Bibliography
Synonyms: Literature list
Meaning
A bibliography is a structured list or catalog of written works, such as books, articles, reports, or other publications, usually organized for scholarly or informational purposes. It can describe all literature relevant to a topic, not only those directly cited in a specific work.
In JabRef and literature management, a bibliography represents a conceptual collection of bibliographic records — the intellectual set of works compiled for study, documentation, or publication.
Delimitation (Scope and Exclusions)
- Not the same as references: References are the specific sources cited within a publication; a bibliography may also include works consulted but not cited.
- Not the same as a library: A library is the concrete storage file (e.g., a
.bibfile) containing bibliographic data. A bibliography is the logical or thematic organization of that data. - Not a citation: A citation is an inline or textual reference to one bibliographic entry.
Validity
A bibliography can exist:
- as part of a publication (e.g., “Bibliography” or “Works consulted” section),
- as a standalone compilation (e.g., “Annotated bibliography”),
- or as a conceptual subset within a reference manager such as JabRef.
Naming and Uniqueness
Bibliographies may be organized by:
- topic,
- author,
- period,
- or purpose (e.g., project bibliography, course reading list).
Uniqueness is defined by content and context, not by file identity.
Open Issues / Uncertainties
- The distinction between “bibliography” and “references” is blurred in many publication styles.
- Some citation styles (e.g., APA, IEEE) use the term “References” exclusively, even when a broader list would qualify as a bibliography.