Bibliography

A bibliography is the last part of a research paper, and it reveals much about the research process. It indicates:

• the extent of the research,
• the kinds and types of sources that were used, and
• the different disciplines that helped to present the study

A proper bibliographic citation is necessary for good research work. It helps:

• to further reference to the interested readers
• to find sources on a particular topic
• provides a window to the research paper
• to make judgments on the research.

Having a complete bibliography is therefore essential to a finished piece of research.

Working Bibliography

The preparation of a working bibliography is the first step after the selection of a research topic. A working bibliography includes the sources that a researcher discovers in his initial inquiry into a topic. A working bibliography will be a longer bibliography than the final bibliography. The working bibliography will evolve and change as the researcher gather new sources and eliminate less useful sources. A working bibliography is a tool to locate and gather sources. A working bibliography should include complete information for each source. The working bibliography helps the researcher to understand the nature and diversities of sources related to his study. It also helps the researcher to collect the relevant data in an organised manner.

Types of Bibliography

There are three basic types of bibliographies.

1.   Standard Bibliography

It is the simplest form of bibliography, which is a listing of works used for the writing of the paper. It is arranged into subcategories beginning with a listing of primary sources, followed by secondary works. The bibliography should be divided into two sections— primary sources and secondary sources. Both primary and secondary sources can be arranged into subdivisions according to the nature of the sources. The primary sources category may be further subdivided into the following order: unpublished materials and published materials. Secondary sources are often subdivided into the categories of books, journal articles, and other published works. In each category and subcategory, sources are arranged alphabetically.

2.   Annotated Bibliography

The annotated bibliography is more useful to students of history. Its arrangement is the same as a standard bibliography, but each entry has an annotation or critical commentary. The annotation should be brief, usually not more than three lines of text. It indicates the author’s coverage of the subject, the historical interpretation, and the overall value of the work. A working annotated bibliography enables the researcher to ascertain which sources will be most useful to the various sections of the paper. Such a bibliography enables the reader to better understand the ways in which sources were useful and also grasp the limitations of some sources.

3.   Bibliographic Essay

The bibliographic essay provides commentary about sources in a narrative format. Rather than arranging sources in alphabetical order, the bibliographic essay is arranged by topic or subject in paragraph form. The author of the bibliographic essay decides how to organize the material. Some approaches include grouping sources around particular topics, themes, issues, personalities, or interpretations. A brief commentary about the sources is an essential component of the essay. The bibliographic essay must be readable, informative, and like the annotated bibliography, provide critical analysis of the sources. It is helpful to the author of the paper because he or she must have a good sense of the works in order to write about them in a clear narrative style. Constructing a bibliographic essay is a good exercise in learning history by writing. But the essay is also useful to the historian’s audience because of its topical or thematic organization.

Organisation or Arrangement of a Standard Bibliography

The basic arrangement of a simple bibliography is:

Primary Sources

- Unpublished Documents

- Published Documents

- Oral Sources

Secondary Sources

- Journal Articles

- Books

A simple bibliographic entry contains the following information:

• Author’s last name, followed by the first name
• The full title of the book is in italics
• Name of the Publisher
• Place of Publication
• Year of the Publication

Various citation manuals like MLA, APA, and Chicago propose different styles in the arrangement of bibliography.