How Make a Bibliography

Bibliographies are required for most, if not all, university papers.

A bibliography, or "works cited" page, lists any materials, electronic or written, that are referenced in a research paper. It is an integral component to any research paper that presents borrowed ideas or phrases. Failing to provide a sufficient bibliography may result in an accusation of plagiarism. Bibliographies adhere to several style guides, and those compiling their resources should be aware of what style they are required to write in.

Difficulty:

Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Style guide
• Reference materials
• Writing medium

1. Determine which style you must adhere to. If your paper is for a particular class, take a look at the course syllabus for specifications. In general, literature and other humanities courses follow MLA style, while many medical or psychology courses require AMA or APA style. Borrow the corresponding style guide from your local library for reference.

2. Gather your reference materials together. Whether your resources are from websites, reference books, or works of fiction, all materials used in the creation of your work will need to be cited. While conducting your research, it may be helpful to bookmark the pages that you used.

3. Use your style guide to determine how each resource should be listed. Websites, articles, books and encyclopedias are all recorded differently. Gather information such as the name of the author(s) or editor(s), the the title of the publication, edition of the publication, the date of publication, the publishing city, the publishing company, the page number(s) and the URL.

4. Record your bibliography on a separate page. Refer to your course syllabus for specifications. Some instructors prefer the term "Works Cited" and may have preferences as far as underlining, font, spacing and margin width. Enter your resources separately on the page, as per your chosen style guide.

Tips & Warnings

• Ensure that every single one of your resources is listed in your bibliography, no matter how little the contribution.

• Ensure that you are using the most current edition of your style guide.

References

• A Research Guide for Students: Research, Writing, and Style Guides (MLA, APA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard, CGOS, CBE)

Resources

• Son of Citation Machine