these steps, the citation is added to the list of available citations. The next time you quote this reference, you don't have to type it all out again. You just add the citation to your document . After you've added a source, you may find you need to make changes to it at a later time. To do this, see Edit a source .

If you've added a placeholder and want to replace it with citation information, see Edit a source .

If you choose a GOST or ISO 690 style for your sources and a citation is not unique, append an alphabetic character to the year. For example, a citation would appear as [Pasteur, 1848a].

If you choose ISO 690-Numerical Reference and your citations still don't appear consecutively, you must click the ISO 690 style again, and then press ENTER to correctly order the citations.

Add citations to your document

Click at the end of the sentence or phrase that you want to cite, and then on the References tab, in the Citations & Bibliography group, click Insert Citations .

From the list of citations under Insert Citation , select the citation you want to use.

Find a source

The list of sources that you use can become quite long. At times, you might need to search for a source that you cited in another document.

On the References tab, in the Citations & Bibliography group, click Manage Sources .

If you open a new document that does not yet contain citations, all of the sources that you used in previous documents appear under Master List .

If you open a document that includes citations, the sources for those citations appear under Current List . All the sources that you have cited, either in previous documents or in the current document, appear under Master List .

To find a specific source, do one of the following:

In the sorting box, sort by author, title, citation tag name, or year, and then look for the source that you want in the resulting list.

In the Search box, type the title or author for the source that you want to find. The list dynamically narrows to match your search term.

Note:  You can click the Browse button in Source Manager to select another master list from which you can import new sources into your document. For example, you might connect to a file on a shared server, on a research colleague's computer or server, or on a Web site that is hosted by a university or research institution.

Edit a source

In the Source Manager dialog box, under Master List or Current List , select the source you want to edit, and then click Edit .

Note:  To edit a placeholder to add citation information, select the placeholder from Current List and click Edit .

In the Edit Source dialog box, make the changes you want and click OK .

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Scribbr Referencing Generator

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• Introduction
• Finding sources

Evaluating sources

• Integrating sources

Referencing sources

Tools and resources, a quick guide to working with sources.

Working with sources is an important skill that you’ll need throughout your academic career.

It includes knowing how to find relevant sources, assessing their authority and credibility, and understanding how to integrate sources into your work with proper referencing.

This quick guide will help you get started!

Finding relevant sources

Sources commonly used in academic writing include academic journals, scholarly books, websites, newspapers, and encyclopedias. There are three main places to look for such sources:

• Research databases: Databases can be general or subject-specific. To get started, check out this list of databases by academic discipline . Another good starting point is Google Scholar .
• Your institution’s library: Use your library’s database to narrow down your search using keywords to find relevant articles, books, and newspapers matching your topic.
• Other online resources: Consult popular online sources like websites, blogs, or Wikipedia to find background information. Be sure to carefully evaluate the credibility of those online sources.

When using academic databases or search engines, you can use Boolean operators to refine your results.

Generate Harvard, APA, MLA, and Chicago style references in seconds

Get started

In academic writing, your sources should be credible, up to date, and relevant to your research topic. Useful approaches to evaluating sources include the CRAAP test and lateral reading.

CRAAP is an abbreviation that reminds you of a set of questions to ask yourself when evaluating information.

• Currency: Does the source reflect recent research?
• Relevance: Is the source related to your research topic?
• Authority: Is it a respected publication? Is the author an expert in their field?
• Accuracy: Does the source support its arguments and conclusions with evidence?
• Purpose: What is the author’s intention?

Lateral reading

Lateral reading means comparing your source to other sources. This allows you to:

• Verify evidence
• Contextualize information
• Find potential weaknesses

If a source is using methods or drawing conclusions that are incompatible with other research in its field, it may not be reliable.

Integrating sources into your work

Once you have found information that you want to include in your paper, signal phrases can help you to introduce it. Here are a few examples:

Following the signal phrase, you can choose to quote, paraphrase or summarize the source.

• Quoting : This means including the exact words of another source in your paper. The quoted text must be enclosed in quotation marks or (for longer quotes) presented as a block quote . Quote a source when the meaning is difficult to convey in different words or when you want to analyze the language itself.
• Paraphrasing: This means putting another person’s ideas into your own words. It allows you to integrate sources more smoothly into your text, maintaining a consistent voice. It also shows that you have understood the meaning of the source.
• Summarizing : This means giving an overview of the essential points of a source. Summaries should be much shorter than the original text. You should describe the key points in your own words and not quote from the original text.

Whenever you quote, paraphrase, or summarize a source, you must include a citation crediting the original author.

Referencing your sources is important because it:

• Allows you to avoid plagiarism
• Establishes the credentials of your sources
• Backs up your arguments with evidence
• Allows your reader to verify the legitimacy of your conclusions

The most common citation styles in the UK are APA, MLA, Harvard, Vancouver, MHRA, and Oscola. Each citation style has specific rules for formatting citations.

Scribbr’s free Reference Generator can generate perfect references and in-text citations in both APA and MLA styles. More citation styles will be available soon!

Scribbr and partners offer tons of tools and resources to make working with sources easier and faster. Take a look at our top picks:

• Reference Generator: Automatically generate Harvard and APA references .
• Plagiarism Checker : Detect plagiarism in your paper using the most accurate Turnitin-powered plagiarism software available to students.
• Proofreading services : Have a human editor improve your writing.
• Knowledge Base : Explore hundreds of articles, bite-sized videos, time-saving templates, and handy checklists that guide you through the process of research, writing, and citation.

Home / Guides / Citation Guides / MLA Format / How to Cite an Essay in MLA

How to Cite an Essay in MLA

The guidelines for citing an essay in MLA format are similar to those for citing a chapter in a book. Include the author of the essay, the title of the essay, the name of the collection if the essay belongs to one, the editor of the collection or other contributors, the publication information, and the page number(s).

Citing an Essay

Mla essay citation structure.

Last, First M. “Essay Title.” Collection Title, edited by First M. Last, Publisher, year published, page numbers. Website Title , URL (if applicable).

MLA Essay Citation Example

Gupta, Sanjay. “Balancing and Checking.” Essays on Modern Democracy, edited by Bob Towsky, Brook Stone Publishers, 1996, pp. 36-48. Essay Database, www . databaseforessays.org/modern/modern-democracy.

MLA Essay In-text Citation Structure

(Last Name Page #)

MLA Essay In-text Citation Example

Click here to cite an essay via an EasyBib citation form.

MLA Formatting Guide

MLA Formatting

• Annotated Bibliography
• Bibliography
• Block Quotes
• et al Usage
• In-text Citations
• Paraphrasing
• Page Numbers
• Sample Paper
• Works Cited
• MLA 8 Updates
• MLA 9 Updates
• View MLA Guide

Citation Examples

• Book Chapter
• Journal Article
• Magazine Article
• Newspaper Article
• Website (no author)
• View all MLA Examples

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To cite your sources in an essay in MLA style, you need to have basic information including the author’s name(s), chapter title, book title, editor(s), publication year, publisher, and page numbers. The templates for in-text citations and a works-cited-list entry for essay sources and some examples are given below:

In-text citation template and example:

For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the author on the first occurrence. For subsequent citations, use only the surname(s). In parenthetical citations, always use only the surname of the author(s).

Citation in prose:

First mention: Annette Wheeler Cafarelli

Subsequent occurrences: Wheeler Cafarelli

Parenthetical:

….(Wheeler Cafarelli).

Works-cited-list entry template and example:

The title of the chapter is enclosed in double quotation marks and uses title case. The book or collection title is given in italics and uses title case.

Surname, First Name. “Title of the Chapter.” Title of the Book , edited by Editor(s) Name, Publisher, Publication Year, page range.

Cafarelli, Annette Wheeler. “Rousseau and British Romanticism: Women and British Romanticism.” Cultural Interactions in the Romantic Age: Critical Essays in Comparative Literature , edited by Gregory Maertz. State U of New York P, 1998, pp. 125–56.

To cite an essay in MLA style, you need to have basic information including the author(s), the essay title, the book title, editor(s), publication year, publisher, and page numbers. The templates for citations in prose, parenthetical citations, and works-cited-list entries for an essay by multiple authors, and some examples, are given below:

For citations in prose, use the first name and surname of the author (e.g., Mary Strine).

For sources with two authors, use both full author names in prose (e.g., Mary Strine and Beth Radick).

For sources with three or more authors, use the first name and surname of the first author followed by “and others” or “and colleagues” (e.g., Mary Strine and others). In subsequent citations, use only the surname of the first author followed by “and others” or “and colleagues” (e.g., Strine and others).

In parenthetical citations, use only the author’s surname. For sources with two authors, use two surnames (e.g., Strine and Radick). For sources with three or more author names, use the first author’s surname followed by “et al.”

First mention: Mary Strine…

Subsequent mention: Strine…

First mention: Mary Strine and Beth Radick…

Subsequent mention: Strine and Radick…

First mention: Mary Strine and colleagues …. or Mary Strine and others

Subsequent occurrences: Strine and colleagues …. or Strine and others

…. (Strine).

….(Strine and Radick).

….(Strine et al.).

The title of the essay is enclosed in double quotation marks and uses title case. The book or collection title is given in italics and uses title case.

Surname, First Name, et al. “Title of the Essay.” Title of the Book , edited by Editor(s) Name, Publisher, Publication Year, page range.

Strine, Mary M., et al. “Research in Interpretation and Performance Studies: Trends, Issues, Priorities.” Speech Communication: Essays to Commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the Speech Communication Association , edited by Gerald M. Phillips and Julia T. Wood, Southern Illinois UP, 1990, pp. 181–204.

MLA Citation Examples

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Free MLA Citation Generator

Generate accurate citations in MLA format automatically, with MyBib!

😕 What is an MLA Citation Generator?

An MLA citation generator is a software tool designed to automatically create academic citations in the Modern Language Association (MLA) citation format. The generator will take information such as document titles, author, and URLs as in input, and output fully formatted citations that can be inserted into the Works Cited page of an MLA-compliant academic paper.

The citations on a Works Cited page show the external sources that were used to write the main body of the academic paper, either directly as references and quotes, or indirectly as ideas.

👩‍🎓 Who uses an MLA Citation Generator?

MLA style is most often used by middle school and high school students in preparation for transition to college and further education. Ironically, MLA style is not actually used all that often beyond middle and high school, with APA (American Psychological Association) style being the favored style at colleges across the country.

It is also important at this level to learn why it's critical to cite sources, not just how to cite them.

🙌 Why should I use a Citation Generator?

Writing citations manually is time consuming and error prone. Automating this process with a citation generator is easy, straightforward, and gives accurate results. It's also easier to keep citations organized and in the correct order.

The Works Cited page contributes to the overall grade of a paper, so it is important to produce accurately formatted citations that follow the guidelines in the official MLA Handbook .

⚙️ How do I use MyBib's MLA Citation Generator?

It's super easy to create MLA style citations with our MLA Citation Generator. Scroll back up to the generator at the top of the page and select the type of source you're citing. Books, journal articles, and webpages are all examples of the types of sources our generator can cite automatically. Then either search for the source, or enter the details manually in the citation form.

The generator will produce a formatted MLA citation that can be copied and pasted directly into your document, or saved to MyBib as part of your overall Works Cited page (which can be downloaded fully later!).

MyBib supports the following for MLA style:

Daniel is a qualified librarian, former teacher, and citation expert. He has been contributing to MyBib since 2018.

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

In-Text Citations: The Basics

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

Note:  This page reflects the latest version of the APA Publication Manual (i.e., APA 7), which released in October 2019. The equivalent resource for the older APA 6 style  can be found here .

Reference citations in text are covered on pages 261-268 of the Publication Manual. What follows are some general guidelines for referring to the works of others in your essay.

Note:  On pages 117-118, the Publication Manual suggests that authors of research papers should use the past tense or present perfect tense for signal phrases that occur in the literature review and procedure descriptions (for example, Jones (1998)  found  or Jones (1998)  has found ...). Contexts other than traditionally-structured research writing may permit the simple present tense (for example, Jones (1998)  finds ).

APA Citation Basics

When using APA format, follow the author-date method of in-text citation. This means that the author's last name and the year of publication for the source should appear in the text, like, for example, (Jones, 1998). One complete reference for each source should appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.

If you are referring to an idea from another work but  NOT  directly quoting the material, or making reference to an entire book, article or other work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication and not the page number in your in-text reference.

On the other hand, if you are directly quoting or borrowing from another work, you should include the page number at the end of the parenthetical citation. Use the abbreviation “p.” (for one page) or “pp.” (for multiple pages) before listing the page number(s). Use an en dash for page ranges. For example, you might write (Jones, 1998, p. 199) or (Jones, 1998, pp. 199–201). This information is reiterated below.

Regardless of how they are referenced, all sources that are cited in the text must appear in the reference list at the end of the paper.

In-text citation capitalization, quotes, and italics/underlining

• Always capitalize proper nouns, including author names and initials: D. Jones.
• If you refer to the title of a source within your paper, capitalize all words that are four letters long or greater within the title of a source:  Permanence and Change . Exceptions apply to short words that are verbs, nouns, pronouns, adjectives, and adverbs:  Writing New Media ,  There Is Nothing Left to Lose .

( Note:  in your References list, only the first word of a title will be capitalized:  Writing new media .)

• When capitalizing titles, capitalize both words in a hyphenated compound word:  Natural-Born Cyborgs .
• Capitalize the first word after a dash or colon: "Defining Film Rhetoric: The Case of Hitchcock's  Vertigo ."
• If the title of the work is italicized in your reference list, italicize it and use title case capitalization in the text:  The Closing of the American Mind ;  The Wizard of Oz ;  Friends .
• If the title of the work is not italicized in your reference list, use double quotation marks and title case capitalization (even though the reference list uses sentence case): "Multimedia Narration: Constructing Possible Worlds;" "The One Where Chandler Can't Cry."

Short quotations

If you are directly quoting from a work, you will need to include the author, year of publication, and page number for the reference (preceded by "p." for a single page and “pp.” for a span of multiple pages, with the page numbers separated by an en dash).

You can introduce the quotation with a signal phrase that includes the author's last name followed by the date of publication in parentheses.

If you do not include the author’s name in the text of the sentence, place the author's last name, the year of publication, and the page number in parentheses after the quotation.

Long quotations

Place direct quotations that are 40 words or longer in a free-standing block of typewritten lines and omit quotation marks. Start the quotation on a new line, indented 1/2 inch from the left margin, i.e., in the same place you would begin a new paragraph. Type the entire quotation on the new margin, and indent the first line of any subsequent paragraph within the quotation 1/2 inch from the new margin. Maintain double-spacing throughout, but do not add an extra blank line before or after it. The parenthetical citation should come after the closing punctuation mark.

Because block quotation formatting is difficult for us to replicate in the OWL's content management system, we have simply provided a screenshot of a generic example below.

Formatting example for block quotations in APA 7 style.

Quotations from sources without pages

Direct quotations from sources that do not contain pages should not reference a page number. Instead, you may reference another logical identifying element: a paragraph, a chapter number, a section number, a table number, or something else. Older works (like religious texts) can also incorporate special location identifiers like verse numbers. In short: pick a substitute for page numbers that makes sense for your source.

Summary or paraphrase

If you are paraphrasing an idea from another work, you only have to make reference to the author and year of publication in your in-text reference and may omit the page numbers. APA guidelines, however, do encourage including a page range for a summary or paraphrase when it will help the reader find the information in a longer work. 

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How to Format an Essay

Last Updated: April 11, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Carrie Adkins, PhD and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano . Carrie Adkins is the cofounder of NursingClio, an open access, peer-reviewed, collaborative blog that connects historical scholarship to current issues in gender and medicine. She completed her PhD in American History at the University of Oregon in 2013. While completing her PhD, she earned numerous competitive research grants, teaching fellowships, and writing awards. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 88,126 times.

You’re opening your laptop to write an essay, knowing exactly what you want to write, but then it hits you—you don’t know how to format it! Using the correct format when writing an essay can help your paper look polished and professional while earning you full credit. There are 3 common essay formats—MLA, APA, and Chicago Style—and we’ll teach you the basics of properly formatting each in this article. So, before you shut your laptop in frustration, take a deep breath and keep reading because soon you’ll be formatting like a pro.

Setting Up Your Document

• If you can’t find information on the style guide you should be following, talk to your instructor after class to discuss the assignment or send them a quick email with your questions.
• If your instructor lets you pick the format of your essay, opt for the style that matches your course or degree best: MLA is best for English and humanities; APA is typically for education, psychology, and sciences; Chicago Style is common for business, history, and fine arts.

• Most word processors default to 1 inch (2.5 cm) margins.

• Do not change the font size, style, or color throughout your essay.

• Change the spacing on Google Docs by clicking on Format , and then selecting “Line spacing.”
• Click on Layout in Microsoft Word, and then click the arrow at the bottom left of the “paragraph” section.

• Using the page number function will create consecutive numbering.
• When using Chicago Style, don’t include a page number on your title page. The first page after the title page should be numbered starting at 2. [4] X Research source
• In APA format, a running heading may be required in the left-hand header. This is a maximum of 50 characters that’s the full or abbreviated version of your essay’s title. [5] X Research source

• For APA formatting, place the title in bold at the center of the page 3 to 4 lines down from the top. Insert one double-spaced line under the title and type your name. Under your name, in separate centered lines, type out the name of your school, course, instructor, and assignment due date. [6] X Research source
• For Chicago Style, set your cursor ⅓ of the way down the page, then type your title. In the very center of your page, put your name. Move your cursor ⅔ down the page, then write your course number, followed by your instructor’s name and paper due date on separate, double-spaced lines. [7] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source

• Double-space the heading like the rest of your paper.

Writing the Essay Body

• Use standard capitalization rules for your title.
• Do not underline, italicize, or put quotation marks around your title, unless you include other titles of referred texts.

• A good hook might include a quote, statistic, or rhetorical question.
• For example, you might write, “Every day in the United States, accidents caused by distracted drivers kill 9 people and injure more than 1,000 others.”

• "Action must be taken to reduce accidents caused by distracted driving, including enacting laws against texting while driving, educating the public about the risks, and giving strong punishments to offenders."
• "Although passing and enforcing new laws can be challenging, the best way to reduce accidents caused by distracted driving is to enact a law against texting, educate the public about the new law, and levy strong penalties."

• Use transitions between paragraphs so your paper flows well. For example, say, “In addition to,” “Similarly,” or “On the other hand.” [12] X Research source

• A statement of impact might be, "Every day that distracted driving goes unaddressed, another 9 families must plan a funeral."
• A call to action might read, “Fewer distracted driving accidents are possible, but only if every driver keeps their focus on the road.”

Using References

• In MLA format, citations should include the author’s last name and the page number where you found the information. If the author's name appears in the sentence, use just the page number. [14] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
• For APA format, include the author’s last name and the publication year. If the author’s name appears in the sentence, use just the year. [15] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
• If you don’t use parenthetical or internal citations, your instructor may accuse you of plagiarizing.

• At the bottom of the page, include the source’s information from your bibliography page next to the footnote number. [16] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source
• Each footnote should be numbered consecutively.

• If you’re using MLA format, this page will be titled “Works Cited.”
• In APA and Chicago Style, title the page “References.”

• If you have more than one work from the same author, list alphabetically following the title name for MLA and by earliest to latest publication year for APA and Chicago Style.
• Double-space the references page like the rest of your paper.
• Use a hanging indent of 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) if your citations are longer than one line. Press Tab to indent any lines after the first. [17] X Research source
• Citations should include (when applicable) the author(s)’s name(s), title of the work, publication date and/or year, and page numbers.
• Sites like Grammarly , EasyBib , and MyBib can help generate citations if you get stuck.

Formatting Resources

Expert Q&A

You might also like.

• ↑ https://www.une.edu.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/392149/WE_Formatting-your-essay.pdf
• ↑ https://content.nroc.org/DevelopmentalEnglish/unit10/Foundations/formatting-a-college-essay-mla-style.html
• ↑ https://camosun.libguides.com/Chicago-17thEd/titlePage
• ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/page-header
• ↑ https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/paper-format/title-page
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
• ↑ https://www.uvu.edu/writingcenter/docs/basicessayformat.pdf
• ↑ https://www.deanza.edu/faculty/cruzmayra/basicessayformat.pdf
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_in_text_citations_the_basics.html
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/in_text_citations_the_basics.html
• ↑ https://library.menloschool.org/chicago

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Verbs for citations (APA style)

Explore the helpful verbs you can use when citing academic work

You'll need to cite and reference resources you've read in your academic writing.

You can use direct quotes of others' work if you acknowledge the source and use a citation. This also applies if you paraphrase or summarise what someone else has written. Whenever you decide to use a citation you'll need a reporting verb to introduce it to your text.

In the following case, we've used the verb 'to find':

Malley (1998, p.26) found that study skills are increasingly used by Higher Education institutions.

Reporting verbs you can use

This table shows reporting verbs for citing others. These verbs aren't always interchangeable so make sure you read your resource carefully and understand the author’s claims before you choose a verb. It's your responsibility to report others’ work accurately in your assignments.

If you're not sure about the meaning of any of the verbs in this table, consider using a dictionary like the  Cambridge Learner’s Dictionary  to check the word's usage. 

Using verbs

You can use reporting verbs in the present tense or past tense, as long as you're consistent throughout your assignment.

Many of the verbs in this table are used with the conjunction 'that'. For example:

• Mahoney (1998, pp.10–12) established that this reaction is in fact…
• When Smith and Sampson (1989, p.98) contended that this position was untenable, they were…

However, verbs that can't be used with ‘that’ include:  

• Martin and Baker (1980) examined the issue from a different perspective.

Words like 'view' are used with the conjunction 'as', after the subject of the sentence: 

• Hui (2001, p.49) views this explanation as too simplistic. She maintains that…

All the above examples use reporting verbs actively, but you can also use verbs passively. Both following sentences are acceptable:

• Dominguez (2002, pp.76-79) suggested three possible interpretations of these results.
• Three possible interpretations of these results have been suggested (Dominguez, 2002, pp.76–79).

Other examples of using reporting verbs in the passive form:

• It has been claimed (O’Shea, 1997, p.45) that…
• It has been shown that this is not the case (Akabi, 1979, pp.310–319).
• The practice of…has been questioned (Chopra, 1990, p.92) because of its… 
• These findings have been extensively analysed (e.g. by Stamford, 2001a, 2001b; Ma, 2002) and interpretations vary from…

You can add adverbs to your reporting verbs if appropriate. These also need to accurately reflect the original material. In the above example, you would need to be sure that the findings had been ‘extensively’ analysed. 

The passive from is often used when citing several authors to back up a single point. The example above uses two works by Stamford and one by Ma. 

You can also cite an author without using a reporting verb by restating the author’s point or using the phrase ‘according to’. For example: 

• Study skills are increasingly used by Higher Education institutions (Malley, 1998, p.28)
• According to Malley (1998, p.28), study skills are increasingly used by Higher Education institutions.

Written assignments

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Writing about others works: using direct quotations

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How to Remove Section Breaks in Word? [For Students]

As a student navigating the intricacies of academic formatting, I understand the frustration of encountering stubborn section breaks that disrupt the flow of your document. In this guide, I share my insights and experiences to help you tackle this common issue effectively. Let's dive in and unravel the mystery of removing section breaks in Word!

Part 1: Why Can’t I Remove Section Breaks in Word?

Have you ever struggled to remove a section break in your Word document? You're not alone. Section breaks, while useful for formatting, can sometimes be a bit tricky to delete. This part will explore two common scenarios where removing section breaks might cause frustration:

1. Failing to Remove Section Breaks in Word on Mac

Unlike Windows, deleting section breaks on Mac using Backspace or Delete might not work as intended. Here's why:

Hidden Section Break: Section breaks are hidden by default in Word. To see them, you need to enable the "Show/Hide" formatting marks.

Unselectable Break: Even with formatting marks displayed, the section break might still appear unselectable. This can happen if it's followed by a page break or other formatting element.

2. Failing to Remove the Last Section Break Without Losing Formatting in Your Essay

Especially for essays, the last section break might be causing an unwanted page break. However, deleting it can remove your formatting throughout the document. Here's why this occurs:

Linked Sections: Sections in your document can inherit formatting from the previous section. Deleting the last section break can merge its formatting with the preceding section, potentially causing inconsistencies.

Scenario: Imagine your essay has two sections. The first section has single line spacing, while the second (shorter) section has double line spacing for the references. Deleting the last section break might apply the double spacing to the entire essay.

Solution to these problems will be covered in Part 2!

Part 2: Easy Steps to Remove Section Breaks in Word for Your Essay

In Part 2 of this guide, I'll walk you through the simple steps to remove section breaks in Word for your essays. Whether you're using WPS Office or Microsoft Word, these easy-to-follow instructions will help you maintain smooth formatting in your documents. Say goodbye to pesky section breaks and hello to seamless editing with these straightforward techniques.

Remove a section break in Word

There are two main ways to remove section breaks in Word:

Using the Show/Hide button:

Step 1: Click the Show/Hide button in the Paragraph group on the Home tab. This will reveal all formatting marks in your document, including section breaks.

Step 2: Place your cursor at the beginning of the line after the section break you want to remove.

Step 3: Press the Backspace key.

Using the Navigation Pane :

Step 1: Open your Word document: Launch WPS Office and open the document where you want to remove the section break.

Step 2: Access the "View" tab: Look for the toolbar at the top of the Word window. Click on the "View" tab located in the menu options.

Step 3: Enable the Navigation Pane: Within the "View" tab, locate the "Show" section. Make sure that the "Navigation Pane" option is checked or enabled.

Step 4: Navigate to the "Section" tab: Once the Navigation Pane is activated, you'll see it appear on the left side of your document. Click on the " Section" tab within the Navigation Pane.

Step 5: Identify the section break: In the Navigation Pane, you'll now see a list of headings or sections in your document. Scroll through this list to find the section break you want to remove.

Step 6: Select the section break: Click on the section break you wish to delete. It will be highlighted in the Navigation Pane.

Step 7: Remove the section break: Once the section break is selected, simply press the "Delete" key on your keyboard. The section break will be deleted from your document.

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Removing Multiple or All Section Breaks

There is no built-in way to remove all section breaks at once in Word. However, you can use the Find and Replace feature to find all section breaks and replace them with paragraph marks.

Here's how to do it:

Step 1: Press Ctrl+H to open the Find and Replace dialog box.

Step 2: In the Find what field, type ^b. This is the code for a section break in Word .

Step 3: Leave the Replace with field empty.

Step 4: Click Replace All.

WPS AI: Your Best Assistant with Essay Paper Work

Feeling overwhelmed by the blank page when starting your essay? Don't worry, WPS AI is here to be your secret weapon!

WPS AI is a powerful built-in feature within WPS Office that utilizes artificial intelligence to assist you in various writing tasks. One of its valuable tools is the ability to generate outlines and brainstorm ideas, giving your essay a strong foundation.

Here's how to leverage WPS AI to create an outline for your essay:

Step 1: Access WPS AI

Open your WPS Writer document and locate the AI Assistant icon on the top right corner. It might be labelled as "AI Writer" depending on your version. Click on the icon to activate the AI features.

Step 2: Describe Your Essay Topic

In the AI Assistant panel, you'll see a text box prompting you to "Enter instructions or questions." Here, clearly state your essay topic. For example, if your essay is about the environmental impact of fast fashion, you could type: "Outline for essay: Environmental impact of fast fashion"

Step 3: Generate the Outline

Once you've described your topic, click the "Generate" button. WPS AI will analyze your input and utilize its knowledge base to create a draft outline for your essay.

Step 4: Review and Refine

WPS AI will present a structured outline for your essay, including main points, sub-points, and even potential supporting arguments. Review the outline carefully and make any necessary adjustments to suit your specific essay needs. You can add, remove, or rearrange sections to ensure the outline accurately reflects your approach.

WPS AI: Streamlining Your Essay Writing Process

By using WPS AI to generate outlines, you can save valuable time and overcome writer's block. This AI assistant provides a solid framework to structure your essay, allowing you to focus on developing strong arguments and crafting compelling content.

Remember, WPS AI is a tool to empower you, not replace your own critical thinking. Use the generated outline as a starting point and personalize it to create a unique and well-structured essay.

How can I insert a section break in Word?

To insert a section break in Word, follow these steps:

Step 1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the section break.

Step 2. Go to the "Layout" or "Page Layout" tab in the toolbar.

Step 3. Click on the "Breaks" option.

Step 4. Select "Next Page" under the "Section Breaks" section.

How can I insert a page break in Word?

To insert a page break in Word , follow these steps:

Step 1. Place your cursor where you want to insert the page break.

Step 2. Go to the "Insert" tab in the toolbar.

Step 3. Click on the "Page Break" option.

What is the difference between page break and section break?

The key difference between a page break and a section break in Word lies in their impact on your document's layout and formatting. Here's a breakdown:

In this guide, I've shown you how to easily remove section breaks in Word. I've explained common problems and provided simple steps to solve them. Throughout, I've emphasized the convenience of using WPS Office , which makes editing documents a breeze. With clear instructions and practical tips, you can now handle section breaks with confidence and efficiency using WPS Office.

• 1. Inserting section break in Word document (Mac and PC)
• 2. How to insert a section break in word
• 3. How to Remove Page Breaks in Word[2024]
• 4. How to insert a section break in Word
• 5. How to remove all page breaks from word document
• 6. How can we insert next page section break in WPS Writer

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What are Tone Words? List of 300+ Useful Words

Table of contents

• 1 What is a Tone?
• 2.1 Positive Tone Words
• 2.2 Negative Tone Words
• 2.3 Neutral Tone Words
• 3 How to Find the Right Tone for Your Work
• 4 Tone Words Examples in Various Texts

In writing, tone plays a significant role in conveying emotions, setting the atmosphere, and establishing a connection with readers. The tone of every piece of writing – whether an argumentative essay, a page-turning novel, or a moving poem – can be set by the author’s choice of words.

It would be best to balance the subtleties of language and freedom of thought to get the desired effect. Today, we share a definitive collection of tone words to help you and every writer achieve their goals in this area.

What is a Tone?

Tone, in writing, is the author’s emotional response with deep respect to either the subject matter or the readers. It helps to create a particular atmosphere and direct the reader’s feelings by revealing the author’s point of view.

The tone is the author’s voice (in this case, their attitude, not their personality), and how the words on the page are emotion-tinted to make the reader feel a specific way.

Word choice, tone list sentence structure, imagery, and figurative language are all examples of literary methods that can be used to communicate tone. It comprises more than just the words themselves.

Also, it includes the author’s general tone and approach. To provoke various feelings and responses from the reader, a talented writer might switch tones within the same piece of writing.

Recognizing and employing tone is fundamental to effective communication because it influences the writer’s attitude and how the recipient interprets the message. It can potentially affect a message’s readability, retention, and recall. When writers use the right tone, they may impress readers, hold their attention, and get their point over.

As they delve further into the nuances of tone and tone words in literature, authors gain access to many expressive vocabularies.

The Ultimate List of Tone Words

Now for our ultimate list of tone words in literature. This comprehensive compilation encompasses a range of words that can help authors like you effectively communicate their intended emotions and engage readers on a profound level. And we are talking about a deep level indeed!

Positive Tone Words

Positive tone words inspire happy thoughts and feelings in the reader. They spark positive emotions and are incredibly powerful. Powerful? How so? Positive tone words can make you think well of someone and have a favorable impression of them even without meeting. Here are some other good tone words, word examples, and their meanings:

• Joyful: Filled with happiness, delight, and great pleasure.
• Optimistic: Expecting positive outcomes, hopeful, and confident about the future.
• Enthusiastic: Displaying intense excitement, passion, and eagerness.
• Serene: Calm, peaceful, and tranquil.
• Endearing: Inspiring warmth or affection
• Grateful: Feeling or expressing appreciation and thankfulness.
• Empowered: Feeling confident, capable, and in control of one’s life or circumstances.
• Radiant: Emitting brightness, happiness, and positivity.
• Inspirational: Providing motivation, encouragement, and a sense of upliftment.
• Energetic: Full of vigor, liveliness, and vitality.
• Confident: Having self-assurance, belief in one’s abilities, and a positive outlook.
• Empathetic: showing empathy; feeling the emotions of others.

Negative Tone Words

The use of negative tone words can considerably influence the perceptions produced by readers, regardless of whether they describe a location, a literary work, or a collective of individuals. Simply put, just as positive tone words spark positive emotions, negative ones spark negative ones.

Hence, when applying negative tone phrases, you must exercise caution and ensure your criticisms remain fair, constructive, and objective, and that is very important.

By attentively picking your words, you can provide a well-rounded perspective while keeping your message’s moral sense and integrity. Striking the correct balance between negative and positive judgments provides for a full understanding and encourages effective interactions.

• Miserable: Extremely unhappy, sorrowful, or distressed.
• Disgusting: Causing intense revulsion, repugnance, or strong aversion.
• Aggressive: Hostile, confrontational, or prone to initiating conflict.
• Chaotic: Marked by disorder, confusion, and lack of organization or control.
• Repulsive: Evoking strong feelings of dislike, aversion, or disgust.
• Arrogant: Displaying an exaggerated sense of superiority, self-importance, or entitlement.
• Hateful: Full of intense dislike, animosity, or prejudice towards someone or something.
• Depressing: Causing feelings of sadness, dejection, or hopelessness.
• Inferior: Of lower quality, value, or importance compared to others.

Neutral Tone Words

Neutral tone words help maintain a fair and unbiased approach, allowing readers to form their opinions without undue influence. Here are examples of neutral tone words along with their meanings:

• Ordinary: Usual, commonplace, or unremarkable.
• Standard: Conforming to established norms, expectations, or criteria.
• Common: Frequently occurring, widely experienced, or generally known.
• Typical: Representing a characteristic example or pattern.
• Balanced: Exhibiting equality, equilibrium, or impartiality.
• Objective: Unbiased, based on facts, and devoid of personal opinions or feelings.
• Rationale: Logical, reasoned, and based on sound judgment or reasoning.
• Neutral: Impartial, unbiased, or not taking sides.
• Moderate: Neither excessive nor extreme, characterized by a reasonable and measured approach.
• Unbiased: Fair, impartial, and free from prejudice or favoritism.
• Indifferent: Having no particular preference or bias, lacking interest or concern.
• Matter-of-fact: Devoid of emotional embellishment, straightforward, and focused on facts.

How to Find the Right Tone for Your Work

So far, we have established that finding the right, powerful tone words is the key to successfully delivering your message through writing. To figure out which examples of tone words used work best for your goal, ask these reflective questions:

• Why am I writing this?

It helps to know why you’re writing in the first place to set the right words of tone in your writing. What effect do you hope to have on the reader? Each goal requires specific words and unique words for the tone of the literature to be adequate.

• Who exactly am I writing for?

When deciding on a tone for your writing, it is essential to keep your readers in mind. Is it an official report, a casual blog post, or a rigorous research paper? The interest and understanding of your readers will increase if you modify your author’s tone to match their expectations and preferences.

• What do I hope the reader will take away from this experience?

The tone of your communication can be improved by first determining the key idea or message you wish to express. Whatever you’re trying to do through your writing – persuade, inform, or evoke an emotion – matching your tone to your intended result is crucial!

The tone of any formal writing must be clear, concise, confident, and courteous. Attempt refinement without straying into pretentiousness; balance formality and readability.

However, creative writing allows for greater latitude in tone. Still, focus on effectively using tone words, regardless of the genre. The tone you go for will be influenced by the genre you’re writing in, but ultimately, you want to get your point across, make the reader feel something, and pull them into the story.

Suppose writers take the time to evaluate these factors carefully. In that case, they can master using an appropriate tone to describe words that will connect with their target audience, improve readability, and have the desired effect. We hope you become one such writer.

Tone Words Examples in Various Texts

Again, tone words play a vital role in shaping the atmosphere and evoking emotions in different types of writing. The choice of tone words varies based on the formality of the writing and is further influenced by the genre, whether creative or formal.

Let’s explore some examples of tone words in various types of writing:

• Melancholic: Conveys a tone of sadness, longing, or introspection, often found in poems exploring themes of loss or nostalgia.
• Whimsical: Creates a playful and lighthearted tone, commonly used in poems that embrace imagination and fantasy.
• Serene: Establishes a calm and peaceful tone, often seen in verses that celebrate nature or meditate on inner peace.
• Euphoric: Creates a tone of extreme joy, vitality, or ecstasy, frequently found in poems expressing moments of joy or bliss.

Romantic Novel

• Passionate: Sets an intense and vibrant tone, typically associated with love, desire, and emotional depth.
• Sentimental: Evokes tender and nostalgic emotions, often found in romantic novels emphasizing deep emotional connections.
• Yearning: Conveys a tone of longing or desire, frequently employed in books that explore unrequited love or longing for a lost connection.
• Tender: Establishes a gentle and affectionate tone, often used to depict tender moments of intimacy or vulnerability.

Horror Fiction

• Eerie: Creates a tone of unease, suspense, and impending dread, frequently found in horror fiction to heighten tension.
• Sinister: Evokes a dark, malicious, or hateful tone, often depicting evil or foreboding circumstances.
• Terrifying: Establishes a tone of extreme fear, horror, or terror intended to invoke a visceral response from the reader.
• Macabre: Conveys a tone of fascination with the gruesome death or the supernatural, often seen in horror fiction that explores the darker aspects of human existence.

Informative News Article

• Objective: Establish a neutral and unbiased tone, presenting facts and information without personal opinions or emotions.
• Authoritative: Conveys a tone of expertise, credibility, and confidence, frequently employed in news articles to establish trustworthiness.
• Informative: Sets a tone of clarity, providing straightforward and concise information to educate the readers.
• Balanced: Establishes a fair and even-handed tone, presenting multiple perspectives and avoiding bias or favoritism.

What Is the Difference Between Tone and Voice?

Tone and voice are sometimes misunderstood or used interchangeably by writers. However, they couldn’t be more dissimilar. We’ve established that tone conveys the author’s or a character’s feelings about the subject.

Tone words in nonfiction writing reveal the author’s point of view. Tone words are helpful in fiction because they indicate a scene’s or conversation’s emotional state, whether the reader might expect tension, happiness, sadness, etc.

While the term “voice” describes the overall character of a piece of writing. One author’s scathing tone may be another’s instructive or friendliness.

What Is the Difference Between Tone and Mood?

The word for tone in literature is the mood or atmosphere that the author intends for the reader to experience while reading the text, while mood is the experience that the reader has while reading the story.

How the author feels about the setting or the character and how he wants the reader to feel determines the tone. On the contrary, the reader’s emotional response establishes the mood. Setting the mood at the opening of a story prepares the audience for what is to come.

How do you identify tone words?

Identifying tone words in a piece of writing is essential for understanding the intended emotions and attitudes conveyed by the author. Here are some key approaches to identifying tone words:

• Contextual Clues: Pay attention to the overall context and the writer’s purpose. Examine the subject matter, the writer’s attitude, and the intended audience. These factors can provide valuable hints about the tone.
• Word Choice: Look for words that evoke emotions or convey a particular attitude. Tone words often carry emotional weight or reveal the author’s perspective. Words with strong connotations, such as “brutal,” “uplifting,” or “serene,” can indicate the tone.
• Go with your Gut: Sometimes, the best way to explain a tone is to say that you just “get it.” The text makes you feel a specific way, whether it’s urgent or melancholy. After reading it, you feel angry and get the impression that the author is also angry. Or sometimes, there is nothing specifically humorous about the writing, yet you find yourself laughing anyhow. As a result, go with your instinct when deciding how to interpret the author’s tone in passages like these.

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College of Business

How to nail your scholarship application essay.

When it comes to applying for scholarships, the task can be immediately overwhelming. Where do you find scholarships? How do you apply? What do they each require? This is going to take forever!

But at Colorado State, we do things a little differently. We’re so proud of our one-and-done scholarship application process. Almost all CSU scholarships live in the same place, and can be applied for with one application, one time, and that’s it. The Colorado State University Scholarship Application (CSUSA) takes a big hurdle out of your path right off the bat. Completing the CSUSA enters you for nearly every scholarship at CSU that you’re eligible for. Now all you have to do is nail that application essay … and we’re here to make that part easy, too. Here are some insider info, tips, and even a few essay excerpts to help you as you tackle your essay.

#1. It’s less formal than you think

Did you know that your scholarship application essay is meant to help us see the most-authentic version of you, your journey, and your goals? We’re not looking for a formal essay here. You won’t need to analyze anything, look for metaphors, or even write a structured outline when you start (but you can if it helps you).

The essay prompt might ask you to tell your story, highlight your ambitions, and explain how you see yourself succeeding in this big ol’ world. Essay prompts range from what kind of career you see yourself in, and how college might help you get there. They might ask you to describe a challenging event, explain how you navigated it, and how it inspires you to go forward in life. The essay is so much more your story than anything else. The more YOU you are, the better. Don’t worry too much about intros, transitions, structure, or formal conclusion paragraphs when you first sit down to write. Let it flow and be you.

• Tip : Write your first draft like you’re talking to your best friend, your favorite teacher, your mentor, your coach. Your voice/tone should be genuine, passionate, and infused with the vibe you’d give if you were telling your biggest dreams to your biggest cheerleaders. We’re rooting for you here.

#2. Vulnerability is your superpower here

Perhaps the biggest tool in your toolbox when it comes to writing a genuine, powerful essay is your willingness to be vulnerable. While vulnerability may seem like a weakness in some arenas, it’s your superpower in the scholarship application essay. So what exactly is it, and how can you use it to your advantage?

Vulnerability, by definition, is the willingness to show emotion or to allow one’s weaknesses to be seen or known. There can be some risk involved in being vulnerable, and that’s often why it has such a big impact. You’re essentially giving away your armor, and that allows you to create connection at a deep, emotional level. To put vulnerability to work in a story or experience, try to remember how you felt in that moment, and what was running through your head. Instead of just recounting events as they happened, retell them as YOU experienced them. Let emotion guide your story instead of rehashing a timeline of events. The story, told as it moved through you, is what makes the connection.

• Tip : As you recount an event or moment in your essay, try to incorporate the senses. What did you see, hear, smell, feel? Let emotion be your guide, but paint the picture fully.

#3. Word choice matters (and not in the way you might think)

One question you should ask yourself as you draft your essay is if the words you’re using actually suit you. Would you use these actual words if you were talking to someone? One thing that can derail your authenticity in writing is trying to use big or “impressive” words that wouldn’t naturally flow from you in your daily life. We’re not saying you shouldn’t use a thesaurus, but be choosy. If the word doesn’t “fit” you when you’re casually speaking, we’re going to feel that in your essay, too.

• Tip : Read your essay aloud while recording yourself. Does it flow? Are there words that you stumble over as you read them? If so, put those words into the thesaurus and see if anything comes up that doesn’t trip you up as you read. It should feel as natural to read it as it would if you were talking to a friend.

#4. Always, always, always get a proofreader (or two)

While it’s not the most-glamorous advice, we cannot stress enough the importance of having someone — and, preferably, multiple someones — review your essay. Even the most-seasoned professional writer will make errors, even after multiple drafts. Typos, missing words, tense errors, and even disorganized thoughts can distract readers from your beautiful, unique story. Our advice is to find a proofreader who can dial in your punctuation and grammar, and another who can help you with the more-subtle aspects of good writing, like flow, tone, and structure. You want to start and end strong, plus have a robust, visually and emotionally stimulating middle.

• Tip : Draft your first version raw without any expectations of yourself. Answer the essay prompt as if you’re writing in your journal. Then find a reliable proofreader (preferably outside the house, like a teacher) to help you level it up and polish it up. After you’ve done a little spiff, show it to a second proofreader. Fresh eyes mean everything.

Some essay excerpts to inspire you

Ready to learn more about the csu scholarship process.

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Prairie Smallwood

Prairie Smallwood is a writer and content creator for the Office of Admissions at Colorado State University. She is passionate about education and exploration, and knows that going to college can be both an adventure and an overwhelming experience. She aims to create content that helps students through that journey — the wonderful, the scary, and everything in between.

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Officials change course amid outrage over bail terms for Indian teen accused in fatal drunk driving accident

By Arshad R. Zargar

May 22, 2024 / 1:37 PM EDT / CBS News

New Delhi — Indian justice officials have changed course amid outrage over the bail terms set for a teenager accused of killing two people while driving a Porsche at high speed while drunk and without a license. The 17-year-old son of a wealthy businessman had been ordered to write a 300-word essay and work with the local traffic police for 15 days to be granted bail — a decision that was made within 15 hours of his arrest.

He is accused of killing two young people while speeding in his luxury car on Sunday in the western Indian city of Pune.

The lenient bail conditions initially imposed by the local Juvenile Justice Board shocked many people, including officials, across India. The local police approached the board with an appeal to cancel his bail and seeking permission to treat the boy, who is just four months shy of his 18th birthday, as an adult, arguing that his alleged crime was heinous in nature.

In 2015, India changed its laws to allow minors between 16 and 18 years of age to be tried as adults if they're accused of crimes deemed heinous. The change was prompted by the notorious 2012  Delhi rape case , in which one of the convicts was a minor. Many activists argued that if he was old enough to commit a brutal rape, he should not be treated as a minor.

On Wednesday night, after three days of outrage over the initial decision, the Juvenile Justice Board canceled the teen's bail and sent him to a juvenile detention center until June 5. It said a decision on whether he could be tried as an adult, which would see him face a more serious potential sentence, would be taken after further investigation.

Late Sunday night, police say the teen, after drinking with friends at two local bars in Pune, left in his Porsche Taycan, speeding through narrow roads and allegedly hitting a motorcycle, sending the two victims — a male and female, both 24-year-old software engineers — flying into the air and killing them.

The parents of both victims have urged authorities to ensure a strict punishment for the teen.

The suspect was first charged with causing death by negligence, but that was changed to a more serious charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. On Wednesday he was also charged with drunk driving offenses.

Police have arrested the suspect's father and accused him of allowing his son to drive despite being underage, according to Pune Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar. The legal age for driving in India is 18. Owners of the two bars where the minor was served alcohol have also been arrested and their premises seized.

"We have adopted the most stringent possible approach, and we shall do whatever is at our command to ensure that the two young lives that were lost get justice, and the accused gets duly punished," Kumar said.

Maharashtra state's Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had described the original decision of the Juvenile Justice Board as "lenient" and "shocking," and called the public outrage a reasonable reaction.

Road accidents claimed more than 168,000 lives in India in 2022. More than 1,500 of those people died in accidents caused by drunk driving, according to Indian government data.

Under Indian law, a person convicted of drunk driving can face a maximum punishment of six months in prison and a fine of about $120 for a first offense. If, however, the drunk driving leads to the death of another person, the offender can face two to seven years in prison.

• Deadly Crash
• Deadly Hit And Run
• Drunk Driving

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Microsoft Word just fixed its default paste option

Now, microsoft word will use the ‘merge formatting’ option by default..

By Emma Roth , a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.

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Have you ever pasted text into your beautifully formatted Microsoft Word document, only for it to ruin everything? Well, the days of the should finally be over, as Microsoft Word will now merge the text’s formatting with your document by default.

Unlike the previous “keep source formatting” default, the “merge formatting” option preserves the original bold and underlined text, along with list and table structure. But it also changes the visual aspects of the text, such as font family, size, and color, to match the document you’re working on. That should save you from messing up the formatting of your entire document when pasting in text from another source.

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You could previously choose the “merge formatting” option from Word’s pasting menu, but it wasn’t the default. If you still want to use the “keep source formatting” option as the default, you can change it by heading to File > Options > Advanced > Cut, copy, and paste and then selecting the Pasting from other program drop-down menu. From there, choose Keep Source Formatting .

Last year, Microsoft finally started supporting the Control + Shift + V shortcut , which lets you paste in text without formatting at all.

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