Compiling a reference list
A reference list should be ordered alphabetically by author’s surname unless you are using a numeric referencing system. In this case, sources are assigned a number when they first appear in the text, and are listed in numerical order.
Example bibliography using the Harvard referencing style
Abu Salem, H., Gemail, K.S. andNosair, A.M. (2021)'A multidisciplinary approach for delineating wastewater flow paths in shallow groundwater aquifers: A case study in the southeastern part of the Nile Delta, Egypt',Journal of Contaminant Hydrology,236, article number103701.
Ashbourn, J.(2014)Biometrics in the new world: the cloud, mobile technology and pervasive identity. 2nd edn. London: Springer.
Environment Agency(2020)The floodand coastal erosion risk management strategy action plan 2021.Bristol: Environment Agency.
Mintel (2019)Sports and energy drinks - UK. Available at: http://www.academic.mintel.com (Accessed: 5th July 2022).
Nasta, S. and Stein, M.U. (ed.) (2020)The Cambridge history of Black and Asian British writing. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Tiwari, S. and Ambinakudige, S. (2020)'Streetscapes and stereotyping: streets named after Martin Luther King, Jr., and the geographies of racial identity',GeoJournal,doi:10.1007/s10708-020-10291-4.
World Health Organization (2020)Salt reduction. Available at:https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/salt-reduction (Accessed: 24 June 2022).
Compiling a bibliography
Use a single list which integrates all the different types of source material you have used. The exception is where you have discussed a number of primary sources (such as novels, films, ancient sources, letters, historical documents etc), when you should separate your bibliography into primary and secondary sources. All lists should be ordered alphabetically by first-named author's surname or organisation if there is no named author.
Video on compiling a bibliography
Although this video focuses on compiling a bibliography most of the guidance also applies to compiling a reference list.
FAQs
A reference list should be ordered alphabetically by author's surname unless you are using a numeric referencing system. In this case, sources are assigned a number when they first appear in the text, and are listed in numerical order.
How do you compile a bibliography? ›
Compiling a Working Bibliography
- Author's full name (last name first)
- Full title (including any subtitle)
- Edition (if the book is a second or later edition)
- Number of the volume and the total number of volumes (if the book is a multivolume work)
- City of publication.
A reference list is the detailed list of references that are cited in your work. A bibliography is a detailed list of references cited in your work, plus the background readings or other material that you may have read, but not actually cited.
Why it is important to compile references in the bibliography? ›
Additionally, references help in giving credit to the ideas, methods, and results of others, ensuring proper attribution and avoiding plagiarism . Overall, compiling references in the bibliography is essential for the transparency, integrity, and scholarly value of a research work.
What is compiling a reference list? ›
References list: a list of all the sources that you have cited within your work, presented alphabetically. Bibliography: a list of everything that you have cited and everything that you have consulted to help improve your understanding of the topic.
When compiling your list of references? ›
On your reference sheet, you should list each reference with the following information:
- Name.
- Current Job/Position.
- Company.
- Phone Number.
- Email Address.
- Reference Description: Write one sentence explaining how you know or have worked with this person, where, when, and for how long.
Elements to include:
- Authors.
- Year of publication (in round brackets)
- Article title (in single quotation marks)
- Journal title (in italics, capitalise the first letter of each word except linking words)
- Volume number.
- Issue number (if present, in round brackets)
A bibliography is a detailed list of all the sources consulted and cited in a research paper or project. The bibliography structure always includes citing the author's name, the title of the work, the year of publication, and the publisher for each source one consults for a paper or project.
What comes first bibliography or references? ›
Both reference lists and bibliographies appear at the end of a written work and are usually organized alphabetically. A paper can have both a reference list and a bibliography. For more information on how to cite your sources, check out the De Paul Library's Citation Guide.
Can you put references and bibliography together? ›
Yes: “In Works Cited and References, you only list items you have actually referred to and cited in your paper. A Bibliography, meanwhile, lists all the material you have consulted in preparing your essay, whether you have actually referred to and cited the work or not.” Works Cited vs.
What does a bibliography look like? Depending on the style guide you are using, bibliographies can look different. In general, bibliographies have the page number, title, and all the works you used in alphabetical order. Annotated bibliographies also include a short summary of the text.
What is the correct way to compile the bibliography? ›
Put your materials in order in a single list (all materials in one list unless you are told to do otherwise for your discipline) so that your reader can find them and associate them with the relevant in-text citation. (Depending on the style, that may be in alphabetical order of author's surname, or by number.)
How do you list multiple references? ›
If you wish to refer to more than one source which has the same viewpoint, list them together at the relevant point in the sentence, putting them in brackets with the author's name, followed by the date of publication and separated by a semi-colon. The sources should be cited in alphabetical order in each list.
How do you compile references in Word? ›
To insert a citation in the text go to the 'References' tab on the ribbon and click on 'Insert Citation' and 'Add new source'. Select the 'Type of source' and fill in the boxes. Add all the citations to your document. When you have finished, go to the end of your document and click on the 'Bibliography' option.
