Turn typed citations into live ones

When you import a paper from Word or paste one in, its citations and reference list are just typed text. Make citations live links each typed citation to a real source in your library, so your reference list writes itself, follows your citation style and is checked against the published records.

When you’ll see the offer

Writing Studio offers to make citations live when it finds a typed reference list in your paper:

• After you import a Word document, a message says “This draft’s citations are typed.” Choose Make them live.
• At the end of the paper, a Typed citations card offers Make citations live.
• In Check my paper, the same card appears with your sources.

Make your citations live

1. Choose Make citations live on the Typed citations card.
2. Writing Studio checks your references against academic databases and adds each one it finds to your library.
3. Each typed citation that matches one reference becomes a live citation, linked to that source.

You can keep writing while it works. Your citations go live when the check is done.

What changes

• Each matching citation is now live. Click it to add a page number or change it, like any other citation. See Edit a citation.
• If every entry in your typed list is cited, the typed list is taken out and the automatic reference list takes its place.
• If some entries aren’t cited, your typed list stays. Check the new reference list, then delete the typed one yourself.
• A citation that doesn’t match a single reference stays as you wrote it. The card lists these, so you can cite them again with @.

When it’s done, the card says how many citations were made live and which citation style they follow.

Undo it

Choose Undo on the card to put your typed citations and list back. If you have changed the paper since, Undo isn’t offered there; open Version history to go back to the paper from before.

What it uses

Making citations live uses 1 citation check. Free includes 10 citation checks a day, and Plus and Pro have unlimited citation checks. Your own AI key doesn’t change this. See AI allowances and limits.

If you’re not ready, choose Not now. The offer leaves the end of the paper for this visit and stays in Check my paper.

Tip

You can also make citations live from the Citation checker, after checking one of your documents.

Frequently asked questions

Does making citations live use an allowance?

It uses 1 citation check. Free includes 10 citation checks a day, and Plus and Pro have unlimited citation checks.

What happens to my typed reference list?

If every entry in it is cited, it is taken out and the automatic reference list replaces it. If some entries aren't cited, your typed list stays so you can check it and delete it yourself.

Can I undo it?

Yes. Choose Undo on the card when it finishes. If you have changed the paper since, use Version history to go back to the paper from before.

Where to go next

Import a Word documentBring a Word .docx file into Writing Studio as a new paper, with its headings, images and comments.Your reference listWriting Studio builds your reference list from your citations, formats it in your style and checks each entry against its published record.Check a reference list with the Citation checkerPaste or upload any reference list or paper, and the Citation checker looks up every reference, flags fake, wrong or retracted ones, and fixes them.Cite a source with @Type @ in your paper, find the work and choose Cite. The citation, your library and your reference list all update in one step.

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