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How To Write a Bibliography (Plus Printable Guide With Examples)

Give credit where credit is due.

Writing a research paper involves a lot of work. Students need to consult a variety of sources to gather reliable information and ensure their points are well supported. Research papers include a bibliography, which can be a little tricky for students. Learn how to write a bibliography in multiple styles and find basic examples below.

Plus grab our printable Bibliography Guide for Students with examples from all three major style guides: APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), or The Chicago Manual of Style . Just fill out the form on this page to get the free guide.

IMPORTANT: Each style guide has its own very specific rules, and they often conflict with one another. Additionally, each type of reference material has many possible formats, depending on a variety of factors. The overviews shown here are meant to guide students in writing basic bibliographies, but this information is by no means complete. Students should always refer directly to the preferred style guide to ensure they’re using the most up-to-date formats and styles.

What is a bibliography?

When you’re researching a paper, you’ll likely consult a wide variety of sources. You may quote some of these directly in your work, summarize some of the points they make, or simply use them to further the knowledge you need to write your paper. Since these ideas are not your own, it’s vital to give credit to the authors who originally wrote them. This list of sources, organized alphabetically, is called a bibliography.

A bibliography should include all the materials you consulted in your research, even if you don’t quote directly from them in your paper. These resources could include (but aren’t limited to):

• Books and e-books
• Periodicals like magazines or newspapers
• Online articles or websites
• Primary source documents like letters or official records

Bibliography vs. References

These two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but they actually have different meanings. As noted above, a bibliography includes all the materials you used while researching your paper, whether or not you quote from them or refer to them directly in your writing.

A list of references only includes the materials you cite throughout your work. You might use direct quotes or summarize the information for the reader. Either way, you must ensure you give credit to the original author or document. This section can be titled “List of Works Cited” or simply “References.”

Your teacher may specify whether you should include a bibliography or a reference list. If they don’t, consider choosing a bibliography to show all the works you used in researching your paper. This can help the reader see that your points are well supported and allow them to do further reading on their own if they’re interested.

Bibliography vs. Citations

Citations refer to direct quotations from a text that are woven into your own writing. There are a variety of ways to write citations, including footnotes and endnotes. These are generally shorter than the entries in a reference list or bibliography. Learn more about writing citations here.

What does a bibliography entry include?

Depending on the reference material, bibliography entries include a variety of information intended to help a reader locate the material if they want to refer to it themselves. These entries are listed in alphabetical order and may include: ADVERTISEMENT

• Author/s or creator/s
• Publication date
• Volume and issue numbers
• Publisher and publication city
• Website URL

These entries don’t generally need to include specific page numbers or locations within the work (except for print magazine or journal articles). That type of information is usually only needed in a footnote or endnote citation.

What are the different bibliography styles?

In most cases, writers use one of three major style guides: APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), or The Chicago Manual of Style . There are many others as well, but these three are the most common choices for K–12 students.

Many teachers will state their preference for one style guide over another. If they don’t, you can choose your own preferred style. However, you should also use that guide for your entire paper, following their recommendations for punctuation, grammar, and more. This will ensure you are consistent throughout.

Below, you’ll learn how to write a simple bibliography using each of the three major style guides. We’ve included details for books and e-books, periodicals, and electronic sources like websites and videos. If the reference material type you need to include isn’t shown here, refer directly to the style guide you’re using.

APA Style Bibliography and Examples

Technically, APA style calls for a list of references instead of a bibliography. If your teacher requires you to use the APA style guide , you can limit your reference list to only items you cite throughout your work.

How To Write a Bibliography (References) Using APA Style

Here are some general notes on writing an APA reference list:

• Title your bibliography section “References” and center the title on the top line of the page.
• Do not center your references; they should be left-aligned. For longer items, subsequent lines should use a hanging indent of 1/2 inch.
• Include all types of resources in the same list.
• Alphabetize your list by author or creator, last name first.
• Do not spell out the author/creator’s first or middle name—only use their initials.
• If there are multiple authors/creators, use an ampersand (&) before the final author/creator.
• Place the date in parentheses.
• Capitalize only the first word of the title and subtitle, unless the word would otherwise be capitalized (proper names, etc.).
• Italicize the titles of books, periodicals, and videos.
• For websites, include the full site information, including the http:// or https:// at the beginning.

Books and E-Books APA Bibliography Examples

For books, APA reference list entries use this format (only include the publisher’s website for e-books):

Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. (Publication date). Title with only first word capitalized (unless there’s a proper name/noun) . Publisher. Publisher’s website

• Wynn, S. (2020). City of London at war 1939–45 . Pen & Sword Military. https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/City-of-London-at-War-193945-Paperback/p/17299

Periodical APA Bibliography Examples

For journal or magazine articles, use the following format. If you viewed the article online, include the URL at the end of the citation.

Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. (Publication date). Title of article. Magazine or Journal Title (Volume number) Issue number, page numbers. URL

• Bell, A. (2009). Landscapes of fear: Wartime London, 1939–1945. Journal of British Studies (48) 1, 153–175. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25482966

Here’s the format for newspapers. For print editions, include the page number/s. For online articles, include the full URL:

Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. (Year, Month Date) Title of article. Newspaper title. Page number/s. URL

• Blakemore, E. (2022, November 12) Researchers track down two copies of fossil destroyed by the Nazis.  The Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2022/11/12/ichthyosaur-fossil-images-discovered/

Electronic APA Bibliography Examples

For articles with a specific author on a website, use this format:

Last Name, First Initial. Middle Initial. (Year, Month Date). Title . Site name. URL

• Wukovits, J. (2023, January 30). A World War II survivor recalls the London Blitz . British Heritage . https://britishheritage.com/history/world-war-ii-survivor-london-blitz

When an online article doesn’t include a specific author or date, list it like this:

Title . (Year, Month Date). Site name. Retrieved Month Date, Year, from URL

• Growing up in the Second World War . (n.d.). Imperial War Museums. Retrieved May 12, 2023, from https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/growing-up-in-the-second-world-war

When you need to list a YouTube video, use the name of the account that uploaded the video, and format it like this:

Name of Account. (Upload year, month day). Title [Video]. YouTube. URL

• War Stories. (2023, January 15). How did London survive the Blitz during WW2? Cities at war: London [Video]. YouTube. https://youtu.be/uwY6JlCvbxc

For more information on writing APA bibliographies, see the APA Style Guide website.

APA Bibliography (Reference List) Example Pages

MLA Style Bibliography Examples

MLA style calls for a Works Cited section, which includes all materials quoted or referred to in your paper. You may also include a Works Consulted section, including other reference sources you reviewed but didn’t directly cite. Together, these constitute a bibliography. If your teacher requests an MLA Style Guide bibliography, ask if you should include Works Consulted as well as Works Cited.

How To Write a Bibliography (Works Cited and Works Consulted) in MLA Style

For both MLA Works Cited and Works Consulted sections, use these general guidelines:

• Start your Works Cited list on a new page. If you include a Works Consulted list, start that on its own new page after the Works Cited section.
• Center the title (Works Cited or Works Consulted) in the middle of the line at the top of the page.
• Align the start of each source to the left margin, and use a hanging indent (1/2 inch) for the following lines of each source.
• Alphabetize your sources using the first word of the citation, usually the author’s last name.
• Include the author’s full name as listed, last name first.
• Capitalize titles using the standard MLA format.
• Leave off the http:// or https:// at the beginning of a URL.

Books and E-Books MLA Bibliography Examples

For books, MLA reference list entries use the following format. Add the URL at the end for e-books.

Last Name, First Name Middle Name. Title . Publisher, Date. URL

• Wynn, Stephen. City of London at War 1939–45 . Pen & Sword Military, 2020. www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/City-of-London-at-War-193945-Paperback/p/17299

Periodical MLA Bibliography Examples

Here’s the MLA-style format for magazines, journals, and newspapers. For online articles, add the URL at the end of the listing:

For magazines and journals:

Last Name, First Name. “Title: Subtitle.” Name of Journal , volume number, issue number, Date of Publication, First Page Number–Last Page Number.

• Bell, Amy. “Landscapes of Fear: Wartime London, 1939–1945.” Journal of British Studies , vol. 48, no. 1, January 2009, pp. 153–175. www.jstor.org/stable/25482966

When citing newspapers, include the page number/s for print editions or the URL for online articles:

Last Name, First Name. “Title of article.” Newspaper title. Page number/s. Year, month day. Page number or URL

• Blakemore, Erin. “Researchers Track Down Two Copies of Fossil Destroyed by the Nazis.” The Washington Post. 2022, Nov. 12. www.washingtonpost.com/science/2022/11/12/ichthyosaur-fossil-images-discovered/

Electronic MLA Bibliography Examples

Last Name, First Name. Year. “Title.” Month Day, Year published. URL

• Wukovits, John. 2023. “A World War II Survivor Recalls the London Blitz.” January 30,   2023. https://britishheritage.com/history/world-war-ii-survivor-london-blitz

Website. n.d. “Title.” Accessed Day Month Year. URL.

• Imperial War Museum. n.d. “Growing Up in the Second World War.” Accessed May 9, 2023. www.iwm.org.uk/history/growing-up-in-the-second-world-war.

Here’s how to list YouTube and other online videos:

Creator, if available. “Title of Video.” Website. Uploaded by Username, Day Month Year. URL.

• “How did London survive the Blitz during WW2?” Cities at war: London | War stories.” YouTube . Uploaded by War Stories, 15 Jan. 2023. youtu.be/uwY6JlCvbxc.

For more information on writing MLA-style bibliographies, see the MLA Style website.

MLA Bibliography (Works Cited) Example Pages

Chicago Manual of Style Bibliography Examples

The Chicago Manual of Style (sometimes called “Turabian”) actually has two options for citing reference material: Notes and Bibliography and Author-Date. Regardless of which you use, you’ll need a complete detailed list of reference items at the end of your paper. The examples below demonstrate how to write that list.

How To Write a Bibliography Using The Chicago Manual of Style

Here are some general notes on writing a Chicago -style bibliography:

• You may title it “Bibliography” or “References.” Center this title at the top of the page and add two blank lines before the first entry.
• Left-align each entry, with a hanging half-inch indent for subsequent lines of each entry.
• Single-space each entry, with a blank line between entries.
• Include the “http://” or “https://” at the beginning of URLs.

Books and E-Books Chicago Manual of Style Bibliography Examples

For books, Chicago -style reference list entries use the following format. (For print books, leave off the information about how the book was accessed.)

Last Name, First Name Middle Name. Title . City of Publication: Publisher, Date. How e-book was accessed.

• Wynn, Stephen. City of London at War 1939–45 . Yorkshire: Pen & Sword Military, 2020. Kindle edition.

Periodical Chicago Manual of Style Bibliography Examples

Here’s the style format for magazines, journals, and newspapers. For online articles, add the URL at the end of the listing.

For journal and magazine articles, use this format:

Last Name, First Name. Year of Publication. “Title: Subtitle.” Name of Journal , Volume Number, issue number, First Page Number–Last Page Number. URL.

• Bell, Amy. 2009. “Landscapes of Fear: Wartime London, 1939–1945.” Journal of British Studies, 48 no. 1, 153–175. https://www.jstor.org/stable/25482966.

When citing newspapers, include the URL for online articles:

Last Name, First Name. Year of Publication. “Title: Subtitle.” Name of Newspaper , Month day, year. URL.

• Blakemore, Erin. 2022. “Researchers Track Down Two Copies of Fossil Destroyed by the Nazis.” The Washington Post , November 12, 2022. https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2022/11/12/ichthyosaur-fossil-images-discovered/.

Electronic Chicago Manual of Style Bibliography Examples

Last Name, First Name Middle Name. “Title.” Site Name . Year, Month Day. URL.

• Wukovits, John. “A World War II Survivor Recalls the London Blitz.” British Heritage. 2023, Jan. 30. britishheritage.com/history/world-war-ii-survivor-london-blitz.

“Title.” Site Name . URL. Accessed Month Day, Year.

• “Growing Up in the Second World War.” Imperial War Museums . www.iwm.org.uk/history/growing-up-in-the-second-world-war. Accessed May 9, 2023.

Creator or Username. “Title of Video.” Website video, length. Month Day, Year. URL.

• War Stories. “How Did London Survive the Blitz During WW2? | Cities at War: London | War Stories.” YouTube video, 51:25. January 15, 2023. https://youtu.be/uwY6JlCvbxc.

For more information on writing Chicago -style bibliographies, see the Chicago Manual of Style website.

Chicago Manual of Style Bibliography Example Pages

Get Your Free Printable Bibliography Style Guide

Just fill out the form on this page to grab our printable Bibliography Guide for Students with examples from all three major style guides: APA (American Psychological Association), MLA (Modern Language Association), or The Chicago Manual of Style .

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• Referencing
• Harvard Style Bibliography | Format & Examples

Harvard Style Bibliography | Format & Examples

Published on 1 May 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 7 November 2022.

In Harvard style , the bibliography or reference list provides full references for the sources you used in your writing.

• A reference list consists of entries corresponding to your in-text citations .
• A bibliography sometimes also lists sources that you consulted for background research, but did not cite in your text.

The two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. If in doubt about which to include, check with your instructor or department.

The information you include in a reference varies depending on the type of source, but it usually includes the author, date, and title of the work, followed by details of where it was published. You can automatically generate accurate references using our free reference generator:

Harvard Reference Generator

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Table of contents

Formatting a harvard style bibliography, harvard reference examples, referencing sources with multiple authors, referencing sources with missing information, frequently asked questions about harvard bibliographies.

Sources are alphabetised by author last name. The heading ‘Reference list’ or ‘Bibliography’ appears at the top.

Each new source appears on a new line, and when an entry for a single source extends onto a second line, a hanging indent is used:

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Reference list or bibliography entries always start with the author’s last name and initial, the publication date and the title of the source. The other information required varies depending on the source type. Formats and examples for the most common source types are given below.

• Entire book
• Book chapter
• Translated book
• Edition of a book

Journal articles

• Print journal
• Online-only journal with DOI
• Online-only journal without DOI

• General web page
• Online article or blog
• Social media post

Newspapers and magazines

• Newspaper article
• Magazine article

When a source has up to three authors, list all of them in the order their names appear on the source. If there are four or more, give only the first name followed by ‘ et al. ’:

Sometimes a source won’t list all the information you need for your reference. Here’s what to do when you don’t know the publication date or author of a source.

Some online sources, as well as historical documents, may lack a clear publication date. In these cases, you can replace the date in the reference list entry with the words ‘no date’. With online sources, you still include an access date at the end:

When a source doesn’t list an author, you can often list a corporate source as an author instead, as with ‘Scribbr’ in the above example. When that’s not possible, begin the entry with the title instead of the author:

Though the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there is a difference in meaning:

• A reference list only includes sources cited in the text – every entry corresponds to an in-text citation .
• A bibliography also includes other sources which were consulted during the research but not cited.

In Harvard referencing, up to three author names are included in an in-text citation or reference list entry. When there are four or more authors, include only the first, followed by ‘ et al. ’

In Harvard style referencing , to distinguish between two sources by the same author that were published in the same year, you add a different letter after the year for each source:

• (Smith, 2019a)
• (Smith, 2019b)

Add ‘a’ to the first one you cite, ‘b’ to the second, and so on. Do the same in your bibliography or reference list .

To create a hanging indent for your bibliography or reference list :

• Highlight all the entries
• Click on the arrow in the bottom-right corner of the ‘Paragraph’ tab in the top menu.
• In the pop-up window, under ‘Special’ in the ‘Indentation’ section, use the drop-down menu to select ‘Hanging’.
• Then close the window with ‘OK’.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the ‘Cite this Scribbr article’ button to automatically add the citation to our free Reference Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2022, November 07). Harvard Style Bibliography | Format & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved 12 August 2024, from https://www.scribbr.co.uk/referencing/harvard-bibliography/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, a quick guide to harvard referencing | citation examples, harvard in-text citation | a complete guide & examples, referencing books in harvard style | templates & examples, scribbr apa citation checker.

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How to Write a Bibliography (MLA, APA Examples)

Learn how to easily write a bibliography by following the format outlined in this article.

This resource will help your students properly cite different resources in the bibliography of a research paper, and how to format those citations, for books, encyclopedias, films, websites, and people.

What is a bibliography?

According to Infoplease.com, A bibliography is a list of the types of sources you used to get information for your report. It is included at the end of your report, on the last page (or last few pages).

What are the types of bibliography styles (MLA, APA, etc.)?

The 3 most common bibliography/citation styles are:

• MLA Style: The Modern Language Association works cited page style
• APA Style: The American Psychological Association style
• Chicago Style: The bibliography style defined by the Chicago Manual of Style

We’ll give examples of how to create bibliography entries in various styles further down in this article. 

What sources do you put in a bibliography?

An annotated bibliography should include a reference list of any sources you use in writing a research paper. Any printed sources from which you use a text citation, including books, websites, newspaper articles, journal articles, academic writing, online sources (such as PDFs), and magazines should be included in a reference list. In some cases, you may need or want to cite conversations or interviews, works of art, visual works such as movies, television shows, or documentaries - these (and many others) can also be included in a reference list.

How to get started writing your bibliography

You will find it easier to prepare your MLA, APA, or Chicago annotated bibliography if you keep track of each book, encyclopedia, journal article, webpage or online source you use as you are reading and taking notes. Start a preliminary, or draft, bibliography by listing on a separate sheet of paper all your sources. Note down the full title, author’s last name, place of publication, web address, publisher, and date of publication for each source.

Haven't started your paper yet and need an outline? These sample essay outlines include a research paper outline from an actual student paper.

How to write a bibliography step-by-step (with examples)

General Format: Author (last name first). Title of the book. Publisher, Date of publication.

MLA Style: Sibley, David Allen. What It’s Like to Be a Bird. From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing, What Birds Are Doing, and Why. Alfred A. Knopf, 2020.

APA Style: Sibley, D.A. (2020). What It’s Like to Be a Bird. From Flying to Nesting, Eating to Singing, What Birds Are Doing, and Why . Alfred A. Knopf.

Notes: Use periods, not commas, to separate the data in the entry. Use a hanging indent if the entry is longer than one line. For APA style, do not use the full author’s first name.

Websites or webpages:

  MLA Style: The SB Nation Family of Sites. Pension Plan Puppets: A Toronto Maple Leafs Blog, 2022, www.pensionplanpuppets.com. Accessed 15 Feb. 2022.

APA Style: American Heart Association. (2022, April 11). How to keep your dog’s heart healthy. https://www.heart.org/en/news/2022/04/11/how-to-keep-your-dogs-heart-healthy

Online news article from a newspaper site:

APA Style: Duehren, A. (2022, April 9). Janet Yellen faces challenge to keep pressure on Russia. Wall Street Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/janet-yellen-faces-challenge-to-keep-pressure-on-russia-while-addressing-global-consequences-11650366000

Print journal articles:

MLA Style: Booch, Grady. "Patterns in Object-Oriented Design." IEEE Software Engineering, vol. 6, no. 6, 2006, pp. 31-50.

APA Style: Booch, G. (2006). Patterns in object-oriented design. IEEE Software Engineering, 6(6), 31–50.

Note: It is suggested that you include a DOI and a webpage address when referencing either a printed journal article, and electronic journal article, or an journal article that appears in both formats. 

MLA Style: Gamma, Eric, and Peter A. Coad. “Exceptions to the Unified Modeling Language in Python Patterns.” IEEE Software Engineering, vol. 2, no. 6, 8 Mar. 2006, pp. 190-194. O’Reilly Software Engineering Library, https://doi.org/10.1006/se.20061. Accessed 26 May 2009.

APA Style: Masters, H., Barron, J., & Chanda, L. (2017). Motivational interviewing techniques for adolescent populations in substance abuse counseling. NAADAC Notes, 7(8), 7–13. https://www.naadac.com/notes/adolescent-techniques

ML:A Style: @Grady_Booch. “That’s a bold leap over plain old battery power cars.” Twitter, 13 Mar. 2013, 12:06 p.m., https://twitter.com/Grady_Booch/status/1516379006727188483.

APA Style: Westborough Library [@WestboroughLib]. (2022, April 12). Calling all 3rd through 5th grade kids! Join us for the Epic Writing Showdown! Winner receives a prize! Space is limited so register, today. loom.ly/ypaTG9Q [Tweet; thumbnail link to article]. Twitter. https://twitter.com/WestboroughLib/status/1516373550415896588.

Print magazine articles:

General format: Author (last name first), "Article Title." Name of magazine. Volume number, (Date): page numbers.

MLA Style: Stiteler, Sharon. "Tracking Red-Breasted Grosbeak Migration." Minnesota Bird Journal, 7 Sept. 2019, pp. 7-11.

APA Style: Jordan, Jennifer, "Filming at the Top of the World." Museum of Science Magazine. Volume 47, No. 1, (Winter 1998): p. 11.

Print newspaper articles:

General format: Author (last name first), "Article Title." Name of newspaper, city, state of publication. (date): edition if available, section, page number(s).

MLA Style: Adelman, Martin. "Augustus Announces Departure from City Manager Post." New York Times, late ed., 15 February 2020, p. A1

APA Style: Adelman, M. (2020, February 15). Augustus announced departure from city manager post. New York Times, A1.

Encyclopedias:

General Format: Encyclopedia Title, Edition Date. Volume Number, "Article Title," page numbers.

MLA Style: “Gorillas.” The Encyclopedia Brittanica. 15th ed. 2010.

APA Style: Encyclopedia Brittanica, Inc. (1997.) Gorillas. In The Encyclopedia Brittanica (15th ed., pp. 50-51). Encyclopedia Brittanica, Inc.

Personal interviews:

General format: Full name (last name first). Personal Interview. (Occupation.) Date of interview.

MLA Style: Smithfield, Joseph. Personal interview. 19 May 2014.

APA Style: APA does not require a formal citation for a personal interview. Published interviews from other sources should be cited accordingly.

Films and movies:

General format: Title, Director, Distributor, Year.

MLA Style: Fury. Directed by David Ayer, performances by Brad Pitt, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Bernthal, Sony Pictures, 2014.

APA Style: Ayer, D. (Director). (2014). Fury [Film]. Sony Pictures.

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How to Write a Bibliography in APA Format

• APA Bibliography
• How to Create One
• Why You Need It

Sample Bibliography

An APA format bibliography lists all of the sources that might be used in a paper. A bibliography can be a great tool to help you keep track of information during the research and writing process. In some cases, your instructor may require you to include a bibliography as part of your assignment.

At a Glance

A well-written APA format bibliography can help you keep track of information and sources as you research and write your psychology paper. To create a bibliography, gather up all of the sources that you might use in your paper. Create an APA format reference for each source and then write a brief annotation. Your annotation should be a brief summary of what each reference is about. You can quickly refer to these annotations When writing your paper and determine which to include.

What Is an APA Format Bibliography?

An APA format bibliography is an alphabetical listing of all sources that might be used to write an academic paper, essay, article, or research paper—particularly work that is covering psychology or psychology-related topics. APA format is the official style of the American Psychological Association (APA). This format is used by many psychology professors, students, and researchers.

Even if it is not a required part of your assignment, writing a bibliography can help you keep track of your sources and make it much easier to create your final reference page in proper APA format.

Creating an APA Bibliography

A bibliography is similar in many ways to a reference section , but there are some important differences. While a reference section includes every source that was actually used in your paper, a bibliography may include sources that you considered using but may have dismissed because they were irrelevant or outdated.

Bibliographies can be a great way to keep track of information you might want to use in your paper and to organize the information that you find in different sources. The following are four steps you can follow to create your APA format bibliography.

Start on a New Page

Your working bibliography should be kept separate from the rest of your paper. Start it on a new page, with the title "Bibliography" centered at the top and in bold text. Some people use the title "References" instead, so it's best to check with your professor or instructor about which they prefer you to use.

Gather Your Sources

Compile all the sources you might possibly use in your paper. While you might not use all of these sources in your paper, having a complete list will make it easier later on when you prepare your reference section.

Gathering your sources can be particularly helpful when outlining and writing your paper.

By quickly glancing through your working bibliography, you will be able to get a better idea of which sources will be the most appropriate to support your thesis and main points.

Reference Each Source

Your references should be listed alphabetically by the author’s last name, and they should be double-spaced. The first line of each reference should be flush left, while each additional line of a single reference should be a few spaces to the right of the left margin, which is known as a hanging indent.

The format of each source is as follows for academic journals:

• Last name of first author (followed by their first initial)
• The year the source was published in parentheses
• The title of the source
• The journal that published the source (in italics)
• The volume number, if applicable (in italics)
• The issue number, if applicable
• Page numbers (in parentheses)
• The URL or "doi" in lowercase letters followed by a colon and the doi number, if applicable

The following examples are scholarly articles in academic journals, cited in APA format:

• Kulacaoglu, F., & Kose, S. (2018). Borderline personality disorder (BPD): In the midst of vulnerability, chaos, and awe.  Brain sciences ,  8 (11), 201. doi:10.3390/brainsci8110201
• Cattane, N., Rossi, R., & Lanfredi, M. (2017). Borderline personality disorder and childhood trauma: exploring the affected biological systems and mechanisms.  BMC Psychiatry,   18 (221). doi:10.1186/s12888-017-1383-2

Visit the American Psychological Association's website for more information on citing other types of sources including online media, audiovisual media, and more.

Create an Annotation for Each Source

Normally a bibliography contains only references' information, but in some cases you might decide to create an annotated bibliography. An annotation is a summary or evaluation of the source.

An annotation is a brief description of approximately 150 words describing the information in the source, your evaluation of its credibility, and how it pertains to your topic. Writing one of these for each piece of research will make your writing process faster and easier.

This step helpful in determining which sources to ultimately use in your paper. Your instructor may also require it as part of the assignment so they can assess your thought process and understanding of your topic.

Reasons to Write a Bibliography

One of the biggest reasons to create an APA format bibliography is simply to make the research and writing process easier.

If you do not have a comprehensive list of all of your references, you might find yourself scrambling to figure out where you found certain bits of information that you included in your paper.

A bibliography is also an important tool that your readers can use to access your sources.

While writing an annotated bibliography might not be required for your assignment, it can be a very useful step. The process of writing an annotation helps you learn more about your topic, develop a deeper understanding of the subject, and become better at evaluating various sources of information.

The following is an example of an APA format bibliography by the website EasyBib:

There are many online resources that demonstrate different formats of bibliographies, including the American Psychological Association website . Purdue University's Online Writing Lab also has examples of formatting an APA format bibliography.

Check out this video on their YouTube channel which provides detailed instructions on formatting an APA style bibliography in Microsoft Word.

You can check out the Purdue site for more information on writing an annotated APA bibliography as well.

What This Means For You

If you are taking a psychology class, you may be asked to create a bibliography as part of the research paper writing process. Even if your instructor does not expressly require a bibliography, creating one can be a helpful way to help structure your research and make the writing process more manageable.

For psychology majors , it can be helpful to save any bibliographies you have written throughout your studies so that you can refer back to them later when studying for exams or writing papers for other psychology courses.

American Psychological Association. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association . 7th Edition. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association; 2020.

Masic I. The importance of proper citation of references in biomedical articles.   Acta Inform Med . 2013;21(3):148–155. doi:10.5455/aim.2013.21.148-155

American Psychological Association. How do you format a bibliography in APA Style?

Cornell University Library. How to prepare an annotated bibliography: The annotated bibliography .

By Kendra Cherry, MSEd Kendra Cherry, MS, is a psychosocial rehabilitation specialist, psychology educator, and author of the "Everything Psychology Book."

How to Write a Bibliography for a Research Paper

Do not try to “wow” your instructor with a long bibliography when your instructor requests only a works cited page. It is tempting, after doing a lot of work to research a paper, to try to include summaries on each source as you write your paper so that your instructor appreciates how much work you did. That is a trap you want to avoid. MLA style, the one that is most commonly followed in high schools and university writing courses, dictates that you include only the works you actually cited in your paper—not all those that you used.

Academic Writing, Editing, Proofreading, And Problem Solving Services

Get 10% off with 24start discount code, assembling bibliographies and works cited.

• If your assignment calls for a bibliography, list all the sources you consulted in your research.
• If your assignment calls for a works cited or references page, include only the sources you quote, summarize, paraphrase, or mention in your paper.
• If your works cited page includes a source that you did not cite in your paper, delete it.
• All in-text citations that you used at the end of quotations, summaries, and paraphrases to credit others for their ideas,words, and work must be accompanied by a cited reference in the bibliography or works cited. These references must include specific information about the source so that your readers can identify precisely where the information came from.The citation entries on a works cited page typically include the author’s name, the name of the article, the name of the publication, the name of the publisher (for books), where it was published (for books), and when it was published.

The good news is that you do not have to memorize all the many ways the works cited entries should be written. Numerous helpful style guides are available to show you the information that should be included, in what order it should appear, and how to format it. The format often differs according to the style guide you are using. The Modern Language Association (MLA) follows a particular style that is a bit different from APA (American Psychological Association) style, and both are somewhat different from the Chicago Manual of Style (CMS). Always ask your teacher which style you should use.

A bibliography usually appears at the end of a paper on its own separate page. All bibliography entries—books, periodicals, Web sites, and nontext sources such radio broadcasts—are listed together in alphabetical order. Books and articles are alphabetized by the author’s last name.

Most teachers suggest that you follow a standard style for listing different types of sources. If your teacher asks you to use a different form, however, follow his or her instructions. Take pride in your bibliography. It represents some of the most important work you’ve done for your research paper—and using proper form shows that you are a serious and careful researcher.

Bibliography Entry for a Book

A bibliography entry for a book begins with the author’s name, which is written in this order: last name, comma, first name, period. After the author’s name comes the title of the book. If you are handwriting your bibliography, underline each title. If you are working on a computer, put the book title in italicized type. Be sure to capitalize the words in the title correctly, exactly as they are written in the book itself. Following the title is the city where the book was published, followed by a colon, the name of the publisher, a comma, the date published, and a period. Here is an example:

Format : Author’s last name, first name. Book Title. Place of publication: publisher, date of publication.

• A book with one author : Hartz, Paula.  Abortion: A Doctor’s Perspective, a Woman’s Dilemma . New York: Donald I. Fine, Inc., 1992.
• A book with two or more authors : Landis, Jean M. and Rita J. Simon.  Intelligence: Nature or Nurture?  New York: HarperCollins, 1998.

Bibliography Entry for a Periodical

A bibliography entry for a periodical differs slightly in form from a bibliography entry for a book. For a magazine article, start with the author’s last name first, followed by a comma, then the first name and a period. Next, write the title of the article in quotation marks, and include a period (or other closing punctuation) inside the closing quotation mark. The title of the magazine is next, underlined or in italic type, depending on whether you are handwriting or using a computer, followed by a period. The date and year, followed by a colon and the pages on which the article appeared, come last. Here is an example:

Format:  Author’s last name, first name. “Title of the Article.” Magazine. Month and year of publication: page numbers.

• Article in a monthly magazine : Crowley, J.E.,T.E. Levitan and R.P. Quinn.“Seven Deadly Half-Truths About Women.”  Psychology Today  March 1978: 94–106.
• Article in a weekly magazine : Schwartz, Felice N.“Management,Women, and the New Facts of Life.”  Newsweek  20 July 2006: 21–22.
• Signed newspaper article : Ferraro, Susan. “In-law and Order: Finding Relative Calm.”  The Daily News  30 June 1998: 73.
• Unsigned newspaper article : “Beanie Babies May Be a Rotten Nest Egg.”  Chicago Tribune  21 June 2004: 12.

Bibliography Entry for a Web Site

For sources such as Web sites include the information a reader needs to find the source or to know where and when you found it. Always begin with the last name of the author, broadcaster, person you interviewed, and so on. Here is an example of a bibliography for a Web site:

Format : Author.“Document Title.” Publication or Web site title. Date of publication. Date of access.

Example : Dodman, Dr. Nicholas. “Dog-Human Communication.”  Pet Place . 10 November 2006.  23 January 2014 < http://www.petplace.com/dogs/dog-human-communication-2/page1.aspx >

After completing the bibliography you can breathe a huge sigh of relief and pat yourself on the back. You probably plan to turn in your work in printed or handwritten form, but you also may be making an oral presentation. However you plan to present your paper, do your best to show it in its best light. You’ve put a great deal of work and thought into this assignment, so you want your paper to look and sound its best. You’ve completed your research paper!

Back to  How To Write A Research Paper .

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How to write a bibliography

(Last updated: 12 May 2021)

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Whether you are tackling formal essay writing or writing an undergraduate or master's dissertation, many students find it daunting the first time they are required to write a bibliography at the end of a piece of work. Fear not – not only is it much less complicated and scary than you might think, but we have compiled a list of the most important basic pointers on how to write a bibliography. Read on to get on your way to the best dissertation bibliography…

What is a bibliography?

A bibliography is more simple than it sounds. It is a list, usually at the end of an undergraduate or master's dissertation , of all the sources you have used to help you write the essay. This includes both the sources you may have referred to or quoted already in the essay and also any further works you read whilst preparing or researching the essay, even if you didn’t specifically cite them.

Using a separate line for each new text listed, simply write out the details of each of your texts in the following order: Author (surname, initials), year of publication, title of book (in italics or underlined), edition (if there have been more than one), publisher, place of publication. For example:

Jones, AK, 2004, The Artists of Antiquity , 2nd edition, Virago, London

Writing a bibliography: primary and secondary sources

If you are writing a dissertation on a particular author or poet, you may want (or be required) to divide your bibliography into primary and secondary sources. In this case, works by the author himself that have formed the basis of the texts you have studied are primary sources, whilst critical reference books or other material are secondary sources. For example, in a dissertation on Austen, Pride and Prejudice would be a primary source, whilst Austen’s narrative voice: A companion would be a secondary source.

Bibliography styles: Harvard and others

There are several different accepted styles of bibliography, which have slight variations on the information included and the order in which it is presented . The method described above is a standard, widely accepted format, but when you are writing a bibliography make sure you check exactly what stylistic requirements are stipulated by the University or course provider. Remember, one of the most important tips on how to write a bibliography is to remain consistent – whatever method you choose, stick to it throughout and keep the style the same for every reference.

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APA In-Text Citations and Sample Essay 7th Edition

This handout focuses on how to format in-text citations in APA.

Proper citation of sources is a two-part process . You must first cite each source in the body of your essay; these citations within the essay are called in-text citations . You MUST cite all quoted, paraphrased, or summarized words, ideas, and facts from sources. Without in-text citations, you are technically in danger of plagiarism, even if you have listed your sources at the end of the essay.

In-text citations point the reader to the sources’ information on the references page. The in-text citation typically includes the author's last name and the year of publication. If you use a direct quote, the page number is also provided.

More information can be found on p. 253 of the 7th edition of the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association.

Citation Rules

Direct quotation with the author named in the text.

Heinze and Lu (2017) stated, “The NFL shifted its responses to institutional change around concussions significantly as the field itself evolved” (p. 509).

Note: The year of publication is listed in parenthesis after the names of the authors, and the page number is listed in parenthesis at the end of the quote.

Direct Quotation without the Author Named in the Text

As the NFL developed as an organization, it “shifted its responses to institutional change around concussions significantly” (Heinze & Lu, 2017, p. 509).

Note: At the end of the quote, the names of the authors, year of publication, and page number are listed in parenthesis.

Paraphrase with 1-2 Authors

As the NFL developed as an organization, its reactions toward concussions also transformed (Heinze & Lu, 2017).

Note: For paraphrases, page numbers are encouraged but not required.

Paraphrase with 3 or More Authors

To work toward solving the issue of violence in prisons begins with determining aspects that might connect with prisoners' violent conduct (Thomson et al., 2019).

Direct Quotation without an Author

The findings were astonishing "in a recent study of parent and adult child relationships" ("Parents and Their Children," 2007, p. 2).

Note: Since the author of the text is not stated, a shortened version of the title is used instead.

Secondary Sources

When using secondary sources, use the phrase "as cited in" and cite the secondary source on the References page.

In 1936, Keynes said, “governments should run deficits when the economy is slow to avoid unemployment” (as cited in Richardson, 2008, p. 257).

Long (Block) Quotations

When using direct quotations of 40 or more words, indent five spaces from the left margin without using quotation marks. The final period should come before the parenthetical citation.

At Meramec, an English department policy states:

To honor and protect their own work and that of others, all students must give credit to proprietary sources that are used for course work. It is assumed that any information that is not documented is either common knowledge in that field or the original work of that student. (St. Louis Community College, 2001, p. 1)

Website Citations

If citing a specific web document without a page number, include the name of the author, date, title of the section, and paragraph number in parentheses:

In America, “Two out of five deaths among U.S. teens are the result of a motor vehicle crash” (National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, 2004, Overview section, para. 1).

Here is a print-friendly version of this content.

Learn more about the APA References page by reviewing this handout .

For information on STLCC's academic integrity policy, check out this webpage .

For additional information on APA, check out STLCC's LibGuide on APA .

Sample Essay

A sample APA essay is available at this link .

Bibliography

Ai generator.

Writing a research paper or a thesis , you may encounter some references or some links below or at the very end of the page. We call these annotated bibliographies , or just bibliographies. 

What Is a Bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of information that is usually found below the pages or at the end of the pages of a book , a research paper, a thesis paper, or even a report . The bibliography as the term itself is another word for listing your sources.

Bibliography Formats

Creating a bibliography is essential for any academic work to credit sources used. The format varies based on the citation style. Below are examples for the most common styles: APA, MLA , and Chicago.

1. APA (American Psychological Association) Style

Books: Author(s). (Year). Title of the book . Publisher.

Example: Smith, J. (2020). Understanding English Literature . Penguin Books.

Articles: Author(s). (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume (Issue), Page numbers. DOI

Example: Doe, J. (2019). The impact of modern technology on literature. Literary Review, 34 (2), 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1234/lr.2019.02.015

2. MLA (Modern Language Association) Style

Books: Author(s). Title of the book . Publisher, Year.

Example: Smith, John. Understanding English Literature . Penguin Books, 2020.

Articles: Author(s). “Title of the article.” Title of the Journal , vol. Volume, no. Issue, Year, pp. Page numbers.

Example: Doe, Jane. “The Impact of Modern Technology on Literature.” Literary Review , vol. 34, no. 2, 2019, pp. 145-158.

3. Chicago Style

Books: Author(s). Title of the book . Place of publication: Publisher, Year.

Example: Smith, John. Understanding English Literature . New York: Penguin Books, 2020.

Articles: Author(s). “Title of the article.” Title of the Journal Volume, no. Issue (Year): Page numbers. DOI

Example: Doe, Jane. “The Impact of Modern Technology on Literature.” Literary Review 34, no. 2 (2019): 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1234/lr.2019.02.015

Examples of Bibliography for Students

• Doe, J. (2021). Understanding Climate Change . Environmental Press.
• Smith, L. M. (2020). The impact of social media on adolescent mental health. Journal of Youth Studies, 35 (2), 145-160.
• Johnson, R. (2019, October 10). The history of the internet. Tech Times . https://www.techtimes.com/history-internet
• Brown, A. (2018). Renewable energy sources. In T. Green (Ed.), Advances in Environmental Science (pp. 50-75). Nature Publishing.
• White, P. (2017). AI advancements in healthcare. In S. Lewis (Ed.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Health Informatics (pp. 102-110). HealthTech.
• Doe, Jane. Understanding Climate Change . Environmental Press, 2021.
• Smith, Lisa M. “The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health.” Journal of Youth Studies , vol. 35, no. 2, 2020, pp. 145-160.
• Johnson, Robert. “The History of the Internet.” Tech Times , 10 Oct. 2019, https://www.techtimes.com/history-internet .
• Brown, Alice. “Renewable Energy Sources.” Advances in Environmental Science , edited by Thomas Green, Nature Publishing, 2018, pp. 50-75.
• White, Peter. “AI Advancements in Healthcare.” Proceedings of the International Conference on Health Informatics , edited by Sarah Lewis, HealthTech, 2017, pp. 102-110.

Chicago Style

• Smith, Lisa M. “The Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Mental Health.” Journal of Youth Studies 35, no. 2 (2020): 145-160.
• Johnson, Robert. “The History of the Internet.” Tech Times . Last modified October 10, 2019. https://www.techtimes.com/history-internet .
• Brown, Alice. “Renewable Energy Sources.” In Advances in Environmental Science , edited by Thomas Green, 50-75. Nature Publishing, 2018.
• White, Peter. “AI Advancements in Healthcare.” In Proceedings of the International Conference on Health Informatics , edited by Sarah Lewis, 102-110. HealthTech, 2017.

Examples of Bibliography in Research

• Watson, G. H. (2022). Modern Geopolitics: Analyzing Global Trends . Global Press.
• Thompson, R. A., & Williams, D. J. (2021). The role of artificial intelligence in modern warfare. Defense Studies Journal, 28 (4), 200-215.
• Hernandez, M. (2020, December 5). The evolution of quantum computing. Quantum Today . https://www.quantumtoday.com/evolution-quantum-computing
• Cooper, L. (2019). Sustainable agriculture practices. In H. Brown (Ed.), Innovations in Agricultural Science (pp. 85-102). GreenField Publishers.
• Jackson, E. (2018). Ethical implications of genetic engineering. In A. Patel (Ed.), Proceedings of the Bioethics Symposium (pp. 55-63). Bioethics Association.
• Watson, George H. Modern Geopolitics: Analyzing Global Trends . Global Press, 2022.
• Thompson, Rachel A., and David J. Williams. “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Modern Warfare.” Defense Studies Journal , vol. 28, no. 4, 2021, pp. 200-215.
• Hernandez, Maria. “The Evolution of Quantum Computing.” Quantum Today , 5 Dec. 2020, https://www.quantumtoday.com/evolution-quantum-computing .
• Cooper, Lisa. “Sustainable Agriculture Practices.” Innovations in Agricultural Science , edited by Harold Brown, GreenField Publishers, 2019, pp. 85-102.
• Jackson, Emily. “Ethical Implications of Genetic Engineering.” Proceedings of the Bioethics Symposium , edited by Amit Patel, Bioethics Association, 2018, pp. 55-63.
• Thompson, Rachel A., and David J. Williams. “The Role of Artificial Intelligence in Modern Warfare.” Defense Studies Journal 28, no. 4 (2021): 200-215.
• Hernandez, Maria. “The Evolution of Quantum Computing.” Quantum Today . Last modified December 5, 2020. https://www.quantumtoday.com/evolution-quantum-computing .
• Cooper, Lisa. “Sustainable Agriculture Practices.” In Innovations in Agricultural Science , edited by Harold Brown, 85-102. GreenField Publishers, 2019.
• Jackson, Emily. “Ethical Implications of Genetic Engineering.” In Proceedings of the Bioethics Symposium , edited by Amit Patel, 55-63. Bioethics Association, 2018.

Examples of Bibliography for School Project

• Johnson, A. (2021). The Solar System Explained . Space Science Press.
• Patel, R. (2020). The effects of plastic pollution on marine life. Environmental Studies Journal, 34 (1), 45-58.
• Martin, L. (2019, September 15). The history of video games. Game World . https://www.gameworld.com/history-videogames
• Smith, J. (2018). The role of bees in pollination. In K. Thompson (Ed.), Insect Biology and Ecology (pp. 120-135). Nature Publishing.
• Nguyen, T. (2020, June 10). Innovative teaching methods in 21st-century classrooms. Education Today . https://www.educationtoday.com/innovative-teaching-methods
• Johnson, Anne. The Solar System Explained . Space Science Press, 2021.
• Patel, Raj. “The Effects of Plastic Pollution on Marine Life.” Environmental Studies Journal , vol. 34, no. 1, 2020, pp. 45-58.
• Martin, Lucy. “The History of Video Games.” Game World , 15 Sept. 2019, https://www.gameworld.com/history-videogames .
• Smith, John. “The Role of Bees in Pollination.” Insect Biology and Ecology , edited by Karen Thompson, Nature Publishing, 2018, pp. 120-135.
• Nguyen, Tran. “Innovative Teaching Methods in 21st-Century Classrooms.” Education Today , 10 June 2020, https://www.educationtoday.com/innovative-teaching-methods .
• Patel, Raj. “The Effects of Plastic Pollution on Marine Life.” Environmental Studies Journal 34, no. 1 (2020): 45-58.
• Martin, Lucy. “The History of Video Games.” Game World . Last modified September 15, 2019. https://www.gameworld.com/history-videogames .
• Smith, John. “The Role of Bees in Pollination.” In Insect Biology and Ecology , edited by Karen Thompson, 120-135. Nature Publishing, 2018.
• Nguyen, Tran. “Innovative Teaching Methods in 21st-Century Classrooms.” Education Today , June 10, 2020. https://www.educationtoday.com/innovative-teaching-methods .

Examples of Bibliography for Books

• Carson, R. (1962). Silent Spring . Houghton Mifflin.
• Diamond, J., & Ordunio, D. (1992). The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal . HarperCollins.
• Marcus, G. E. (Ed.). (1995). Technoscientific Imaginaries: Conversations, Profiles, and Memoirs . University of Chicago Press.
• Turabian, K. L. (2013). A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (8th ed.). University of Chicago Press.
• Sagan, C. (1980). Cosmos . Vol. 1. Random House.
• Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring . Houghton Mifflin, 1962.
• Diamond, Jared, and Douglas Ordunio. The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal . HarperCollins, 1992.
• Marcus, George E., editor. Technoscientific Imaginaries: Conversations, Profiles, and Memoirs . University of Chicago Press, 1995.
• Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations . 8th ed., University of Chicago Press, 2013.
• Sagan, Carl. Cosmos . Vol. 1, Random House, 1980.
• Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring . Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1962.
• Diamond, Jared, and Douglas Ordunio. The Third Chimpanzee: The Evolution and Future of the Human Animal . New York: HarperCollins, 1992.
• Marcus, George E., ed. Technoscientific Imaginaries: Conversations, Profiles, and Memoirs . Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1995.
• Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations . 8th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2013.
• Sagan, Carl. Cosmos . Vol. 1. New York: Random House, 1980.

Examples of Bibliography for Websites

• Walker, L. (2021, May 10). How climate change is affecting agriculture. Environmental News Today . https://www.environmentalnewstoday.com/climate-change-agriculture
• Johnson, M. (2020, July 22). The history of the Roman Empire. History for Kids . https://www.historyforkids.com/roman-empire
• Green, T. (2019, September 15). The future of renewable energy. EcoBlog . https://www.ecoblog.com/future-renewable-energy
• World Health Organization. (2020, November 30). COVID-19 updates. https://www.who.int/covid-19-updates
• U.S. Census Bureau. (2021). U.S. and world population clock. https://www.census.gov/popclock
• Walker, Lisa. “How Climate Change Is Affecting Agriculture.” Environmental News Today , 10 May 2021, https://www.environmentalnewstoday.com/climate-change-agriculture .
• Johnson, Mary. “The History of the Roman Empire.” History for Kids , 22 July 2020, https://www.historyforkids.com/roman-empire .
• Green, Thomas. “The Future of Renewable Energy.” EcoBlog , 15 Sept. 2019, https://www.ecoblog.com/future-renewable-energy .
• World Health Organization. “COVID-19 Updates.” World Health Organization , 30 Nov. 2020, https://www.who.int/covid-19-updates .
• U.S. Census Bureau. “U.S. and World Population Clock.” U.S. Census Bureau , 2021, https://www.census.gov/popclock .
• Walker, Lisa. “How Climate Change Is Affecting Agriculture.” Environmental News Today . Last modified May 10, 2021. https://www.environmentalnewstoday.com/climate-change-agriculture .
• Johnson, Mary. “The History of the Roman Empire.” History for Kids . Last modified July 22, 2020. https://www.historyforkids.com/roman-empire .
• Green, Thomas. “The Future of Renewable Energy.” EcoBlog . Last modified September 15, 2019. https://www.ecoblog.com/future-renewable-energy .
• World Health Organization. “ COVID-19 Updates .” World Health Organization . Last modified November 30, 2020. https://www.who.int/covid-19-updates .
• U.S. Census Bureau. “U.S. and World Population Clock.” U.S. Census Bureau . Accessed 2021. https://www.census.gov/popclock .

Examples of Bibliography in APA Style

Single Author:

Multiple Authors:

2. Journal Article:

• Johnson, P. L., & Thompson, R. A. (2019). Advancements in renewable energy technologies. Journal of Environmental Science, 28 (3), 210-225.

3. Website:

News Website:

Educational Website:

4. Chapter in an Edited Book:

5. conference paper:, 6. online newspaper article:.

• Black, S. (2020, July 15). New trends in education technology. The Education Times . https://www.edtimes.com/new-trends-edtech
• Grey, T. (2019). Digital marketing strategies . E-Publishing Inc. https://www.epublishing.com/digital-marketing-strategies

8. Government Report:

• National Institute of Health. (2020). Annual report on mental health (NIH Publication No. 20-1234). https://www.nih.gov/mental-health-annual-report

9. Magazine Article:

• Hill, K. (2019, March). The rise of renewable energy. Energy Monthly , 48(3), 22-28.

10. Dissertation:

• Green, L. (2021). Exploring renewable energy policies in Europe (Doctoral dissertation). University of Environmental Studies.

More Examples & Samples of Bibliography in PDF

1. bibliography sample.

2. Bibliography Format

3. Bibliography Format Example

4. Bibliography Style Sheet

5. Bibliography Examples PDF

6. MLA Style Bibliography

7. APA Annotated Bibliography

8. Bibliography Example in PDF

9. MLA Annotated Bibliography

10. Book Bibliography Example

11. Bibliography Examples for Students

12. Bibliography in Research

Purpose of a Bibliography

A bibliography serves several essential functions in academic and research work. Here are the primary purposes:

1. Crediting Sources

A bibliography acknowledges the work of other authors and researchers. It gives credit to those whose ideas, theories, and research have contributed to your work.

2. Avoiding Plagiarism

By properly citing sources, a bibliography helps you avoid plagiarism. Plagiarism is the unethical practice of using someone else’s work or ideas without proper acknowledgment.

3. Providing Evidence

A bibliography supports the claims and arguments made in your work. It shows that your research is based on credible sources and provides evidence to back up your points.

4. Guiding Further Research

A well-compiled bibliography can guide readers interested in exploring the topic further. It provides a list of resources that readers can use to expand their knowledge.

5. Demonstrating Research Effort

Including a comprehensive bibliography demonstrates the depth of your research. It shows that you have thoroughly investigated the topic and consulted a variety of sources.

6. Enhancing Credibility

A bibliography enhances the credibility of your work. It shows that you have engaged with existing research and literature, adding legitimacy to your findings and arguments.

7. Facilitating Verification

A bibliography allows others to verify the sources you used. This transparency helps maintain the integrity of academic and research work.

Rules of Bibliography

Creating a bibliography involves following specific rules to ensure accuracy, consistency, and clarity. Here are the essential rules for different citation styles:

1. General Rules

• Consistency : Use the same citation style throughout your bibliography.
• Alphabetical Order : List entries alphabetically by the author’s last name.
• Multiple Works by the Same Author : Arrange multiple works by the same author in chronological order, starting with the oldest.
• Author Names : Use the full name of authors (last name first), followed by their initials (for APA) or full first name (for MLA and Chicago).
• Titles : Italicize book and journal titles. Use quotation marks for article and chapter titles.
• Publication Details : Include all necessary publication details such as the publisher, year, volume, issue, and page numbers.
• Hanging Indent : Use a hanging indent for each entry, where the first line is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented.

2. APA Style Rules

• Books : Author(s). (Year). Title of the book . Publisher.
• Articles : Author(s). (Year). Title of the article. Title of the Journal, Volume (Issue), Page numbers. DOI
• Smith, J. (2020). Understanding English Literature . Penguin Books.
• Doe, J. (2019). The impact of modern technology on literature. Literary Review, 34 (2), 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1234/lr.2019.02.015

3. MLA Style Rules

• Books : Author(s). Title of the book . Publisher, Year.
• Articles : Author(s). “Title of the article.” Title of the Journal , vol. Volume, no. Issue, Year, pp. Page numbers.
• Smith, John. Understanding English Literature . Penguin Books, 2020.
• Doe, Jane. “The Impact of Modern Technology on Literature.” Literary Review , vol. 34, no. 2, 2019, pp. 145-158.

4. Chicago Style Rules

• Books : Author(s). Title of the book . Place of publication: Publisher, Year.
• Articles : Author(s). “Title of the article.” Title of the Journal Volume, no. Issue (Year): Page numbers. DOI
• Smith, John. Understanding English Literature . New York: Penguin Books, 2020.
• Doe, Jane. “The Impact of Modern Technology on Literature.” Literary Review 34, no. 2 (2019): 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1234/lr.2019.02.015 .

What is included in a Bibliography

A bibliography provides a comprehensive list of all the sources you have referred to or consulted in your research work. Here are the key elements included in a bibliography:

1. Author(s)

• Books : Full names of all authors. List them in the order they appear in the source.
• Articles : Full names of all authors. In APA, use initials for first and middle names; in MLA and Chicago, use full first names.
• Websites : Name of the author, if available. If not, use the name of the organization.
• Books : Full title of the book, italicized.
• Articles : Title of the article in quotation marks. Title of the journal or magazine in italics.
• Websites : Title of the specific page or article in quotation marks. The website title in italics if different from the author or organization.

3. Publication Date

• Books : Year of publication.
• Articles : Year, and if available, the month and day.
• Websites : Date of publication or last update.

4. Publisher

• Books : Name of the publishing company.
• Websites : The organization responsible for publishing the content, if available.

5. Volume and Issue Numbers (for Articles)

• Journals : Include the volume number (italicized) and issue number (in parentheses).

6. Page Numbers (for Articles)

• Articles : The range of pages the article appears on.

7. DOI or URL

• Articles : Digital Object Identifier (DOI) for journal articles.
• Websites : The full URL of the webpage.

Bibliography vs. References

How to Make a Bibliography

• Publication date
• Volume and issue numbers (for articles)
• Page numbers
• DOI or URL (for online sources)
• Choose a Citation Style : Use APA, MLA, or Chicago style as required.
• Format Entries : Follow the specific rules for your chosen style.

APA Style Examples

• Book : Smith, J. (2020). Understanding English Literature . Penguin Books.
• Article : Doe, J. (2019). The impact of modern technology on literature. Literary Review, 34 (2), 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1234/lr.2019.02.015

MLA Style Examples

• Book : Smith, John. Understanding English Literature . Penguin Books, 2020.
• Article : Doe, Jane. “The Impact of Modern Technology on Literature.” Literary Review , vol. 34, no. 2, 2019, pp. 145-158.

Chicago Style Examples

• Book : Smith, John. Understanding English Literature . New York: Penguin Books, 2020.
• Article : Doe, Jane. “The Impact of Modern Technology on Literature.” Literary Review 34, no. 2 (2019): 145-158. https://doi.org/10.1234/lr.2019.02.015 .
• Alphabetical Order : By the author’s last name.
• Multiple Works by Same Author : List them chronologically.
• Use a Hanging Indent : The first line of each entry is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented.
• Review and Proofread : Ensure accuracy and consistency.

Why is a bibliography important?

It credits sources, avoids plagiarism, and provides evidence, enhancing the credibility and reliability of your academic work.

How do you format a book in a bibliography?

List the author, year, title in italics, and publisher. Follow the rules of your chosen citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago).

What is the difference between a bibliography and a reference list?

A bibliography includes all consulted sources, while a reference list only includes sources directly cited in the text.

How should multiple authors be listed in a bibliography?

List all authors in the order they appear in the source. Use commas to separate names, and an ampersand or “and” before the last author.

How do you cite an online source in a bibliography?

Include the author (or organization), year, title, and URL. Follow specific style guidelines (APA, MLA, Chicago).

What is a hanging indent in a bibliography?

A formatting style where the first line of each entry is flush left, and subsequent lines are indented.

Can I include sources I did not cite in my bibliography?

Yes, in a bibliography, you can include sources you consulted for background information, even if not directly cited.

What information is needed to cite a journal article?

Author(s), year, article title, journal title, volume, issue, page numbers, and DOI if available.

Do different citation styles have different rules?

Yes, APA, MLA, and Chicago styles have unique rules for formatting entries. Follow the specific guidelines for your chosen style.

How often should I update my bibliography?

Update it whenever you add new sources or find more accurate information. Regular updates ensure accuracy and completeness.

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How to cite ChatGPT

Use discount code STYLEBLOG15 for 15% off APA Style print products with free shipping in the United States.

We, the APA Style team, are not robots. We can all pass a CAPTCHA test , and we know our roles in a Turing test . And, like so many nonrobot human beings this year, we’ve spent a fair amount of time reading, learning, and thinking about issues related to large language models, artificial intelligence (AI), AI-generated text, and specifically ChatGPT . We’ve also been gathering opinions and feedback about the use and citation of ChatGPT. Thank you to everyone who has contributed and shared ideas, opinions, research, and feedback.

In this post, I discuss situations where students and researchers use ChatGPT to create text and to facilitate their research, not to write the full text of their paper or manuscript. We know instructors have differing opinions about how or even whether students should use ChatGPT, and we’ll be continuing to collect feedback about instructor and student questions. As always, defer to instructor guidelines when writing student papers. For more about guidelines and policies about student and author use of ChatGPT, see the last section of this post.

Quoting or reproducing the text created by ChatGPT in your paper

If you’ve used ChatGPT or other AI tools in your research, describe how you used the tool in your Method section or in a comparable section of your paper. For literature reviews or other types of essays or response or reaction papers, you might describe how you used the tool in your introduction. In your text, provide the prompt you used and then any portion of the relevant text that was generated in response.

Unfortunately, the results of a ChatGPT “chat” are not retrievable by other readers, and although nonretrievable data or quotations in APA Style papers are usually cited as personal communications , with ChatGPT-generated text there is no person communicating. Quoting ChatGPT’s text from a chat session is therefore more like sharing an algorithm’s output; thus, credit the author of the algorithm with a reference list entry and the corresponding in-text citation.

When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

You may also put the full text of long responses from ChatGPT in an appendix of your paper or in online supplemental materials, so readers have access to the exact text that was generated. It is particularly important to document the exact text created because ChatGPT will generate a unique response in each chat session, even if given the same prompt. If you create appendices or supplemental materials, remember that each should be called out at least once in the body of your APA Style paper.

When given a follow-up prompt of “What is a more accurate representation?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that “different brain regions work together to support various cognitive processes” and “the functional specialization of different regions can change in response to experience and environmental factors” (OpenAI, 2023; see Appendix A for the full transcript).

Creating a reference to ChatGPT or other AI models and software

The in-text citations and references above are adapted from the reference template for software in Section 10.10 of the Publication Manual (American Psychological Association, 2020, Chapter 10). Although here we focus on ChatGPT, because these guidelines are based on the software template, they can be adapted to note the use of other large language models (e.g., Bard), algorithms, and similar software.

The reference and in-text citations for ChatGPT are formatted as follows:

• Parenthetical citation: (OpenAI, 2023)
• Narrative citation: OpenAI (2023)

Let’s break that reference down and look at the four elements (author, date, title, and source):

Author: The author of the model is OpenAI.

Date: The date is the year of the version you used. Following the template in Section 10.10, you need to include only the year, not the exact date. The version number provides the specific date information a reader might need.

Title: The name of the model is “ChatGPT,” so that serves as the title and is italicized in your reference, as shown in the template. Although OpenAI labels unique iterations (i.e., ChatGPT-3, ChatGPT-4), they are using “ChatGPT” as the general name of the model, with updates identified with version numbers.

The version number is included after the title in parentheses. The format for the version number in ChatGPT references includes the date because that is how OpenAI is labeling the versions. Different large language models or software might use different version numbering; use the version number in the format the author or publisher provides, which may be a numbering system (e.g., Version 2.0) or other methods.

Bracketed text is used in references for additional descriptions when they are needed to help a reader understand what’s being cited. References for a number of common sources, such as journal articles and books, do not include bracketed descriptions, but things outside of the typical peer-reviewed system often do. In the case of a reference for ChatGPT, provide the descriptor “Large language model” in square brackets. OpenAI describes ChatGPT-4 as a “large multimodal model,” so that description may be provided instead if you are using ChatGPT-4. Later versions and software or models from other companies may need different descriptions, based on how the publishers describe the model. The goal of the bracketed text is to briefly describe the kind of model to your reader.

Source: When the publisher name and the author name are the same, do not repeat the publisher name in the source element of the reference, and move directly to the URL. This is the case for ChatGPT. The URL for ChatGPT is https://chat.openai.com/chat . For other models or products for which you may create a reference, use the URL that links as directly as possible to the source (i.e., the page where you can access the model, not the publisher’s homepage).

Other questions about citing ChatGPT

You may have noticed the confidence with which ChatGPT described the ideas of brain lateralization and how the brain operates, without citing any sources. I asked for a list of sources to support those claims and ChatGPT provided five references—four of which I was able to find online. The fifth does not seem to be a real article; the digital object identifier given for that reference belongs to a different article, and I was not able to find any article with the authors, date, title, and source details that ChatGPT provided. Authors using ChatGPT or similar AI tools for research should consider making this scrutiny of the primary sources a standard process. If the sources are real, accurate, and relevant, it may be better to read those original sources to learn from that research and paraphrase or quote from those articles, as applicable, than to use the model’s interpretation of them.

We’ve also received a number of other questions about ChatGPT. Should students be allowed to use it? What guidelines should instructors create for students using AI? Does using AI-generated text constitute plagiarism? Should authors who use ChatGPT credit ChatGPT or OpenAI in their byline? What are the copyright implications ?

On these questions, researchers, editors, instructors, and others are actively debating and creating parameters and guidelines. Many of you have sent us feedback, and we encourage you to continue to do so in the comments below. We will also study the policies and procedures being established by instructors, publishers, and academic institutions, with a goal of creating guidelines that reflect the many real-world applications of AI-generated text.

For questions about manuscript byline credit, plagiarism, and related ChatGPT and AI topics, the APA Style team is seeking the recommendations of APA Journals editors. APA Style guidelines based on those recommendations will be posted on this blog and on the APA Style site later this year.

Update: APA Journals has published policies on the use of generative AI in scholarly materials .

We, the APA Style team humans, appreciate your patience as we navigate these unique challenges and new ways of thinking about how authors, researchers, and students learn, write, and work with new technologies.

American Psychological Association. (2020). Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000

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