Essay References Bibliography

Browse through the back pages of different journals to get an idea.Our advice is to choose a system you like - or your teachers prefer - and use it consistently.Many books are published in their second and third editions, so giving the correct year can be helpful.

Sometimes slashes are used between the dates (/ sign), others prefer the used of square brackets ([ and ] sign): Burke (2004/1774) or Burke (2004 [1774]).

Another small issue occurs where an author published more than one book or article in a single year, and you want to cite more than one of them.

Secondly, you make your essay look more professional.

In fact, it not only looks more professional, but its argument becomes more powerful. This is often only a hypothetical issue, but a look through the list of your references will allow others to judge your argument quickly.

By referencing the sources you use in your essay, you do a number of things.

First of all, you comply with an academic convention.

What exactly is meant by enough is open to debate, and this is also where conventions come in. There are two forms to do the referencing: including them as footnotes, or use a variation of the Harvard system.

Your institution may have a preference, or even a house style.

It includes texts you made use of, not only texts you referred to in your paper, but your own additional background reading, and any other articles you think the reader might need as background reading.

Note: There are many variations of format, even within the same discipline.