Bibliografies

Bibliografies, often referred to in English as bibliographies, are systematic lists of sources that relate to a particular topic, field, or works. They document the materials consulted or cited in a study and help readers locate relevant information. Bibliografies can be exhaustive, aiming to cover all pertinent sources, or selective, focusing on key works. They may also be annotated, providing brief summaries or critiques of each entry.

There are several types of bibliografies. General or subject bibliographies index materials on a broad topic, while specialized bibliographies focus on a narrower area, such as a single author, a particular period, or a specific format. National or regional bibliographies catalog works published within a country or locale. Annotated bibliographies add notes that describe the content, scope, and value of each source, aiding evaluation and use.

Entries in a bibliography typically include citation details such as author, title, publication year, edition, publisher, and place of publication. Online entries may add stable identifiers like a DOI or a persistent URL, along with an access date. Bibliografies are often formatted according to established citation styles (for example APA, MLA, or Chicago), and the ordering of entries commonly follows author name or title, though some lists are organized by topic.

Creating a bibliografy involves defining the scope, conducting a literature search, selecting relevant sources, compiling citations, and applying a consistent format. In the digital era, bibliografies increasingly rely on metadata standards and database tools to improve discoverability and interoperability.