Template 5 Things You Should Know About A Research Paper Bibliography

It may not seem like a significant thing, but the bibliography of your research paper really is essential. So, it’s extremely important that you do it properly, and to help you do it the right way, we’ve composed a list of five crucial things you need to know about a research paper bibliography.

1. It serves quite a few functions

The bibliography of any research paper serves a number of purposes. Firstly, it helps your lecturer check that you did actually research the work, and didn’t just make it all up. Secondly, if other people want to learn more about the topic of your work, they can use it to find the sources you used. Thirdly, it helps stop you from committing plagiarism.

2. It’s most important function is to help prevent you committing plagiarism

Undoubtedly, the most important function of a reference list is to help prevent you from plagiarising someone else’s work. Plagiarism is unethical, and you can face severe consequences for it at university or college, so it’s really something you want to avoid doing.

3. You need to compile it according to a specific formatting style

You need to compile your research paper bibliography according to the specific formatting style you’re required to use for your work. There are quite a few different formatting styles, such as the APA style or the Chicago style, and each of these styles has its own set of rules and guidelines about how to correctly compile a reference list. So, make sure you find out which of the many formatting styles you’re required to use, and learn about it.

4. It may be called something else

Depending on the formatting style you have to use, your bibliography may be called something else. It can be called a list of references, sources, or works cited, so make very sure you name it according to the rules set out in the applicable formatting style.

5. The small details really matter

Finally, the small details of your bibliography are vitally important, as your grade may suffer if they aren’t correct. So, make sure that you follow the rules of the formatting style perfectly. Don’t be fooled into thinking that things like punctuation marks or spaces are unimportant.

Now that you have a better understanding of a research paper bibliography, you can use your new knowledge to compile an excellent one for your own work.