A bibliography is a detailed list of all the sources an author has consulted or used in the process of researching and writing a work, such as an essay, research paper, or book
. It typically includes key information about each source, such as the author's name, the title of the work, the publisher, the year of publication, and sometimes page numbers or URLs for online sources
. The purpose of a bibliography is to give credit to the original authors of the sources, provide evidence supporting the author's work, and allow readers to locate the sources if they wish to verify or further explore the information
. It is usually placed at the end of the document and is alphabetized by the authors' last names
. There are different types of bibliographies, including:
- Enumerative bibliography: A straightforward list of all works consulted.
- Annotated bibliography: Includes a brief description or evaluation of each source.
- Working bibliography: A list that changes as research progresses
The term "bibliography" can also refer to the academic study of books as physical and cultural objects, but in common usage, it mainly means the list of sources used in research
. In summary, a bibliography is an organized list of sources that supports academic integrity and helps readers trace the research foundation of a work
