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How to do a bibliography

How to do a bibliography/reference section at the end of an essay or report


The Harvard system!

What will you learn by the end of this presentation?


What the difference is between a bibliography and a reference section Why its important to be accurate when putting together your bibliography The definition of plagiarism' Why creativity is not part of writing a bibliography Oh yes, how to do a basic one, using the Harvard system!

Bibliography or Reference section?


Reference section Refers to any book,journal, newspaper, CD or internet site you have quoted in your essay or report. Bibliography A list of all books, CDs, internet sites,journals or newspapers you used for research whether quoted in your essay/report or not.

Why be accurate?
You are using someone elses work Your tutors often know the sources and will notice inaccuracy Your tutors may want to look up something they dont know and will use your reference to find it Its a mark of a conscientious student and a bibliography/reference section counts in your overall mark

What is plagiarism?
Plagiarism is an academic word for stealing. It may be accidental but if you dont reference your research, you are suggesting that it is your own work. Plagiarism is forgetting to reference someones work, or copying someones work without saying whose it is.

Dont be creativeDo what youre told!


This is harsh, but there is no room for creativity in a bibliography/reference section Follow the guidelines set by your tutor (often the Harvard method) and dont improvise Your marks for your bibliography (reference) section are dependent on doing it right!

What information do you need to get started?


The exact: Title of the book, magazine,journal, newspaper article, CD, internet site The author (or authors) when possible The publisher The publication date The place of publication closest to where you live

Write this information down every time you take notes!


This is the key to success and will save you so much time over your academic career!

(Ask me how I know this sometime)

Basic Book Reference


Last name of author, (comma)
Initial of author. (full stop) Date of publication in brackets ( ), (comma)

Title of publication underlined or in bold, (comma)


Place of publication closest to where you live, (comma) Name of Publisher. (full stop) This is what it should look like: Thorpe,M. (1988),Adult Learning, Milton Keynes,Open University Press.

The Blackboard site for Access Study Skills has two handouts one long and one short for doing a bibliography. It is under the Course Documents button

Whats next?
You need to learn how to use quotes and references in the body of the essay or report

This will be covered in class

You also need to learn how to put down sources from the internet, magazines, books with more than one author, journals, newspapers and CD Roms!

This is outlined in the long guide found under Course Documents on the Blackboard Access Study Skills site

A complete guide can be found at this website from Lancaster University


http://www.lancs.ac.uk/depts/music/stu dentinfo/guides/shortbiblio.htm Click on the link above

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