Reference web page versus bibliography: These two phrases are sometimes combined up or used interchangeably, main many college students, researchers, and tutorial authors to surprise, what’s the distinction? Beneath, we clarify what every is and present that, regardless of their variations, the 2 have a lot in frequent.

Is a bibliography the identical as a reference web page?

Below the technical definition of a bibliography, a reference web page is a kind of bibliography. Every is actually a listing of absolutely written-out citations for all of the sources utilized in a analysis paper or different work.

Nonetheless, bibliography can also be the title utilized in one particular sort of favor format (Chicago), whereas reference web page is the title utilized in one other format (APA). As a result of these two codecs comply with totally different tips, a Chicago bibliography just isn’t the identical as an APA reference web page.

Let’s take a more in-depth have a look at every definition.

What’s a bibliography?

To place it briefly, a bibliography is a listing of sources—it’s a piece on the finish of a bit of tutorial writing that lists the analysis sources used and their publication particulars. The intent of a bibliography is to determine the origin of concepts and data given within the work, and to make it straightforward for readers to search out the identical sources in the event that they’re .

Nonetheless, in scholarly works like analysis papers, the time period bibliography is often related to the Chicago format. Whereas all main tutorial codecs require a bibliography, solely Chicago calls it that (for those who’re utilizing the notes-bibliography system); the others use their very own names, like “reference web page” in APA and “works cited web page” in MLA.

What’s a reference web page?

A reference web page is the time period for the bibliography part of educational papers written within the APA format. It fulfills the identical features as different bibliographies: It lists the complete citations of the analysis sources used within the work, together with publication particulars, so readers can monitor them down. The title “References” is written on the high of this part in APA.

Reference web page vs. bibliography: What’s the distinction?

What are the variations between a reference web page and a bibliography? Actually, it’s the distinction between the Chicago and APA codecs. Every type information has its personal guidelines for correctly write a full quotation for this part, in addition to the formatting for the pages themselves.

Take into account that reference pages and bibliographies solely cope with full citations; in-text citations are one other matter, and every format has particular tips for these, too. You possibly can see a extra in-depth comparability of cite sources in APA, MLA, and Chicago in our quotation examples information.

If you end up struggling to format your citations appropriately, our free quotation generator can prevent time.

Guidelines for writing an APA reference web page

APA formatting guidelines

• Use a 1-inch margin on all sides of the paper.
• Embody the APA operating head (in different phrases, a web page header). For scholar papers, the operating head incorporates solely the web page quantity, flush proper.
• Write the title “References” bolded and centered on the high of the web page.
• Use double house.
• Place the reference web page after the physique textual content, however earlier than different appendices or tables.

APA full citations guidelines

• All the time begin the reference web page on a brand new web page.
• Use a dangling indent of 0.5 inches for all entries. A dangling indent means indent each line besides the primary.
• Invert the creator names in order that the surname (final title) comes earlier than the primary title. Separate the names with a comma.
• Use initials with durations as an alternative of the creator’s first title; e.g., write Louisa Might Alcott as Alcott, L. M.
• If a piece has a couple of creator, listing the names in the identical order the supply makes use of. Separate every title with a comma and use an ampersand (&) earlier than the ultimate creator.
• Use sentence case for many titles (capitalize solely the primary letter of the primary phrase). Nonetheless, for the titles of periodicals, use headline capitalization (capitalize the primary letter of each main phrase), e.g., Journal of Experimental Psychology.
• Manage entries alphabetically by creator surname. If the identical creator is the one credit score for a number of sources, listing these sources chronologically by publication, not alphabetically. For works with no authors, use the primary phrase within the entry, usually a part of the title.
• Use the really useful APA format for every sort of supply, equivalent to e book, article, or web site. You’ll find a listing of our guides for citing every sort of supply in APA on the finish of the article APA Format and Citations: Every part You Have to Know.

APA reference web page instance

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Reference

Brown, D. (2022). Quitting Twitter? What individuals say about life after social media. The Wall Avenue Journal. https://www.wsj.com/articles/quitting-twitter-what-people-say-about-life-after-social-media-11651415387

Kohout, S., Kruikemeier, S., & Bakker, B. N. (2023). Might I’ve your consideration, please? An eye fixed monitoring research on emotional social media feedback. Computer systems in Human Conduct, 139(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/ j.chb.2022.107495