How to ...
1. Use MS Word to sort (alphabetize) your reference list
It would handy to have your word processor put your references in alphabetical order for you. It is easy to do with MS Word. There is, however, one hard and fast requirement. Each reference must be a single, separate paragraph. Read #2 below to check this if you're unsure.
Assuming that each reference is a paragraph:
- Select (highlight) all of the references in your reference list. To do this, place the mouse cursor in front of the first author in the first reference, hold down the mouse button, and then drag straight down through the last reference in the list.
- On the MS Word menu bar, click Table ... Sort.
- A little window will appear:
- Make sure the settings are as shown above, then click the OK button.
- That's it. Your references will be alphabetized.
2 Make each reference a single paragraph
This is important both for alphabetizing your references (#1 above), and for doing the hanging idents properly (#3 below).
Basically, the idea is that when you type your references, you should press the keyboard's <Enter> key only at the end of each reference, and never anyplace within the reference.
How can you see where the paragraph ends or <Enter> key presses in your references are? That's easy. In MS Word, there is a toolbar button at the top on the Word toolbars that has the symbol ¶ on it. It says 'Show All' when you point to it.
Click that button and all the invisible characters - spaces (.), tabs (→), and paragraph ends (¶) become visible. Remove all extra such characters. You'll still need one space between words, usually no tabs, and only one ¶ - at the end of the reference. These things are removed like any other character - select the character and press the <Delete> key. To make these characters invisible again, click the ¶ button once more.
3. Merge two or more reference lists.
Copy and paste the individual lists one after another into one large master list holding all the references. Read # 2 above for making sure each reference is a separate paragraph. Then follow the instructions in #1 above to alphabetize the combined list.
4. How do I do the hanging indents required in the reference list?
First, follow the instructions in #2 above to make each reference in your reference list a single paragraph. Then select all of the references in your reference list - as described in Step 1 of # 1 above.
Then look at the left end of MS Word's ruler, and you will see the indent markers.
Point at the lower triangle - the one pointing up - with the mouse. Drag it right to the 1/2 inch mark. DO NOT point at the little rectangle under the lower triangle. Dragging it will drag both top and bottom pointers together. You only want to drag the bottom triangle.
If you've selected your references already, they'll now have 1/2 in hanging indents.
If you're going to now type your references, after setting the markers, just type each reference. The first line of each will not indent, while second and subsequent lines will automatically indent 1/2 inch. Press the <ENTER> key only when you have reached the end of each reference. Do not press it while within the reference.
5. I have formatted my references incorrectly. How do I reformat them without having to retype them?
Don't worry, it's not too painful. First read #2 above. Follow the instructions on removing the unnecessary invisible characters.
If you just used normal paragraph indents (first line indented) instead of hanging idents, switching to hanging indents is easy:
- First, select all of the references in the reference list. See #1 above if you don't know how.
- Then, readjust the indent markers as described in #4 above.
That's it. All references should now have hanging indents.
If, on the other hand, you did something more complicated like using a combination of paragraph ends within the references, tabs and/or multiple spaces for alignment, you've a bit more work to do.
In that case, follow the instructions in #2 above to remove the unwanted invisible characters, and the #4 above to hang the indents.
