This short tutorial will demonstrate how to caption and cross-reference an equation in Microsoft Word if
you use the “Insert Equation” button, rather than Microsoft Equation 3.0 as presented in the full
tutorial. Screenshots from the 2013 version of Word have been used for this tutorial. This may be
helpful to Mac users, as Microsoft Equation 3.0 may not be included on your default installation. To
insert an equation, click the “Equation” Button in the Insert tab (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Insert Equation button in MS Word 2013
You will then be prompted to type in your equation as shown in Figure 2. You can type your equation in
the box.
Figure 2. Type your equation here
For an equation entered in this way, you cannot simply add a caption by right clicking on the equation
and selecting “Insert Caption…” Instead you will need to place your cursor where you would like the
caption to go (below or above the equation) and select “Insert Caption” from the references tab (Figure
3).
Figure 3. Insert Caption
A caption window will pop up (Figure 4). Select “Equation” from the Label: drop-down list, and type your
caption.
Figure 4. Caption pop up window
Now there will be a caption for your equation, and you can add a cross reference to this caption just like
you would for a Figure or Table. Simply place your cursor in the text body where you would like the
cross-reference to be located, select Cross-reference from the References tab, select the caption you
would like to cross-reference in the pop up window (Figure 5), and click Insert.
Figure 5. Cross-reference pop up window