Research Discussions

An insight into Bibliographic Documentation

The purpose of a bibliography

Documentation is an integral part of any written material. Especially when you write your thesis or dissertation, research plays a vital role in your study. While conducting your research keep in mind that bibliography is very important in the process of successfully completing your study. Bibliography is a section of the dissertation that cannot be avoided. No matter what kind of thesis you are writing, or for what specialization, bibliography is a must just like the other sections – title, abstract, literature review, findings, methodology, summary, conclusion, etc.

When a reader goes through the dissertation there are chances that he may be interested in checking for the authenticity of the written matter. Especially where you quote facts and figures, the source is as important as the content. Therefore, a well-drafted bibliography will give all the required answers to your reader and also give him a chance to read further on the topic if he is interested.

Bibliography can be written in both APA as well as MLA styles. Papers in the field of science usually use the APA style while humanities and liberal art subjects use the MLA style formatting. You must confirm the required format for your dissertation before you begin compiling it. Both formats have their own rules which must be followed especially in university dissertations to assure a good evaluation.

The basic structure of a bibliography:

Key points every bibliography writer must keep in mind:

• Make sure the topic you choose has enough material to write about, and enough references to prove your theory
• Write an appropriate title to your bibliography
• You should include a search strategy in your bibliography explaining how you selected your references and your reasoning behind the same
• The total number of references in your bibliography should ideally be between 40-50
• Organize all your references in alphabetical order
• Double-check your references for spelling, punctuation, inconsistencies and spacing. A double spacing is required between all the sentences included within the dissertation.
• Variety is a must in the bibliography. Use a wide range of references from books, journals, articles, conferences, thesis websites, newspaper articles, reports, government publications, etc.
• Choose references that are up-to-date and give the latest information unless you are studying on some historic subject
• Make sure to mention all the references that you have used in your dissertation
• Select good quality sources – they will add value to your dissertation

Though it may seem tedious and tough at first to compile a good bibliography, a thorough knowledge in the same will help you create a strong bibliography for your paper.