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Bibliography

Examine the function of the bibliography, which is a complete or selective list of works compiled upon some common principle, generally including information such as the title of the work, place of publication, publisher, volume number, and author first name and last name. A bibliography can either be a list of writings by a particular author, such as a bibliography of Stephen King, or a list of works consulted by a writer as part of their research. Bibliographies are made up of citations; each citation is an individual title and its publication information.

There are three main types of citation styles, which defines the formatting of the citations (such as the order of the publication elements). The APA (American Psychological Association) style is used primarily for publishing in the education, psychology, and sciences fields; the MLA (Modern Language Association) style is used primarily for publishing in the humanities; and the Chicago Manual of Style is used primarily for publishing in the business, history, and fine arts fields.

Scholars include bibliographies at the end of their articles or books to show the reader what sources they used in the creation of their own work; these include both works the scholar cited as well as sources the scholar consulted. Some bibliographies are annotated, which means the citations include notes explaining the significance of the cited source. Bibliographies can serve as a guide to further research.

The word “bibliography” comes from the Greek words biblio, meaning “book,” and graphos, meaning “something written or drawn.” Given that many modern bibliographies contain nonbook references such as internet sources, articles from magazines and newspapers, and even unpublished scholarly papers produced at the university level, some prefer to use the term “works cited” instead of “bibliography.”

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Bibliography Resources

Gale provides scholarly resources, including bibliography primary source archives and eBooks.

Primary Source Archives

Gale Primary Sources offers collections that include bibliography periodicals, journals, and articles that provide researchers with firsthand material.

Gale eBooks

Gale offers a variety of titles covering a wide range of topics, including bio-bibliographical guides, British writers, and more. Users can add Gale eBooks to a customized collection and cross-search to pinpoint relevant content. Workflow tools help users easily share, save, and download content.

  • Authors of the Early to Mid-20th Century, 1st Edition

    Authors of the Early to Mid-20th Century, 1st Edition

    Britannica Digital Learning | 2014 | ISBN-13: 9781622750085

    Starting at the dawn of the 20th century, writers began experimenting with literary styles as never before. As perhaps the most far-reaching movement, Modernism swept across both the United States and Europe and has been embodied in the works of such writers as Marcel Proust, Virginia Woolf, James Joyce, and T. S. Eliot. The existentialism of Jean-Paul Sartre and Albert Camus, Samuel Beckett’s absurdist writings, and the range of literary output from around the world also reflect the spirit of the period. The lives and works of these and other authors from across the globe are surveyed in this absorbing volume.

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  • British Writers: Supplement XXII, 22nd Edition

    British Writers: Supplement XXII, 22nd Edition

    British Writers Series | 2016 | ISBN-13: 9780684325095

    This collection of critical essays covers hundreds of writers who have made significant contributions to British, Irish, and Commonwealth literature from the 14th century to the present day. The contributors analyze many individual works and engage the reader with their distinctive themes and stylistic approach. An introductory essay by editor in chief Jay Parini opens each volume and provides historical context.

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  • Contemporary Authors: A Bio-Bibliographical Guide to Current Writers in Fiction, General Nonfiction, Poetry, Journalism, Drama, Motion Pictures, Television

    Contemporary Authors: A Bio-Bibliographical Guide to Current Writers in Fiction, General Nonfiction, Poetry, Journalism, Drama, Motion Pictures, Television

    Gale | 2015 | ISBN-13: 9781573024044 

    Find biographical information on more than 149,000 modern novelists, poets, playwrights, nonfiction writers, journalists, and scriptwriters. Sketches typically include personal information, contact information, career history, writings, biographical and critical sources, authors’ comments, and informative essays about their lives and work. A softcover cumulative index is published twice per year and included in a subscription.

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