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Citing sources correctly is an important part of research and writing. This section shows you how to use the available tools to create accurate references for your work.
Why do I have to cite my sources?
Citations show where you got your information from
They give credit to the original authors and creators
They help you avoid plagiarism (using someone’s work without credit)
They make your work more trustworthy and reliable
They let others check your sources and learn more
They show that you did research and used real evidence
They help you become a stronger, more responsible writer
Google Citation Tool
Google Docs has a built-in Citations tool that does the heavy lifting for you. It automatically builds your bibliography (Works Cited page) in the correct format.
Here is your easy, step-by-step guide to using it!
Step 1: Open the Citations Tool
Once you have your Google Doc open, look at the top menu bar.
Click on Tools in the top menu.
Click on Citations from the drop-down list.
A sidebar will pop up on the right side of your screen.
Step 2: Choose Your Format (Style)
Different classes use different formats for citations.
At the top of the Citations sidebar, click the drop-down menu that defaults to MLA.
Ask your teacher which one they want! Usually, 7th-grade English classes use MLA, while Science or Social Studies might use APA.
Step 3: Add Your Source
Now it's time to tell Google what book, website, or article you used.
Click the blue + Add citation source button.
Choose your Source type (Did you get it from a Website, a Book, or an Online journal?).
Choose how you accessed it (For example: if it's a website, choose Web).
Step 4: Fill in the Blank
Google will ask you for information about your source.
💡 Pro-Tip for Websites: If you are citing a website, you can just paste the URL (the website link) into the search bar and click Search. Google will try to find the information for you!
If Google can't find it automatically (or if you are using a physical book):
Click Cite manually.
Fill in whatever information you can find, like the Author's name, the Title of the article, and the Published date.
Don't worry if you can't find every single detail—just fill out as much as possible.
Click the blue Add citation source button at the bottom.
Step 5: Insert Your Bibliography
Once you have added all your sources to the list, Google can write your final bibliography page for you in one click!
Scroll to the very end of your document where you want your sources to go.
Click the blue Insert Works Cited (or Insert References) button at the bottom of the sidebar.
Boom! Google Docs will instantly format a perfect bibliography for you in alphabetical order.
⚠️ One Quick Reminder
Even though AI and computers are smart, they make mistakes! Before you turn your paper in, double-check that author names are spelled correctly and that the website titles look right.
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