How to Write a Bibliography
A bibliography is a complete, alphabetically-arranged register of the references you used when writing a paper or an essay. This includes the publication date, publisher, place of publication, author, and complete title for each reference.
Tips to Writing a Bibliography
- You will find it very convenient to devise your finalized bibliography if you monitor each article, encyclopedia, or book you use while simultaneously taking notes and reading.
- No entry in the bibliography must omit the title and author. If the reference is an article in a periodical, it must also cite the periodical’s name, suitable page numbers, publication date or year, and volume number. In case it is a book, it must also include the place and date of publication.
- If you are composing your finalized bibliography, arrange your sources – including interviews, articles, and books – alphabetically by the author’s family name. References that do not have authors, such as movies and encyclopedia articles, must be arranged alphabetically by the titles.
Examples
Writer (family name, given name). Book title. Town/City: Publishing company, Publication date.
Belulia, Samuel. Beekeeping as a hobby. Los Angeles: Phoenix Publishing, 2008.
Book Written by Two Authors
Writer’s family name, given name, and other writer’s complete name. Book’s title. Publication place: Publishing company, Publication date.
Book with an Accompanying Editor
Editor’s family name, given name, ed. Book title. Publication place: Publishing company, Publication date.
Encyclopedia Articles
Encyclopedia’s title, Edition’s date. Volume #, “Title of article,” Page #s.
Book Chapter or Short Story
Writer’s family name, .given name. “Title.” Book title which the reference originated from. Complete name of the book editor (ed.). Publication place: Publishing company, Publication date. Reference pages.
Articles from a Journal
Writer’s family name, given name. “Article title.” Title of magazine volume #: issue # (publication year): page/s’ number/s.
Magazine Articles
Writer’s family name, given name. “Article title.” Title of magazine publication date: page/s’ number/s.
Articles from a Newspaper
Writer’s family name, given name. “Title of article.” Title of newspaper [town/city where published, if not stated in title] publication date, edition if required: section if required: page/s’ number/s.
Personal Interview
Complete name (family name first). Profession. Interview date.
Movies
Film title, Name of director, Name of distributor, Year.
Compact Disc-ROM
Title of disc: Version number, Complete date. “Title of article,” pages if stated. Publishing company.
E-mail Sources
Writer of message, (Complete date). Header/subject of message. Bulletin board or electronic conference (when online). Sender’s e-mail address: LISTSERV@ e-mail address extension.
Websites
Name of website. Complete date of recent updating. Writer. Complete date the site was accessed.
There are many various references styles so be careful to use the one prescribed by your instructor.
