The bibliography, or works cited list, is an important segment of any research paper. It provides publication information about each source that was cited within the body of the paper. There are standardized formats that must be followed in order to properly cite sources and create a bibliography, including the widely used APA, MLA and Chicago styles. In this article, we will examine the proper research paper format for a bibliography, including stylistic considerations, layout, alphabetical order, indentations, sources types and other key elements.
The overall purpose of the bibliography is to provide readers with a list of sources used in order to verify facts, supplement ideas or gain deeper perspective on the subject matter. Not including a bibliography or incorrectly citing sources is considered plagiarism as it fails to properly attribute ideas to their original authors. The bibliography serves as a transition from the last body paragraph to the conclusion of the paper.
There are a few overarching guidelines to keep in mind regarding research paper format and style of the bibliography. First, it should be on its own page at the end of the paper with the centered title “Bibliography” or “Works Cited.” It isdouble-spaced just like the rest of the text. All citations should be organized alphabetically by the author’s last name or, for sources without authors like websites, the title. If there are multiple works by the same author they are ordered chronologically by year of publication, with the oldest source listed first.
When assembling the bibliography, sources should be indented with a hanging indent. This means that the first line of each citation is flush left at the margin while additional lines are indented usually 5-7 spaces. This makes the citation easier to read as the author/title information sticks out. Page numbers are also not included in the bibliography, just in in-text citations, as the sources can be found in whole through the publication data provided.
Another key component is consistent formatting of source types. Books, articles, websites and other media all have subtly different citation structures across styles like APA, MLA, Chicago and other formats used in different disciplines. It is imperative that the correct structure is followed for each source type included. This helps readers easily differentiate books from websites, for instance, at a glance in the bibliography. Details right down to punctuation and capitalization have to be exact.
Some common source types to properly format include:
Books: Author(s), A. (Copyright date). Title. Location: Publisher.
Journal articles: Author(s), A. (Copyright date). Article title. Periodical Title, volume(issue), page range.
Newspaper articles: Author(s), A (Date of publication). Article title. Newspaper, pages.
Websites: Author(s), A. (Date of publication). Article title. Website Name. URL.
Reports: Author(s), A. (Copyright date). Title of report. Report Number if available. Publisher location: Publisher Name.
Images: Artist name. (Date Created). Image Title [Medium]. Museum Name, City.
The bibliography is the last thing the reader sees in a research paper before the conclusion. It leaves the final impression and demonstrates the validity and thoroughness of sources cited throughout. Following standardized format with consistent structure, alphabetical order, indentations and differentiations of source types helps create an organized, readable bibliography that enables readers to find and verify sources. Attention to research paper format in the bibliography is crucial.