Using Word 2007’s Citations and Bibliography
Word 2007’s Citations and Bibliography feature allows you to easily and efficiently manage references. While this tool can be very handy, it has a few limitations. Here are some things to keep in mind as you work with this feature:
Sources.xml File
As you begin creating new sources in the Source Manager, an XML file is automatically created on your C:/ drive. This is not a convenient location for this file! It limits your ability to work anywhere else but the machine you originally used to create the reference list. After creating your first source, you should copy and save the Source.xml file to your H:/ drive or a USB drive. Either of these locations will provide you with more flexibility for working with the file. Online instructions for locating and copying this file are available through LTS Documentation.
Spell Check
Spell check does not extend to in-text citations or final bibliographic fields created using this feature. If there is a spelling error in your bibliography, spell check will not locate the error. You will need to proofread your bibliography to ensure accuracy.
Editing
Each time you update your bibliography, Word 2007 uses the information stored on the Source Manager to revise your references. This means that if you corrected a spelling error or added formatting by typing directly in the inserted bibliography instead of the Source Manager, those changes will be lost. To avoid this problem, correct spelling by using the edit button in the Source Manager and wait to make any final page formatting changes until the end of your project.
Adding Entries
At times, typing new entries into an inserted bibliography may seem like a convenient solution to citation problems, but often this creates unforeseen complications. We have had reports that manually typed entries simply won’t print. Second, if you happen to update your bibliography, Word looks to the Source Manager for the information, and the entries you typed into the bibliography field (not the Source Manager) will be lost.
In summary, if you’re going to use the Source Manager, use it to create all of your sources, to make edits to your sources, and wait to the very end to make formatting changes to the bibliography.
Online documentation for working with the Citations & Bibliography feature is available:
