Bibliography:
* Includes all sources consulted for a research paper, regardless of whether they were directly cited in the text.
* May include books, articles, websites, interviews, and other sources.
* Typically appears at the end of a research paper.
Reference list:
* Only includes sources that were directly cited in the text of a research paper.
* Typically follows a specific formatting style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).
* Appears at the end of a research paper.
In most cases, a reference list is the appropriate choice for academic papers. This is because it focuses on the sources that were actually used to support the arguments presented in the paper.
Here's a simple way to think about it:
* Bibliography: All the books you read at the library.
* Reference list: The books you actually used to write your report.
Therefore, both bibliographies and reference lists come at the end of a research paper, but a reference list is the more common and preferred option in academic writing.