What is a bibliography? Meaning, examples and tips to help you write one

What is a bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of all sources that have been used in a piece of academic writing – these can be quoted directly or paraphrased. Bibliographies are used to recognise the intellectual property of other authors, and also serve as a direct, credible reference for any claims you have made.

Creating a bibliography requires writers to back up their research and support any new arguments, while also allowing readers to find related information if they desire. The most important thing about a bibliography is that it provides protection against claims of plagiarism.

You’ll find a bibliography in many variations of academic work, such as:

• Dissertations
• PhD theses
• Monographs
• Research papers
• Case studies
• Academic reports
• Journals.

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How to structure a bibliography.

A bibliography is frequently found at the end of a piece of academic writing. It’s here that you will alphabetically list any referenced sources according to author surname.

For each source, you’ll usually have to outline the following information:

• Author(s)
• Title of their work
• Year of publication
• Place of publication
• Publisher
• DOI or URL (when required).

The way you present this information may vary based on the citation method you follow. The preferred citation format for your work should be made clear to you by your faculty or academic institution. When in doubt, speak with your supervisor or lecturer.

Bibliography examples for different referencing methods.

Short citations are usually provided in the main body of your text, which then signpost a full reference in your bibliography. The in-text citation must be provided once the quote or paraphrasing from your source material has finished. This could be at the end of the sentence or paragraph.

Your bibliography structure will vary based on the referencing method you use. Below are three examples of the most common citation methods and how they might impact your bibliography structure.

APA (American Psychological Association)

The APA (American Psychological Association) citation style is frequently used in the social sciences, but has also become common in economics and has established itself as the primary citation style across various disciplines.

This style emphasises dates, and authors' names are abbreviated with the initial of the first name. In the APA citation style, each source is listed individually in the bibliography or reference list.

Bibliography example for the APA citation style:

Surname, Initial(s) of first name(s) (Year). Title: Subtitle (Edition). Publisher.

Koenig, H. G. (2012). Religion and mental health: Research and clinical applications (2nd ed.). Academic Press.

Harvard

A bibliography or reference list using the Harvard referencing style is similar to the APA style, but the reference also features the place of publication.

Harvard bibliography example:

Surname, Initial(s) of first name(s) (Year): Title: Subtitle, Edition, Place: Publisher.

Smith, John (2018): Understanding Cognitive Science, 2nd ed., London: Academic Press.

Chicago

Chicago referencing style is also commonly used in humanities like MLA. The main difference is that a footnote citation style is used, with footnotes given at the end of the page which contains the source. You may also be requested to provide sources again in a bibliography.

Chicago footnote example:

Surname, First name. Year of Publication.  Title. Place of Publication: Publisher's name.

Smith, John. 2020. Understanding Citation Methods. Glasgow: Glasgow City Press.

Note: If certain information is missing, you can still use the source. For example, if the year of publication is missing, you may write “n.d.” in the bibliography reference to denote “no date”. Depending on the referencing style you are using, the method of recognising missing information will differ. Consult a supervisor if you are unsure how to address this in your bibliography.

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How to write a bibliography.

Writing a bibliography may seem like a complicated task at first, but following a simple guide will make things much easier.

Use the following guide as a bibliography template for your academic work:

1. Choose the correct referencing format. Before you begin to write your bibliography, you’ll need to familiarise yourself with the referencing format used within your institution of discipline. This will dictate how all of your references are written.

2. Gather your sources. As you conduct your research and write your academic paper, you will likely paraphrase and quote from other sources. These could be books, articles, websites and other relevant materials. Keep detailed notes about any sources used, gathering important information such as author name(s), titles, publication dates, and page numbers.

3. Create references for each source. You’ll need to make references for each source in accordance with your chosen referencing format. Double check you have the correct information, such as author, title, publication year, publisher, and page numbers.

4. Format your bibliography. Your bibliography should be sorted according to author surname. While formatting, double check that each entry to your bibliography is consistent, checking use of italics, speech marks and punctuation.

5. Proofreading. Ideally, you should proofread your bibliography to check that all references are consistent with one another and the chosen referencing style. If appropriate, correct any inconsistencies such as spellings of author names, titles, and other details.

How to create a bibliography in Word – step by step guide.

Microsoft Word is commonly used in academic writing and has versatile tools to help format your bibliography. Follow the steps below to make the most of the built-in referencing tools.

1. On the tool ribbon at the top of Word, click on “References” and choose the referencing format you are using under “Citations and bibliography”.
2. Move your mouse cursor to the place in the document that you want to add the citation and click “Insert citation”.
3. Choose the bibliography format from the template list to automatically create a bibliography in your document.
4. Keep updating your bibliography throughout or at the end of writing by clicking on “Update field” under the bibliography section.

In Word, you can insert a bibliography using "References" - "Bibliography". For this to work, the bibliographic information must have been previously entered using "Insert Citation" - "Add New Source".

What should a bibliography look like? Tips and tricks.

Ready to create your own bibliography? Here are some practical tips to help you get started.

• Start early: Record all sources you use during your research from the offset. This prevents having to search for important information retrospectively when finishing your work.
• Question your sources: Use only reputable and trustworthy sources for your literature research. Verify your sources before using them.
• Use reference management software: These tools help you organise your sources and automatically format them in various citation styles. Moreover, these tools ensure the completeness of the bibliography. For example, they can confirm that all sources mentioned in the text appear in the bibliography – and vice versa.
• Keep a consistent referencing style: Each referencing format has specific rules for formatting bibliographic information. Follow these rules precisely and consistently to ensure you’re aligned with the marking criteria.
• Use consistent formatting: Use the same font, line spacing, and indentations throughout to ensure uniform presentation.
• Use indents: When a source entry extends over two or more lines, it is common to set an indent from the second line onwards. This allows readers to quickly see that the additional lines are connected with the same source.
• Arrange your bibliography alphabetically: The bibliography should be correctly alphabetised by the authors' surnames, with special rules applying for umlauts and other special characters. If you are using a referencing style like IEEE (Institute for Electrical and Electronics Engineers), then this does not apply.
• Verify all URLs: If you use internet sources for your bibliography, ensure that the URLs are correct and active at the time of citation. Generally, you should include the access date and time – when you viewed the URL – in the bibliography.
• Accurately list multiple authors: For works with multiple authors, list all authors in the order they appear in the original work.
• Update your bibliography regularly: Add new sources immediately and remove those you no longer cite to avoid errors.
• Have another person proofread your bibliography: A second look can help you identify mistakes.

Common mistakes

Mistakes can happen easily as you build up your bibliography. Let’s look at a few of the most common mistakes to avoid:

• Missing details in references. Missing part of a reference, such as an author name or publication year affects the overall quality and credibility of your work.
• Missing references. A missing reference in your bibliography could lead to accusations of plagiarism.
• Wrongly categorising sources. If you mix up the referencing format for a book chapter with the format for citing an article, it can look unprofessional.
• Spelling and grammatical mistakes. The professional credibility of your work is severely affected by writing mistakes, especially when writing names and specialist language.

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