How to Write a Bibliography

The following is a step by step guide on How to Write a Bibliography

You need to know how to write a bibliography if you are in high school or college and are working on a project such as a research paper. This will usually be the last page of your report, and is designed to list the sources you used in researching the information included in your project. If you are uncertain of how to write a bibliography, the tips below will help you understand how this should be done.

Not only does a bibliography reveal your sources for information, it also gives credit to those responsible sources for their writing.

How to write a bibliography

1. Gather your data before you begin. Before you actually write your bibliography, compile the information so you will have it all in front of you. For each source, you should have a title, author name, editor (if any), translators, location and date published, the publishers name and a URL or web address if the information was accessed online. What information you have will often depend on your source, but include all of the above that is available.

2. Format your work. Frequently, a teacher or instructor will explain how they want the bibliography formatted, so organize and present you information in the format requested or check with the instructor if you are not certain.

3. Alphabetize your bibliography. Your information should be presented in alphabetical order, sorted by author names of the sources you have used. Last name should come first, followed by first name.

4. Align author name to the left-hand margin. In most cases, your bibliography will be formatted in a way that puts the author's name to the left, with each source for the author next to the author's name. Each source should be slightly indented, with a space between each so they are clearly separated.

5. Miscellaneous details. Titles of books and other publications should be underlined. If you have used any articles as sources, place quotation marks around the article title.

Include information regarding the publishing of the work, such as the city in which it was published, the name of the publisher and the year of publication, which is also known as the copyright. The information offered in this article is simply a guide to help you understand how to write a bibliography; always follow the guidelines given by your teacher or instructor, which may be a bit different.

If you have used books or other materials from the library in your research, be sure to jot down the information you need regarding your bibliography before returning the materials.

Writing a bibliography seems a daunting task to many people; hopefully, the outline above describing how to write a bibliography will be of assistance when you tackle the task.