# Quick MS word question (references) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 10, 2009, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-ms-word-question-references/517032 "2009-11-10T11:53:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-ms-word-question-references/517032/1 "2009-11-10T11:53:42Z")
In MS Word, when you insert multiple endnotes / footnotes at the same point, can you get it to contract the number range it shows? e.g. …have been applied widely across the physical sciences. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 …have been applied widely across the physical sciences. 1-7 (the numbers would be superscripted in word but I can’t see how to do it here.) ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-ms-word-question-references/517032/2 "2009-11-10T13:43:29Z")
No clue on Word, but here the code is [sup]superscript goes here [/sup]. Without the spaces, that converts to [sup]superscript goes here [/sup]. For completeness, subscript is [sub]subscript goes here [/sub] or [sub]subscript goes here [/sub]. Which Word version? ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-ms-word-question-references/517032/3 "2009-11-10T13:52:45Z")
> [@Busy\_Scissors](#): > > In MS Word, when you insert multiple endnotes / footnotes at the same point, can you get it to contract the number range it shows? > > e.g. > > …have been applied widely across the physical sciences. 1,2,3,4,5,6,7 > > …have been applied widely across the physical sciences. 1-7 > > (the numbers would be superscripted in word but I can’t see how to do it here.) You know, I don’t think you can do this. I’ll look into it a bit later, when I have time, but I’m not aware of any function that does this. ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-ms-word-question-references/517032/4 "2009-11-10T14:46:33Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > No clue on Word, but here the code is [sup]superscript goes here [/sup]. > > Without the spaces, that converts to [sup]superscript goes here [/sup]. > > For completeness, subscript is [sub]subscript goes here [/sub] or [sub]subscript goes here [/sub]. > > Which Word version? Thks LSLGuy, didn’t know how to do that. [sup]It’s Word 2003.[/sup] I can solve the problem using the separate program Endnote - not a favourite program of mine at all - but it would be good to know how to do it in word. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-ms-word-question-references/517032/5 "2009-11-10T16:59:12Z")
I just tried this in Word 2003 and Word doesn’t even put commas in between multiple endnote superscripts. I could find no way to use shorthand for a group of notes. I think this is because those superscripts acts as links to the notes. BTW is the 1-7 example you gave normally accepted style? I can’t remember having seen it. ---
**Author:** ![robcaro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@robcaro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robcaro)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-ms-word-question-references/517032/6 "2009-11-10T17:41:46Z")
Make text or numbers superscript Select the text you want to format as superscript. On the Format menu, click Font, and then click the Font tab. Select the Superscript check box. Same for subscript This is for Word 2000, I don’t know about other versions of Word. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-ms-word-question-references/517032/7 "2009-11-10T19:31:20Z")
> [@robcaro](#): > > Make text or numbers superscript I think he meant that he didn’t know how to do superscripts on this board. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2009, 7:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/quick-ms-word-question-references/517032/8 "2009-11-10T19:48:38Z")
I really don’t think you can do it. One possible workaround might be this: Here’s your text: “…have been applied widely across the physical sciences.” Insert a footnote, just one, at the end of the text. That would be (for purposes of this example) footnote 1. You can use list numbering, or outline numbering, within Word footnotes. So you could have footnote 1, and then within footnote 1, sections (paragraphs) (1), (2), (3), etc. (or (a), (b), ©, or (i), (ii), (iii), or 1., 2., 3., or however you wanted to set it up.