A work cited page, or references page, is a list of sources used in a research paper. It is placed at the end of the paper, and is typically organized alphabetically by the author's last name. The purpose of a work cited page is to give credit to the sources that have been used in the paper, and to allow readers to find more information on the topic.
When citing sources in a research paper, it is important to use a consistent style. The most common citation styles are APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), and Chicago. Each style has its own rules for formatting citations.
For example, in APA style, a book would be cited as follows:
Author, A. A. (Year). _Title of book_. Publisher.
For example:
Smith, J. (2018). _The history of the United States_. New York: Oxford University Press.
In MLA style, a book would be cited as follows:
Author, Firstname Lastname. _Title of book_. Publisher, Year.
For example:
Smith, John. _The history of the United States_. Oxford University Press, 2018.
In Chicago style, a book would be cited as follows:
Author, Firstname Lastname. _Title of book_. Publisher, Year, pages.
For example:
Smith, John. _The history of the United States_. Oxford University Press, 2018, pp. 1-200.
It is important to use the correct citation style for your paper. If you are not sure which style to use, consult with your instructor.