How Do You Write a Bibliography? A Guide with Examples

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A bibliography tells your reader all the sources you cited or used to inform your non-fiction essay, article, presentation, or book. This comprehensive guide will explain the basic rules for formatting your bibliography in the 3 most popular styles: Modern Language Association (MLA) for humanities papers, American Psychological Association (APA) for scientific papers, and Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) for social sciences. We'll also include helpful expert tips from English Language Arts teacher Diane Stubbs to make writing a bibliography even easier.

Writing a Bibliography: Quick Guide

  • MLA Format: Author Last Name, First Name. Title of book. Publisher Name, Publication Date.
  • APA Format: Author Last Name, Initials. (Publication Year). Book Title. Publisher Name.
  • CMOS Format: Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.
Section 1 of 7:

How to Write an MLA Bibliography

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  1. For every citation, indent the second and subsequent lines 0.5 in (1.3 cm) away from the left margin (this is known as a hanging indent). Finally, use an easy-to-read font like Times New Roman and set the font size to 12 pt. These subtle adjustments will make your MLA bibliography easier to read and identify key points of information. [1]
    • You can manually indent after each first line, or create an automatic hanging indent in Microsoft Word and Google Docs:
      • Google Docs : Highlight the citation, then click "Format" in the toolbar at the top of the screen. Click "Align & indent," then "Indentation options." Select "Hanging" from the dropdown menu, then type 0.5 in the righthand box. Click "Apply."
      • Microsoft Word : Highlight the citation and right-click. Select "Paragraph," then "Hanging" from the "Special" dropdown menu. The "By" box should already contain a value of 0.5. Click "OK."
  2. This is the proper heading for an MLA-style bibliography. Underneath this label, add all the media (i.e., books, journal articles, web content, etc.) you referenced to support the claims in your work. [2]
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  3. Some of the details you should include in each citation are the source author, title, and publisher name. This information lets the reader (or your teacher) know what each source is, who created it, when it was published or distributed, and more. [3] Below is a guide to the most common types of sources used in bibliographies and how to properly format them.
    • Book Format : Author Last Name, First Name. Title of book . Publisher Name, Publication Date.
      • Example MLA Book Citation : Sanderson, Brandon. The Way of Kings: Book One of the Stormlight Archive . Macmillan, 2014.
    • Article Format : Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article," Journal or Magazine Name , Volume No., Issue No., Publication Date, Pages.
      • Example MLA Article Citation : McElroy, John Harmon. “The Kindred Artist; or, the Case of the Black Cat.” Studies in American Humor , vol. 3, no. 2, 1976, pp. 103–17.
    • Webpage Format : Author Last Name, First Name. "Title of Article." Website Name, Publication, URL. Date Accessed.
      • Example MLA Webpage Citation : "How to Write an Essay (with Pictures)." WikiHow , 20 Sept. 2005, www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Essay. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
  4. You may, for example, come across books with more than one author or that contain specific essays or short stories you want to reference. You may also come across articles published in electronic journals rather than in print. Below are some tips to guide you through these special circumstances.
    • If a source has more than one author : Cite the last and first names of the first credited author like a normal citation, followed by a comma and the words "et al." (a Latin phrase meaning "and others").
    • If a source is part of an anthology : Write the title of the essay or short story you're referencing in quotation marks, followed by a period. Then write the name of the anthology in italics.
    • If a source is an electronic article : Add the name of the database where you found the article (in italics) and the URL after the page numbers, followed by the date you accessed it. If there are no page numbers, leave them out.
      • Example : McElroy, John Harmon. “The Kindred Artist; or, the Case of the Black Cat.” Studies in American Humor , vol. 3, no. 2, 1976, pp. 103–17. JSTOR , http://www.jstor.org/stable/42573109 . Accessed 13 Jan. 2025.
  5. If the work doesn't have an author, alphabetize that source by the first letter in its title (the exception is if the first word is "The," in which case you should alphabetize the title by its second word). See an example of a list of properly sorted MLA citations below.
    • "How to Write an Essay (with Pictures)." WikiHow , 20 Sept. 2005, www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Essay. Accessed 10 Jan. 2025.
    • McElroy, John Harmon. “The Kindred Artist; or, the Case of the Black Cat.” Studies in American Humor , vol. 3, no. 2, 1976, pp. 103–17.
    • Sanderson, Brandon. The Way of Kings: Book One of the Stormlight Archive . Macmillan, 2014.
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Section 2 of 7:

How to Write an APA Bibliography

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  1. Center the title at the top of the page in bold font. Ensure all the lines are double-spaced and that every citation has a 0.5 in (1.3 cm) hanging indent after the first line. [4] Change the font to Times New Roman and increase the font size to 12 pt (you can also use easy-to-read fonts like Calibri or Arial in 11 pt or Lucida Sans Unicode in 10 pt). [5]
    • You can manually indent after each first line, or create an automatic hanging indent in Microsoft Word and Google Docs:
      • Google Docs : Highlight the citation, then click "Format," then "Align & indent." Click "Indentation options" and select "Hanging" in the "Special indent" menu, then enter 0.5 in the box next to it. Click "Apply."
      • Microsoft Word : Highlight the citation and right-click. Click "Paragraph" from the pop-up menu. Click on the "Special" dropdown menu and select "Hanging." The "By" box should automatically populate a value of 0.5. Click "OK."
  2. APA citations require similar information to the MLA-style bibliography, but the details are presented differently. For example, instead of writing the author's first name, you must write their initials. Also, APA requires that you capitalize only the first letter of the first word of the title and subtitle, the first word after a colon or a dash in the title, and proper nouns. [6] Check out our APA citation formatting guide below to see how different sources are cited:
    • Book Format : Author Last Name, Initials. (Publication Year). Book title . Publisher Name.
      • Example APA Book Citation : Sanderson, B. (2014). The way of kings: Book one of the Stormlight archive . Macmillan.
    • Article Format : Author Last Name, Initials. (Publication Year). Article title. Periodical Name, Volume No (Issue No), Pages.
      • Example APA Article Citation : McElroy, J. H. (1976). The kindred artist; or, the case of the black cat. Studies in American Humor, 3 (2), 103–117.
    • Webpage Format : Title of webpage . (Publication Year, Month & Date). Website Name. Retrieval Date, from URL.
    • Stubbs reminds writers to never "rely on knowing what you know" of English capitalization rules when writing a bibliography. The rules may not follow the standard conventions of the language.
  3. Just like MLA, APA has specific rules for odd cases, like when a book has multiple authors or if you're citing an article you found in an electronic database. We'll cover the most common of these rules below.
    • If citing a book with multiple authors : Cite the last name of each author, followed by a comma and their initials. Separate each author with a comma. Write a comma and an ampersand ("&") before the last author name on the list. List up to 20 authors using this format. [7]
    • If citing a book with editors instead of authors : Write the editor name (or names) in the exact same format as you would an author. Then, after the period following the last initial, write "(Ed.)." before the year of publication. For multiple editors, type "(Eds.)." [8]
    • If citing an electronic article : Write the APA citation for an article you found in an electronic database (like JSTOR) the same way you would write it for a normal article. The only difference is, at the end of the citation, be sure to include the article's URL. If there's a digital object identifier (DOI) for the article, use that instead.
  4. If the source has no author or editor (as may be the case for many webpages), alphabetize it according to its title. [9] Below, we arranged the above example APA citations into a single, properly sorted reference list.
    • How to write an essay (with pictures) . (2005, September 20). wikiHow. Retrieved January 10, 2025, from https://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Essay
    • McElroy, J. H. (1976). The kindred artist; or, the case of the black cat. Studies in American Humor, 3 (2), 103–117.
    • Sanderson, B. (2014). The way of kings: Book one of the Stormlight archive . Macmillan.
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Section 3 of 7:

How to Write a CMOS Bibliography

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  1. Center the title and then move down 2 lines before starting the first citation, which should always have a 0.5 in (1.3 cm) hanging indent. Unlike in MLA and APA bibliographies, you should avoid double-spacing your lines in a CMOS bibliography. [10] Finally, use either 12 pt Times New Roman or 10 pt Arial for the font. [11]
    • If you've never used the hanging indent feature in your word processor before, follow these simple steps to create an automatic hanging indent:
      • Google Docs : Highlight the text in a citation and click "Format," then "Align & indent." Select "Indentation options," then "Hanging" in the "Special indent" box. Enter 0.5 in the empty box on the right. Click "Apply."
      • Microsoft Word : Highlight the text in a citation, right-click, then select "Paragraph." Click the dropdown menu underneath the "Special" label and select "Hanging." The "By" box should automatically generate the correct indent size of 0.5. Click "OK."
  2. A CMOS bibliography is similar to an MLA bibliography, but there are also subtle differences between them. For example, in a CMOS bibliography with multiple authors, you must write the full names of all the authors listed. For book sources, you must list the publisher's geographical location as well as their name. [12] The distinctions will become clearer with the CMOS citation formatting examples below.
    • Book Format : Author Last Name, First Name. Title of Book . Place of Publication: Publisher, Year of Publication.
      • Example CMOS Book Citation : Sanderson, Brandon. The Way of Kings: Book One of the Stormlight Archive . London: Macmillan, 2014.
    • Article Format : Author Last Name, First Name. "Article Title." Periodical Name and Volume No., Issue No. (Publication Year): Pages.
      • Example CMOS Article Format : McElroy, John Harmon. “The Kindred Artist; or, the Case of the Black Cat.” Studies in American Humor 3 , no. 2 (1976): 103–17.
    • Webpage Format : "Webpage Title." Site Name. Last Modified Date. URL.
  3. Some sources may not include all the basic details normally required for a CMOS bibliographical citation. For example, a webpage may not list the date when it was last updated or even its original date of publication. [13] Below is a list of rules that will help you cite most sources correctly, even in special cases.
    • If a book has more than one author : List the authors by their last and first names, separated by commas. Before the last author in a citation, write the word "and." The last author's name should be written as First Name, Last Name instead of the other way around.
    • If a webpage doesn't have a modification or publication date : In cases where a webpage doesn't list the date it was last updated or modified, use the publication date and write, "Published [Month Date, Year]." If neither of these dates is available, write, "Accessed on [Month Date, Year]" and use the current date.
    • If citing an electronic journal or magazine : Include the URL for the article you're citing at the end of the citation (or the article's DOI, if available).
  4. Regardless of what style of bibliography you're writing, this rule will remain the same: all citations should be arranged alphabetically by the author's last name or the title of the source, whichever comes first. [14] Below is an example of what a CMOS reference list should look like.
    • "How to Write an Essay (with Pictures)." WikiHow. Last modified July 22, 2024. https://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Essay .
    • McElroy, John Harmon. “The Kindred Artist; or, the Case of the Black Cat.” Studies in American Humor 3, no. 2 (1976): 103–17.
    • Sanderson, Brandon. The Way of Kings: Book One of the Stormlight Archive . London: Macmillan, 2014.
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Section 4 of 7:

Where to Find Information for a Bibliography

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  1. The title page typically shows the title of the work and lists the authors (or editors if it's an anthology). The copyright page shares details like the publisher name and location, publication date, and version number (if the book is a version of an older work). Sometimes the editor names are included on the copyright page, as well.
    • Stubbs' top strategy for writing bibliographies is to read the citation rule for the style you're using, and then apply your own information to it.
  2. To find information like the author name and publication or modification date on a webpage, examine the top or bottom text. The details you're looking for will typically be listed in one of these areas.
  3. Today, most articles you source are available as digital copies in an online database like JSTOR . To find out the name of the author(s) of the article, the article title, the periodical name, the publication date, and the DOI, examine the area at the top of the article listing in its database. The information is typically listed underneath or to the right or left of the title.
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Section 5 of 7:

What is a bibliography?

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  1. The non-fiction work can be an essay, a business or academic presentation , an article, a book, or an anthology of smaller works (i.e., essays, articles, or short stories). The bibliography is always presented at the end of the work under a heading like "Works Cited," "References," or "Bibliography." Each citation includes important information about the source, such as the person who wrote it and when it was published. [15]
    • Stubbs cautions anyone writing a bibliography to "be precise" and "pay attention to everything." Each style comes with specific rules, many of which only apply to certain sources or situations. When in doubt, refer to an authoritative guide like the Purdue Online Writing Lab .
Section 6 of 7:

What is the purpose of a bibliography?

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  1. Whoever reads your work can, if they choose, look up the sources you cited in your bibliography to assess how well they back up the claims you made in the text. They may also use your sources to perform their own research and learn more information than what you were able to address.
    • A great example of how a bibliography supports your claims is an academic essay . When you take on an academic essay assignment in college, your professor will require you to develop a thesis (i.e., a primary claim or topic that your paper will focus on) and make arguments to support it. One of the ways they'll expect you to support your thesis is to cite sources that have already made the same or similar claims.
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Section 7 of 7:

When do you need a bibliography?

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  1. When writing a non-fiction book , essay, article, or presentation, your primary goal is to communicate facts, claims, or arguments to your audience. Your facts, claims, and arguments will appear more credible if you reference sources that support them throughout the text.

Sample Bibliographies

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  • Question
    What makes a good bibliography?
    Diane Stubbs
    English Teacher
    Diane Stubbs is an English Teacher based in Dover, Delaware. She currently works as a Secondary English Teacher at Polytech School District. Diane has over 25 years of experience teaching English at each high school grade level, and has experience with a variety of AP coursework. She specializes in secondary education, classroom management, and educational technology. Diane earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Journalism from the University of Delaware, and a Masters Degree in Secondary Education and Teaching from Wesley College.
    Diane Stubbs
    English Teacher
    Expert Answer
    Precision! You have to pay attention to everything in your bibliography—everything from whether or not punctuation is included, whether or not there's an extra space, whether or not something should be capitalized or italicized, and so on. In most cases with bibliographies, the rules don't follow the standard conventions of English, so you can't rely on your basic knowledge of capitalization rules.
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  • Question
    Is it OK to use a citation tool?
    Diane Stubbs
    English Teacher
    Diane Stubbs is an English Teacher based in Dover, Delaware. She currently works as a Secondary English Teacher at Polytech School District. Diane has over 25 years of experience teaching English at each high school grade level, and has experience with a variety of AP coursework. She specializes in secondary education, classroom management, and educational technology. Diane earned a Bachelor of Arts in English with a concentration in Journalism from the University of Delaware, and a Masters Degree in Secondary Education and Teaching from Wesley College.
    Diane Stubbs
    English Teacher
    Expert Answer
    Citation tools can be helpful as long as you're using one that applies to your citation style (like APA, MLA, or Chicago). Just remember—in the long run, you are your best source when it comes to citations and bibliographies.
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  • Question
    How do I cite a website in my references list?
    Community Answer
    Go to easybib.com and copy and paste the reference URL into the search bar then click Search.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html
      2. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_general_format.html
      3. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html
      4. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html
      5. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
      6. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html
      7. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_author_authors.html
      8. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_books.html
      9. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/reference_list_basic_rules.html
      1. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
      2. ↑ https://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/qanda/data/faq/topics/ManuscriptPreparation/faq0201.html
      3. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
      4. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/web_sources.html
      5. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/chicago_manual_17th_edition/cmos_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html
      6. ↑ https://writing.ku.edu/bibliographies

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To create an APA bibliography, title a separate page at the end of your paper "References." Then, use the authors' last names to organize your list alphabetically, for example by writing the author John Adam Smith as "Smith, J. A." If a source has more than 7 authors, list the first 7 before adding an ellipses. To cite an article, include the author's name, year of publication, article title, publication title, and page numbers. When citing a book, begin with the author's name, then the date of publication, title in Italics, location of the publisher, and publisher's name. For tips on how to write an MLA or CMS bibliography, keep reading!

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