bibliografias

A bibliography, or bibliografias in Spanish and Portuguese, is a systematically organized list of sources on a topic. It appears at the end of a work or as a standalone reference collection. The term can refer to a list of works cited directly in the text (references) or to a comprehensive list of sources consulted in researching a topic (a bibliography).

There are several types: a descriptive or enumerative bibliography simply records sources; an analytical or critical bibliography adds commentary on each entry; an annotated bibliography includes a summary or evaluation of each source; a comprehensive bibliography aims to cover all relevant works, while a selective bibliography lists a curated subset. Online bibliographies may include links and metadata.

Entries follow citation styles such as APA, MLA, or Chicago. A typical entry includes author(s), title, publication information, edition, and year; for online sources, a URL and access date or DOI are included. The order is normally alphabetical by author surname, or by title when no author is given.

Bibliographies differ from references or works cited lists in scope and purpose, though in practice the terms are used variably by disciplines. Creating a bibliography involves source identification, evaluation of credibility and relevance, and precise formatting according to a chosen style.

In research, bibliographies help readers verify claims, locate sources, and understand the development of a topic. They also reflect scholarly rigor, aid literature reviews, and support ongoing scholarship in fields such as history, science, and humanities.