Footnotes and Endnotes

Footnotes and endnotes are used to comment on or cite a reference to a designated part of the text of a paper. Every footnote or endnote includes a reference in the document text as wells the footnote or the endnote itself. This reference is usually a number, but it can also be a letter or any other symbol. The only difference between footnotes and endnotes is that the former appear on the same page as the referenced material while the latter appear at the end of a section of the document or the end of the document itself.

Creating footnotes and endnotes

Creating with type of note involves two steps. First, you insert the reference (number, letter, symbol) in the text, then you write the note itself. To start the process, you must first open the Footnote and Endnote Dialog Box.
Footnote and Endnote Dialog Box
Word XP
Footnote and Endnote Dialog Box
Word X
  1. Position the insertion point immediately after the text that is to be referenced. Do NOT leave a space.
    • the reference mark is placed at the insertion point
  2. Choose:
    1. Windows:  InsertReferenceFootnote …
    2. Macintosh:  InsertFootnote …
  3. Click the desired radio button to select either Footnote or Endnote (note that the dialog box reminds you which is which!).
  4. Numbering
    1. Macintosh:
      • Footnote Options Dialog Box
        All Footnotes Tab Selected
        Word X
        Choose AutoNumber to have Word automatically number the notes. This means that if you need to add a new note before one or more existing notes, Word will automatically renumber all notes as needed. In addition, if text is rearranged, and thus notes are also rearranged, Word will automatically renumber all notes as needed. Lastly, if notes are deleted, again Word will take care of renumbering.
      • Or choose Custom mark if you wish to use a special symbol or mark other than a number. Click on the <Symbol> button to open the Symbol Dialog Box (see Using Special Characters)
      • Click thebutton to review the options available for footnotes and endnotes.
        • Select the Number format from the drop-down list
        • Set the Start at number
        • Choose the Numbering option by clicking the desired radio button
    2. Windows:
      • Select the Number format from the drop-down list
      • Set the Start at number
      • Choose the Numbering option from the drop-down list
      • Or choose Custom mark if you wish to use a special symbol or mark other than a number. Click on the <Symbol> button to open the Symbol Dialog Box (see Using Special Characters)
  5. Click <OK>.
  6. What happens next depends upon which view you are in:
    • If you are in Normal view, Word then will open the note pane at the bottom of the screen. Just type your note (note the note number or symbol). Click the <Close> button to close the note pane.
    • If you are in Print/Page Layout view, Word moves the insertion point to the footnote area at the bottom of the screen, or to the endnote area at the end of the document. Just type your note (note the note number or symbol). Scroll up to return to your text.
  7. If “Screen Tips” is turned on (choose Tools Options and make sure that “Screen Tips” under the View tab is checked), the footnote will pop-up when you point to the footnote character in the text.

Keeping Footnotes and Endnotes in View

The simplest way to do this is to keep the note pane always open in Normal view. If the note pane is not open you can open it by:

If your document contains both types of notes, you can switch back and forth within the note pane by choosing “All Footnotes” or “All Endnotes” from the notes drop-down list.

Footnote and Endnote Styles

By default, all footnote and endnote text is formatted in the default font you have set in Word. The reference marks are automatically superscripted.

Deleting Footnotes and Endnotes

Simply select the reference mark in the text and then press <Delete> or <Backspace>. 

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Copyright©2003
last updated August 12, 2003