WikiEducationFoundation/WikiEduDashboard

id: 729
title_prefix: "How to:"
title: Add a citation
summary:
content: |
  <figure class="alt-layout-30-right">
    <img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/VisualEditor_citoid_Cite_button.png" />
  </figure>

  Now that you have a References section, you can start adding citations!

  Click "edit" above the section or article you want to edit. Place your cursor
  where you plan to add the reference. Usually this will be at the end of a
  sentence, and always after any punctuation.

  On the Visual Editor's toolbar, you'll find the "Cite" button. You can simply
  paste a URL, and the Visual Editor will try to sort out all of the fields you
  need. Be sure to review it, however, and apply missing fields manually (if you
  know them). You can also add books, journals, news, and websites manually.
  That opens up a quick guide for inputting your citations.

  <figure class="alt-layout-40-right">
    <img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/VisualEditor_references_more_-_Vector_skin_2022.png" />
  </figure>

  If the page already contains a citation you want to use again, you can!

  To re-use an existing reference, place your cursor in the body of the text
  where you want to add the new reference for that citation. Then open the
  "Cite" menu and find the "Re-use" item.

  To edit an existing reference, use the "edit" button to open the Visual Editor.
  Click on the bracketed number for the source you want to edit. You will see an
  icon for the type of reference (book, web, news, etc.) and an "Edit" button to
  the right.

  Clicking on the "Edit" button will open a box where you can do exactly that.

  Remember to leave a description of your edit in the edit summary, such as
  "added reference," and then click "Publish changes."