Final answer:
A hanging indent is where the first line of a paragraph is not indented but subsequent lines are indented, often seen in bibliographies and annotated bibliographies. In Microsoft Word, it is applied via the Paragraph settings.
Step-by-step explanation:
A hanging indent is a type of paragraph indentation that keeps the first line of text aligned at the left margin while subsequent lines are indented. This formatting style is often used in the creation of reference lists or bibliographies, especially within styles such as APA, MLA, and Chicago. To apply a hanging indent in Microsoft Word, you would begin each entry at the left margin and indent subsequent lines one-half inch. This can be done by selecting the paragraphs, then going to the Paragraph Settings icon on the Home tab, choosing 'Indents and Spacing,' and under the section labeled 'Indentation', using the 'Special' drop-down menu to select 'Hanging'.
Moreover, in an annotated bibliography, a hanging indent is also used to format the entire annotation. The same principle applies—after the first line of the source citation, the entire annotation is indented to match the indentation of the source citation. For quotations of more than three lines, the text should be indented and set off in the document without the use of quotation marks unless there is a quotation within the indented quotation.