Learn and Generate Bibliographies, Citations, and Works Cited
Writing the perfect bibliography takes work. You need to have your sources ready and evaluate each source to ensure that you are citing it perfectly.
Before you can begin creating your bibliography perfectly, you need to know what format you are working in. The way that you create your bibliography will depend on the specific style that you are using. There are several different styles available.
MLA:
This style is designed for creating liberal arts or humanities essays.
APA:
Use this style for creating in the education or science fields.
Chicago:
You might use this for creating a business essay for professionals.
Turabian:
Similar to the Chicago style but designed for students.
Harvard:
This is used to for referencing informational texts by students.
Each style comes with its own way to cite the works that you used. Additionally, within each style, you must cite different works differently. For example, a blog will be cited differently than a website. Among books, there are different formats for online books, print books and even books with multiple authors.
Sometimes a regular old bibliography just isn’t cutting it. Adding an annotated bibliography can proved validity and necessity to your citations. In an annotated bibliography, you add a purpose, summary and even information about the author.
When you are creating a work in a specific style, a lot of different elements are going to come into play. These will include footnotes and in-text citations. It is important to know the difference between a footnote and a bibliography and why each are important.
An annotated bibliography is a unique form of bibliography providing a short summary or analysis of sources. While creating an annotated bibliography shouldn’t be stressful, many students might find the process hard. Keep it simple by using this step-by-step annotated bibliography guide for perfect annotations in any style. Table of Contents What Is an Annotated Bibliography How to Write an...
If you’re using Microsoft Word for writing your school project, you’ll benefit from some tricks to help you format your academic paper. For example, there is a very easy way to insert citations in a Word document. Follow along with the steps below and you’ll be adding in-text citations to your school paper with ease. Inserting Citations in Word, Step by Step Follow these steps to insert citations...
A good way to guide your reader to the exact definition of a word you’ve used in your essay is to include a dictionary citation. You should keep in mind, however, that reference works, like dictionaries and encyclopedias, are secondary sources. You should use primary sources as much as possible in your essay instead. Setting up dictionary citations for your essay depends on the type of style used...
Often, students work in teams to create research papers. Google Docs is a popular way to work on shared documents, as it is free and easy to use. As each team member edits, adds comments and reviews the final paper, they can add citations to the Google Docs file. Then, all it takes is one final review before submitting your paper to your teacher. Using Google Docs to Insert Citations As you write...
As you start writing for your English and history classes, you learn many new terms. You learn you need to cite your research sources, but you may not understand exactly what each term means. Learning the terms used in academic writing helps you understand the process. To define what in-text citations are for academic writing, we’ll first start by defining citations in general. What Are Citations...
One way teachers help students learn to write research papers is by teaching them to create an outline of the essay before they start writing it. Some teachers require an outline submitted prior to approving the topic. It helps both the students and teachers find out if they’re on the right track before going further in the research process. Although your teacher will tell you what editorial...
Students often ask how to write a letter using MLA, APA or Chicago style. However, these editorial styles are used for research and school essay papers rather than for formal or informal business writing purposes. Difference Between Scholarly and Business Writing Different writing and editorial styles serve different purposes. Formal writing, like business writing, follows a certain format so...
As you select your topic and plan your research, you’ll need to think about your point of focus. Your instructor may ask you to write a thesis statement or a purpose statement. Sometimes you will have both in the same paper. No matter what type of style you use – MLA, APA or Chicago, – you’ll need to include thesis or purpose statements. How to Use Thesis or Purpose Statements...
Although we see abbreviated Latin words in articles, they can still be confusing. Sometimes, the way people use them is incorrect. Many Latin abbreviations have fallen out of common use, but are still used in scholarly writing – ibid., et al., and i.e. are frequently used in text and reference citations. Definition of et al. Et al. means “and others” in Latin. Actually, it’s an abbreviation...
Learn how to properly credit sources for a science fair project. Citing your sources for a science fair project is done the same way as any other research paper. Your teacher will provide rubrics for the assignment and let you know what citation style you should use to format your entries. Usually, in middle and high school, students are asked to use MLA citation style, even for science projects...
No matter what editorial style you use for your school essay — MLA, APA or Chicago — you will need to understand the difference between primary and secondary sources. Indeed, most papers include a combination of both. It’s important to learn how to evaluate sources, so you can be sure you’re only using material and data prepared by authoritative sources. Examples of...
As you start writing your school paper, you need to include citations in the body of your work. Are they in-text citations or parenthetical citations? Actually, both terms are correct. Both “in-text” and “parenthetical citations” are terms you use for the citation you make when you directly quote or paraphrase someone else in your work. Learn what a parenthetical citation is and how to create one...
Copyright law allows for fair use by students of copyrighted permissions, but only under certain conditions. It’s important to understand how copyright law affects you as it’s a serious business. Publishers and companies spend a lot of money and legal time to protect their copyrights, trademarks and patents. With so much information available online, it’s easy to think it’s all open for your use...
One of the most important parts of researching your school paper topic is making sure you are using credible sources for your research. There is so much information available online that it can be overwhelming at first. However, if you follow these tips, you will learn to recognize authoritative sources quickly. What Is a Source? Let’s start at the beginning. First, you’ll need to understand...
Are you interested in copyright law? Or are you writing a college essay or research paper on copyright law? If so, then explore these links to gain a better understanding on the history of copyright in the United States. Each entry tells you whether it is a primary or secondary source. Copyright Websites The United States Copyright Office supplies you with the complete version of the U.S...
As you start your research for your humanities or social studies project, you will need sources for primary documents. These may include original letters, interviews, images, and art. Understanding copyright law terms will help you avoid plagiarism. Even though most items are copyrighted by their owners, there are several places you can find archived items. Many institutions, such as libraries...
Copyright law is extensive and complicated. This article gives a brief overview of copyright law and how it affects students. But, for specific questions, you should ask your teacher. A general rule in writing school essays or developing research projects in MLA citations or APA format is to always credit your sources to avoid plagiarism. Fair use guidelines allow basic use of works for students...
Are you looking for primary sources for your humanities or social studies school projects? Primary sources are original materials or research. By comparison, secondary sources are those materials that talk about primary sources. For example, an autobiography is a primary source and a biography is a secondary source. Public domain sources be very useful as primary sources. For example, websites...
Social studies classes are required in high school and college. In fact, you’ve probably taken several social studies courses throughout your school years. As you graduate into higher-level courses, you will be required to prepare research papers about various subjects. Most instructors require either MLA style or Chicago style for your social studies essay. What Does Social Studies Mean...
If you are writing your school paper with Chicago style citation using the notes-biblio style or if your teacher asks you to include notes in your paper, you need to know the difference between footnotes and endnotes. Typically, notes are included in Chicago 17 notes-biblio style, but you may include them in an MLA or APA citation style school project if your instructor requires them. Where Do...
You’ve come to the end of your paper and now you need to cite your sources. Should you use a works cited page now? Or, is it a list of references? What’s the difference for a bibliography vs. reference lists? Knowing the answer for what citation format to use comes down to the topic and whether your paper is MLA, APA or Chicago style. Using this knowledge, learn if you should use a...
You’re gathering your resources together when suddenly you notice that several of your online journal articles aren’t linked to a web address (URL). What is that mysterious notation at the end of the citation? You’re used to seeing a link to an online article in this way: Then all of the sudden, this DOI® number shows up: DOI: 130.065.109.155. What does this mean? The Difference...
When it comes to writing styles, there are a lot of them. Whether you’re writing a biology, communications, theology or philosophy research paper or essay, there is a writing style for you. Learn about the different styles for formatting your paper, as well as how the reference and bibliography styles differ between them. What’s in a Name? In the world of writing, there are bibliographies...
Research papers take a lot of different steps to format your outline and discuss where your sources came from. Every paper ends with a citation page or bibliography. The type of bibliography formats you use depends on your research and subject matter. Bibliography Uncovered Before you can even get into the steps of creating your bibliography, you need to understand specifically what a...
You’ve finished writing your essay. Now, it’s time to make an alphabetized list of all the books, periodicals and websites you used. Some writing styles call this list the bibliography. Since a bibliography example can speak louder than words, get a sample of bibliographies in MLA, APA and Chicago styles. Then, learn about the different types of bibliographies available that you may need to...
When you’re trying to get your project or research paper organized, it can be helpful to create a preliminary bibliography before jumping in head first. Not only will this help you to organize your research, but it’ll give you a good start on your paper. Preliminary bibliographies can also help you figure out which sources are keepers or duds. What Is a Preliminary Bibliography? After you...
Several school projects can include a research paper. Writing a paper for a school project can be a daunting task. Whether you are writing for college or high school, you need to keep track of the sources you use and reference them at the end of your paper. The type of reference list or bibliography that you use for your school project will depend on you or your professor. What Is a Bibliography...
Your eyes are crossed. You haven’t showered in three days, but your paper is done. Pushing away from your computer, you breathe a much needed sigh of relief. That is until you realize that you haven’t created your bibliography. What’s your style again? How do you create it? Don’t worry, your guide to bibliography rules is right here, ready to help. Not All Bibliographies Are Equal In the...
In high school, college and even during your professional career, knowing how to make a citation within your writing is important. The citation lets the reader know where you found the information and where they can find the information. It also makes it clear that these aren’t your thoughts. Citation is all about giving credit where credit is due. Citation is All About Style Whether it’s...
References and citations are the apples and oranges of the writing world. While it might seem like these two words are interchangeable. They are distinctly different within a scholarly writing piece in MLA, APA format or Chicago style. Learn what they are and how to use each one. Citations or References No matter what writing style that you use, you’ll come across the reference or citation...
You were trying to get away from footnotes by creating your paper in MLA or APA format, but you just can’t avoid them. Remember that footnotes in MLA or APA are a rare occurrence. You’ll only use MLA 8 or APA 7 footnotes to make bibliographic, content, or copyright notes. Basically, you’re just going to give your reader a little extra information that wouldn’t fit in the text. Now that you know...
The Bible is a formidable opponent in the writing arena. Citing Bible verses comes will all types of questions. Do you need to know how to quote the Bible? Does it vary with each citation style? The list goes on and on. However, don’t sweat it. Breaking down how to cite the Bible in MLA 8, APA 7, and Chicago 17 for parenthetical and reference citations is as easy as ABC or NKJV (New King James...
You can’t avoid citing a PDF (Portable Document Format), especially if you’re using the internet for research. As it turns out, the “how to” when it comes to how to cite a PDF in your MLA 8, APA 7 or Chicago/Turabian style paper is easier than you think. Just break down your MLA PDF citation to the basic elements and number of authors, and then cite it like any other electronic document. Just in...
With the advent of YouTube, Vimeo, and other great video sites, you can find short videos and how-to-videos online from a wide range of experts. This means you might need to know how to cite a video or YouTube as part of your essay. Make your video citations “fabulous” by following a few simple tricks for citing a YouTube video in MLA or APA. Table of Contents How to Cite a Video in...
You thought that your citation game was strong. But, you’ve hit a blog. Don’t stress. Blog style citations typically break down the who, when, what and where of the blog you used. Just so you are prepared for anything that comes your way, learn the formats for MLA 8, APA 6, Chicago 17 and Harvard. Citing a Blog in MLA Humanities writing your game? Then, MLA style is what you are looking for...
Wikipedia is a great starting point for research. Some will caution using it as a source because the content is user generated and plagiarism issues can come into play. But, it’s usually backed up with additional sources that can improve your writing. If you’re adding it to your bibliography, reference list or works cited, there are a few easy ways to cite Wikipedia no matter what format...
Hath thou ever cited a poem before? Citing a poem in MLA 8 format isn’t life or death; it’s simply a matter of knowing the MLA citation style. Not only will your writing be flawless, but your poem quotations will be impeccable too. Now it’s time to learn how to cite a poem in MLA with ease. Citing a Poem In-Text Poems come in all shapes and sizes. They are the size of a novel or as few as...