Here are some of the most common bibliography formats, along with their general guidelines:
1. Modern Language Association (MLA)
* Purpose: Primarily used in the humanities, particularly literature, language, and cultural studies.
* Format:
* Entries are listed alphabetically by the author's last name.
* Author's last name, first name. _Title of Work_. _Publication Information_.
* Use hanging indentation, meaning the first line is flush left and subsequent lines are indented.
* Italicize titles of books, journals, and films.
* Use quotation marks for titles of articles, chapters, poems, and short stories.
* Include the full URL for online sources.
* Include the date of access for online sources.
* For books: _Author's Last Name, First Name._ _Book Title_. _City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication_.
* For journal articles: _Author's Last Name, First Name._ "Article Title." _Journal Title_ Volume Number. Issue Number (Year): Page Numbers.
2. American Psychological Association (APA)
* Purpose: Primarily used in the social sciences, including psychology, sociology, and education.
* Format:
* Entries are listed alphabetically by the author's last name.
* Author's Last Name, First Initial. (Year). _Title of Work_. _Publication Information_.
* Use hanging indentation.
* Italicize titles of books, journals, and films.
* Use quotation marks for titles of articles, chapters, poems, and short stories.
* Include the full URL for online sources.
* Include the date of access for online sources.
* For books: _Author's Last Name, First Initial._ (Year). _Book Title_. _City of Publication: Publisher_.
* For journal articles: _Author's Last Name, First Initial._ (Year). Article title. _Journal Title_, _Volume Number_(_Issue Number_), _Page Numbers_.
3. Chicago Manual of Style (CMS)
* Purpose: Used in a wide range of academic disciplines, including history, law, and the arts.
* Format:
* Entries are listed alphabetically by the author's last name.
* For books: _Author's Last Name, First Name_. _Book Title_. _City of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication_.
* For journal articles: _Author's Last Name, First Name_. "Article Title." _Journal Title_ Volume Number, no. Issue Number (Year): Page Numbers.
* Use footnotes or endnotes to cite sources in the text.
* Bibliographies in CMS are formatted similarly to MLA, but there are some differences in punctuation and capitalization.
4. Council of Science Editors (CSE)
* Purpose: Used in the sciences, especially biology, chemistry, and medicine.
* Format:
* Entries are listed numerically, in the order they appear in the text.
* Author's Last Name, First Initial. (Year). _Title of Work_. _Publication Information_.
* Use hanging indentation.
* Italicize titles of books, journals, and films.
* Use quotation marks for titles of articles, chapters, poems, and short stories.
Key Elements of a Bibliography Entry:
* Author: Include the full name of the author(s), usually last name first.
* Title: Include the full title of the work, italicizing or using quotation marks as per the style guide.
* Publication Information: This includes the city of publication, publisher, year of publication, journal title, volume, issue number, and page numbers, as applicable.
* URL and Date of Access: Include these for online sources.
General Tips:
* Consult your style guide for specific rules and formatting guidelines.
* Use consistent formatting throughout your bibliography.
* Double-check your entries for accuracy.
* Proofread your bibliography carefully.
Remember, this is just a general overview of the different styles. Always refer to the specific style guide for detailed instructions and examples.