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thanks

I would say a reference list would simply be a list of sources written down; title/author. A bibliography is a bit more formal - there's a certain format/order you have to follow when writing down your sources.

Never really used the term reference list so I'm not 100% sure, but I've been using APA and MLA bibliography for years.

A reference list is a list of the sources you used for writing a paper, thesis or other piece of scientific work.

A bibliography is a list of papers/theses/dissertations etc. revolving around a certain topic which's aim is to be as complete as possible, especially when it comes to noteworthy publications.

P.S.: These are my personal definitions, there may be important things I left out.

pretty sure bib's need to be in a format such as MLA.

ref. lists usually are just listing either the book/author or the website you obtained them at. I could be wrong I don't take english classes anymore and rarely write papers with references.

They are used depending on what kind of work you are doing and what kind of format.

If I write an essay about child abuse I would most likely have a bibliography. If I write a paper about agricultural run off I would have a works cited listed.

First thing they make you buy for a writing class is a reference guide. It tells you which one to use and when.

They also have different formatting, but MS Word takes care of that.


In either case, I following my guide.



Here it shows what formats are appropriate for what kind of papers.



Here it shows what format of referencing you will use and the format for all the sections of your paper.



Here it shows you how to cite the different sources (has one type for everything, like 10 pages long)



Here is the sample of the Reference page

I would think that a reference list is similar to a works consulted, while a bibliography is more like a works cited. When I research, I tend to start very broad and narrow my way down. Some articles may not help me support my thesis, but they might point me in the right direction, so I put them in my works consulted. Sources I draw information directly from, on the other hand, get put in my works cited.

By documenting these two different types of sources, you can better show the reader how you arrived at your conclusion.