Why do I need a bibliography page?

You need a bibliography page when . . .

When you want to demonstrate that you did "due diligence" in terms of research, even if you do not use any direct quotes from sources you consulted.
When you want me to know you did not concoct your paper out of thin air or simply copy and paste it from the Internet. [ SNU's statement on plagiarism ]
When you want your work to look professional. A bibliography page strengthens the credibility of your writing (That means it can improve your grade!).

drawing of books

Use a bibliography page to tell me . . .

1. You actually did some research.: A bibliography page helps your work pass the "baloney detector" test. A list of sources affirms that you did not make up key facts and supporting quotes.
2. You checked more than one source.: Can what you wrote be corroborated? That is, did you consult more than one source? Confirmability is an important test of truth. The number of entries is not the only test of a good bibliography. However, a bibliography listing several sources usually indicates that you have "triangulated" your information. That means you found at least two other sources that support the data you originally found.
3. You know who wrote your sources.: What about the authors' credentials? Are they trustworthy names? Will I see the names of people known for engaging the subject thoughtfully? Will I know them as people concerned with truth?
4. You know who published your sources.: Is the publisher a more believable source than supermarket tabloids (as exciting as those can be)?
5. You know when your sources were published.: How old is your information? Copyright dates in bibliography entries have a certain importance. Is it likely to be considered correct today? Old is not bad. Old does not mean it has no value. Original source documents can be very important. However, a classic text on Biblical archaeology written in 1895 will not have information on discoveries of the last 125 years. Balance the use of older sources with some new ones. This will also give you confirming "triangulation."

You can tell me all these things by including a proper bibliography page at the end of what you've written. On the other hand, . . . . a paper lacking a bibliography page may lead me to think one of two things (neither of which would be good for your grade):

You made up everything
You copied from one source and do not want me to know that.

Want to know how to make a bibliography page?

If you did any research at all, give me a listing of your sources on a separate bibliography page. Use MLA format for those listings.

Sample bibliography entries

Use these actual student entries as a pattern for constructing your bibliography.

Taken from a student paper for Introduction to Biblical Literature at Southern Nazarene University

Broadman & Holman Reference. Holman Concise Bible Dictionary. Wheaton, Illinois: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1996.

Mayfield, Joseph H. and Ralph Earle, eds. Beacon Bible Commentary. Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1965.

McGee, Vernon J. Thru the Bible. Volume IV. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1976.

Nelson's Pocket Reference. Nelson's Pocket Bible Dictionary. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1999

Tenney, Merrill C., ed. The Zondervan Pictorial Bible Dictionary. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1967.

Documenting quotations and information

Many of your courses in school require you to submit written research reports. With oral reports [ read more ] in Introduction to Biblical Literature at Southern Nazarene University, for example, students must still turn in a two- to three-page paper.

In these research papers, you must document your sources for quotes as well as for factual material. Rather than a traditional Turabian-style footnote at the bottom of a page, you may use a format like the APA (American Psychological Association) style in which a brief reference with the author's name and a page number is placed within the text of your paper.

APA reference sources circled on a page
of a student paper

Citing the Bible

English Bible versions vary in wording. Therefore, you need to make clear which Bible version you're using (italicize or underline the version title), followed by book (do not italicize or underline the book name), chapter, and verse.

For example: Ezekiel saw what seemed to be four living creatures,"each with faces of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle" (New Jerusalem Bible, Ezekiel 1:5-10).

If you are using the same version for all Bible quotes, after the first reference, only give the Bible book and chapter and verse numbers since you've established which edition of the Bible you will be using. If you use different versions, then indicate which one is being used in each citation.

Bibliography entries for the Bible (be sure to indent the second and following lines of an entry):

The Jerusalem Bible. A. Jones, ed. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, 1966.
Judges. Holy Bible: New international version. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan, 1978.
The Bible: A new translation, James Moffatt, translator. New York: Harper and Row, 1954.

Using MLA style formats: How to write papers following Modern Language Association guidelines

Additional writing help for you

How Can Quotes from Other People Be Beneficial?
Check out this humorous writing check list.
Fixing writing problems

Five Reasons to Create a Bibliography Page?

Bibliography pages serve several important purposes in academic writing and research:

Credibility and Verification: A bibliography provides a list of sources consulted or referenced in the work. By including a bibliography, you demonstrate that your work is well-researched and supported by credible sources. Readers can verify the information presented and assess the reliability of your claims.
Acknowledgment of Sources: Bibliographies give credit to the authors or creators of works that have been consulted or cited. Properly citing sources helps avoid plagiarizing. It also shows respect for intellectual property rights.
Further Reading: A bibliography can also serve as a resource for readers who wish to investigate the topic further. It provides a curated list of additional readings. That helps interested individuals to dig deeper into the subject matter.
Contextual Information: In some cases, the bibliography may include annotations or brief descriptions of the sources. This additional information can help readers understand the relevance of each source to the topic at hand and its value to their own research.
Scholarly Communication: In academic and research settings, bibliographies help scholarly communication. They allow researchers to trace the lineage of ideas and build upon existing knowledge. By referencing previous works, authors can situate their contributions within broader academic discussions.

In short, bibliography pages are important in academic writing. They are a foundation for transparency, accountability, and the dissemination of knowledge.

-- Howard Culbertson, hculbert@gmail.com