This isn’t a guide on how to write a bibliography according to academic writing rules. You can find that with a quick Google search. This guide is better, because it teaches you how to cite your sources without the burdensome writing process. The key idea is – write your sources as you go.
We often encounter students who start writing a chapter, and in order not to delay the writing, they add a link or a word that reminds them that a source needs to be mentioned here. This is a mistake that will give you a headache at the end of the work, when you have to start searching for the articles you used back then.
So, first – write in-text citations as you go. It will give you peace of mind and a sense of relief when you are at the end of writing.
The second tip is to write the source directly into the bibliography as well, as you go. This helps in two ways – first, it saves you a lot of time at the end of the writing. Imagine having to go through the entire work, page by page, and start writing the bibliography, when the paper is due tomorrow. Don’t forget that a research paper can include over 50 sources.
Moreover, students often unintentionally omit an article or citation. This is a violation of the rules of ethics and academic writing. Often, it will also lower your grade if the professor notices it.
Finally, pay attention to which citation style you should write, MLA or APA. If you can choose, always choose APA as it is simpler and more visually pleasing than footnotes at the bottom of the page.
Now that everything is clear and set, it’s time to start writing your research paper! Or go out with friends and use RikiGPT instead (wink).
