What is a Hanging Indent? Guide to Proper Reference and Bibliography Formatting

What is a Hanging Indent?

A hanging indent is a formatting style in which the first line of a paragraph is aligned with the left margin, while all subsequent lines are indented inward.

Where It’s Used

Hanging indents are commonly used in reference lists or bibliographies to make entries easy to scan alphabetically.

How to Create a Hanging Indent

• In Microsoft Word: Highlight the text → Right-click → Paragraph → Indentation → Hanging.
• In Google Docs: Use the “Format” → “Align & indent” → “Indentation options.”

Example

Smith, J. (2022). Research writing strategies. Academic Press.

Best Practices

• Ensure consistency across all references.
• Check the indentation level (usually 0.5 inches).