1. Understanding the Purpose of a Bibliography
* Crediting Sources: A bibliography acknowledges the sources you used to gather information and support your arguments.
* Transparency: It demonstrates that your essay is based on credible research and helps readers verify your claims.
* Further Exploration: It provides a list of resources for readers who want to delve deeper into the topic.
2. Choose a Citation Style
* MLA (Modern Language Association): Common for humanities subjects.
* APA (American Psychological Association): Typically used in social sciences.
* Chicago Manual of Style: Popular in history and the arts.
* Other Styles: Your instructor might specify a particular style.
3. Gather Your Source Information
* Books: Author(s), Title, Place of Publication, Publisher, Year of Publication.
* Journals: Author(s), Article Title, Journal Title, Volume Number, Issue Number, Page Numbers, Year of Publication.
* Websites: Author(s) (if available), Article/Page Title, Website Name, Date of Publication/Last Update (if available), URL, Date accessed.
4. Format Your Bibliography
* Title: Center the title "Works Cited" (MLA), "References" (APA), or "Bibliography" (Chicago) at the top of the page.
* Alphabetical Order: List your sources alphabetically by the first word of the entry (usually the author's last name).
* Hanging Indent: The first line of each entry should be flush left. Subsequent lines should be indented.
* Consistent Formatting: Use the correct font size, spacing, and punctuation according to your chosen style.
5. Examples of Bibliography Entries
* Book:
* MLA: Smith, John. *The History of Persuasion*. New York: Penguin Books, 2019.
* APA: Smith, J. (2019). *The history of persuasion*. New York: Penguin Books.
* Chicago: Smith, John. *The History of Persuasion*. New York: Penguin Books, 2019.
* Journal Article:
* MLA: Jones, Mary. "The Art of Argumentation." *Journal of Rhetoric*, vol. 5, no. 2, 2020, pp. 125-140.
* APA: Jones, M. (2020). The art of argumentation. *Journal of Rhetoric*, *5*(2), 125-140.
* Chicago: Jones, Mary. "The Art of Argumentation." *Journal of Rhetoric* 5, no. 2 (2020): 125-40.
* Website:
* MLA: "How to Write a Persuasive Essay." *Purdue OWL*, Purdue University, 2023, https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/persuasive_essays/index.html, accessed 15 October 2023.
* APA: Purdue OWL. (2023). How to write a persuasive essay. Retrieved October 15, 2023, from https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/persuasive_essays/index.html
* Chicago: "How to Write a Persuasive Essay." *Purdue OWL*. Purdue University, accessed October 15, 2023, https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/persuasive_essays/index.html.
6. Tools to Help You
* Citation Managers: Programs like Zotero, EndNote, or Mendeley can help you format citations and create your bibliography.
* Online Citation Generators: Websites like Easybib or Citation Machine can generate citations in various styles.
Important Tips:
* Double-check: Carefully proofread your bibliography for accuracy and consistency.
* Ask for Help: If you are unsure about a citation style or need assistance, seek help from your teacher, librarian, or a writing center.