A bibliography is a list of sources you used or cited in your research. To write a bibliography, list all sources alphabetically by the author's last name. Include all necessary citation information according to the citation style you are following, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago style. Use hanging indentations for entries longer than one line and make sure to include every source cited in your text. The bibliography usually appears on its own page titled "Bibliography" or "Works Cited" for MLA, and includes full details for books, articles, websites, and other sources consulted.
Key steps to write a bibliography:
- Collect detailed information for each source (author, title, publication date, publisher, URL, etc.).
- Arrange entries alphabetically by author's last name.
- Use proper formatting according to your chosen style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago).
- Use a hanging indent for lines after the first in each entry.
- Include all significant works you referenced in your work.
- If annotated bibliography is requested, add brief explanations or evaluations after each citation.
Styles:
- MLA: Called "Works Cited" page with citations formatted for humanities.
- APA: Known as "References" page with a focus on author-date citations.
- Chicago: Often includes a bibliography with full details and hanging indents.
The bibliography should be neat, consistently formatted, and enable readers to locate the cited sources easily.
