Library Assist: Answers

Students often find it difficult to differentiate between the terms reference list and bibliography. They both involve giving lists of source material but there is a subtle difference between them - as such, you should check your assignment brief carefully to make sure you provide what your lecturers are asking for.

• A reference list is a list of all of the sources that you have directly used and mentioned in your work. This means that every item on your reference list should have at least one corresponding in-text citation within your writing, and that every source you cite in your sentences should appear in your reference list. Part of any proof reading you carry out before submitting your work should make sure that your citations and reference list match, otherwise you can easily lose marks.

• A bibliography would still list all the sources that you have cited, but can also include wider reading and any background materials that you have consulted without directly using them in your work. A bibliography would therefore typically include more sources than a reference list, and it doesn't matter if a bibliography entry doesn't have a matching in-text citation. A bibliography demonstrates the full breadth of your reading whereas a reference list specifically details only those sources that underpin your arguments. 

Sometimes an assignment may ask for a reference list and a bibliography, in which case the bibliography should only provide details of any wider reading items you have used while cited sources should be in the reference list. Very occasionally, students may be asked for an annotated bibliography - this is where the referencing information for each source is followed by a brief paragraph that describes the source's key points and evaluates how useful the source was for your research. For more information about producing an annotated bibliography, see the Skills for Learning study guide in the link below.