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How to Indent a Reference

Properly listing references at the end of a research or critical analysis paper is essential in receiving good grades. In high school, reference sections are expected to be formatted properly. Outside of school, proper citations become more important, as incorrectly listed references rob the paper of credibility and may prevent it from being accepted after submission. The standard indentation for references is the same for both APA and MLA styles.

Instructions

    • 1

      Indent every line in the reference after the first one by pressing the "space bar" five times. This creates a "hanging indentation." The first line should remain flush to the left margin. Sometimes, however, the word processor does not allow you to move the second line away from the margin. If this is the case, click on the "Page Layout" tab in Microsoft Word.

    • 2

      Click on the small arrow in the bottom right corner of the "Paragraph" dialog box.

    • 3

      Locate the drop-down menu under "Special:" in the Indentation section. Select "Hanging."

    • 4

      Write your references without using the return bar. Microsoft Word will indent all subsequent lines after the first one in every reference.

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