BIBLIOGRAPHY

The bibliography is the chief class or form of reference and information access tool. It is a
systematically produced descriptive list of records. The term bibliography is used very widely
as it covers the whole field of science of books as physical entities, their history, changing
forms, and the materials and methods of their construction. It is also considered to be both a
science and art as it includes the description.
As already mentioned, a bibliography is a systematic list of documents prepared for a particular
purpose on the basis of some criteria. These criteria may be documents on a subject, of a
country or of the whole of available knowledge. We will now study the origin and definition
of bibliography and know how it differs from a catalogue and an index. The word
`bibliography' has originated from the Greek terms - 'biblion' meaning a book and `graphien'
meaning to write. Bibliography, thus, means `writing of books' which later on changed to
`writing about books'.
There are a number of definitions available for the term bibliography. Some of the popular ones
are given below: a) Bibliography is the art or science of correctly describing books (their
literary contents, physical make-up). (Van Hoesan, 1928).
b) Bibliography is:
(i) the study of the material form of books, with comparison in variations in issues and copies,
as a means of determining the history and transmissions of texts,
(ii) the art of describing book correctly with respect to authorship, editions, physical forms,
etc.,
(iii) the preparation of lists of books, maps, etc.,
(iv) a list of books, maps, etc. (Thompson, 1943). c) Bibliography is the art of recording books
and the science of the making of books and their extant record. (Esdaile, 1963).
Besides the above, many more definitions are available. But over the passage of time, the earlier
meaning of bibliography as the study of books as physical entities has shifted to the
identification of the thought content in books. Presently to a library and information
professional, a bibliography means the art of preparing a systematic list of books and the name
of the list itself.
A bibliography is different from catalogues and indexes. A catalogue is a list of a given
collection, for example, a library and does not include any items not available in the particular
collection. For example, an index of a book is also different from a bibliography. Although
both provide access to information, the bibliography usually provides a single access point to
information (for example, the first author) and the index provides multiple access points (for
example, each of the several concepts treated in the document). Besides, in-depth subject
analysis is done in indexes so that a user can find specific concepts, e.g., references to names
of persons, places, events and topics. The catalogues and indexes both serve as sources for the
compilation of bibliographies.
FUNCTIONS AND USE
In the last two decades, there have been tremendous developments in the production of
documents. The volume of published literature has enormously increased. Bibliography or
rather bibliographic control is a direct consequence of enormous growth in published literature.
The chief function of a bibliography is to help the users in locating the required information
source in the fastest possible manner. Some of the functions of a bibliography are listed below:
a) It is a systematic guide to the literature on the subject;
b) It locates a title on a given subject and identifies the bibliographical details on it (author,
publisher, date and place of publication, etc.);
c) It serves as a selection tool in acquiring materials for the library;
d) It helps in obtaining information on complete works, and about an individual author;
e) It saves the time and efforts of researchers as it helps in selecting relevant and specific
documents from the large universe of documents;
f) It provides direction to the researcher by indicating the areas where total research in a subject
area stands and its progress;
g) It is useful for carrying out a retrospective search for the purposes of research;
h) It promotes the application of existing knowledge and activates the creation of new
knowledge; and
i) It helps a librarian to be selective, in case the budget is rather limited.
The above-mentioned functions of the bibliography indicate that the researchers cannot
function without compiling or consulting a bibliography as it provides a guide to the literature
of their study.
Bibliography has several other uses such as:
a) Helps the users in locating documents of their interest;
b) Helps in identifying and verifying bibliographic information of documents;
c) Aids in locating information (materials) through the publishers or other libraries;
d) Useful materials can be selected for building a sound library collection.
e) Further helps in tracing the development of a subject;
f) Duplication in research can be avoided and access to materials of interest can be
provided especially to researchers;
g) The bibliographies also perform the function of bibliographic control over the existing
literature;
How to prepare a bibliography?
The term “bibliography” is a catch-all for any list of sources cited at the end of an academic
work. Certain style guides use different terminology to refer to bibliographies. For example,
MLA format refers to a paper’s bibliography as its Works Cited page. APA refers to it as the
References page. No matter which style guide you’re using, the process for writing a
bibliography is generally the same. The primary difference between the different style guides
is how the bibliography is formatted.
The first step in writing a bibliography is organizing all the relevant information about the
sources you used in your research. Relevant information about a source can vary according to
the type of media it is, the type of bibliography you’re writing, and your style guide. Determine
which information you need to include about each source by consulting the style guide you’re
using. If you aren’t sure what to include, or if you’re not sure which style guide to use, ask your
instructor.
The next step is to format your sources according to the style guide you’re using. MLA, APA,
and the Chicago Manual of Style are three of the most commonly used style guides in academic
writing.
• MLA Works Cited page
In MLA format, the bibliography is known as the Works Cited page. MLA is typically used
for writing in the humanities, like English and History. Because of this, it includes guidelines
for citing sources like plays, videos, and works of visual art—sources you’d find yourself
consulting for these courses, but probably not in your science and business courses.
In MLA format, books are cited like this:
Last Name, First Name. Title of Book. City of Publication, Publisher, Publication
Date.
If the cited book was published prior to 1900, is from a publisher with offices in multiple
countries, or is from a publisher that is largely unknown in the US, including the book’s city
of publication. Otherwise, this can be left out.
Scholarly articles are cited in this format:
Author(s). “Title of Article.” Title of Periodical, Day Month Year, pages.
• APA References page
In APA format—the format typically used in psychology, nursing, business, and the social
sciences—the bibliography page is titled References. This format includes citation instructions
for technical papers and data-heavy research, the types of sources you’re likely to consult for
academic writing in these fields.
In APA format, books are cited like this:
Last name, First initial. (Year of publication). Title of work. Publisher Name.
Digital object identifier (DOI).
Scholarly articles are cited in this format:
Authors. (Year published). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number
(issue number), article’s page range (i.e., 10-15). URL.
 • Chicago Manual of Style
The Chicago Manual of Style (CMoS) permits authors to format bibliographies in two different
ways: the notes and bibliography system and the author-date system. The former is generally
used in the humanities, whereas the latter is usually used in the sciences and social sciences.
Both systems include guidelines for citations on a paper’s body pages as well as a bibliographic
list that follows the paper. This list is titled Bibliography.
In CMoS, books are cited like this:
Last name, First name. Title of Book. Place of publication: Publisher, Year of
publication.
Scholarly articles are cited in this format:
Last name, First name. “Article Title.” Journal Title volume number 58, no. issue
number (year published): page numbers of the article (i.e., 10-15).

RESEARCH PAPER
A research paper is a type of academic writing that provides an in-depth analysis, evaluation,
or interpretation of a single topic, based on empirical evidence. Research papers are similar to
analytical essays, except that research papers emphasize the use of statistical data and pre-
existing research, along with a strict code for citations.
Research papers are a bedrock of modern science and the most effective way to share
information across a wide network. However, most people are familiar with research papers
from school; college courses often use them to test a student’s knowledge of a particular area
or their research skills in general.
Considering their gravity, research papers favor formal, even bland language that strips the
writing of any bias. Researchers state their findings plainly and with corresponding evidence
so that other researchers can consequently use the paper in their own research.
Use in Research
Research papers are used in research to share the results of a study with others in the academic
community. They allow researchers to communicate their findings to a wider audience,
including peers, policymakers, and the general public. Research papers are also used to build
upon existing knowledge in a particular field, and to generate new ideas and hypotheses for
further investigation.
Research papers may be published in academic journals, conference proceedings, or other
scholarly publications, and may be peer-reviewed by experts in the field to ensure their quality
and accuracy. In addition, researchers may use research papers as a basis for grant proposals,
presentations, and other forms of professional communication.
CONTENTS:
Title or Cover Page
The first section of a research paper is the title or cover page. This includes the title, name of
the author, the date, learning institution (if applicable), and other specifications required by the
teacher.
Introduction
A brief introduction comes after the title page. This is a brief overview of what the research
topic is all about and what the reader is expected to read.

Literature Review
This section is a thorough evaluation of the research material and a clear understanding of the
topic based on credible resources associated with the research subject.
Research Methodology
In this section, the author should be able to lay down the methods used to conduct the research.
For example, observation, gathering feedback from reliable individuals or sources, surveys,
and evaluations to name a few.
Data Analysis and Findings
Another main feature of a research paper is the data analysis and findings. This is where the
author gets to provide valuable information based on reliable sources, describes the data that
was collected, and then presents the reader with the results.
Conclusion
A conclusion is a valuable feature in a research paper where the author writes down the overall
development, result, and understanding of the research topic. Recommendations are also added
if warranted.
Resources/References
To further validate your research paper, it is important to include a section on the materials,
resources, and references used to collect information and data. A teacher may provide a format
for how to properly write down this section if not a simple list will do.

FLOW CHARTS AND DIAGRAMS

Flowcharts and diagrams are visual representations of information that help to convey complex
ideas or processes in a simple and easy-to-understand manner. They are widely used in various
fields, such as business, engineering, computer programming, and education. In this context, I
will illustrate the use of flowcharts and diagrams in the context of software development.
A Software development is a complex process that involves designing, coding, testing, and
deploying software applications. To manage this process efficiently, software developers use
flowcharts and diagrams to visualize and communicate the various stages of the development
process. For example, a software development team may create a flowchart that outlines the
steps involved in developing a mobile application. Each step in the flowchart represents a
specific task or activity that needs to be completed before moving on to the next stage. This
helps to ensure that the development process is organized and efficient.
In addition to flowcharts, software developers also use diagrams to represent the architecture
of the software application. For example, the team may create a diagram that shows the various
components of the application and how they interact with each other. This helps to ensure that
the software application is designed in a way that is logical, efficient, and scalable.
Overall, flowcharts and diagrams are powerful tools that can help software developers to
visualize and communicate complex ideas and processes. By using these visual representations,
developers can work more efficiently and effectively, leading to better software applications
that meet the needs of their clients.
Flow charts are a useful tool in these situations, as they make a process easy to understand at a
glance. Using just a few words and some simple symbols, they show clearly what happens at
each stage and how this affects other decisions and actions.
What Is a Flow Chart?
Flow charts are easy-to-understand diagrams that show how the steps of a process fit together.
American engineer Frank Gilbreth is widely believed to be the first person to document a
process flow, having introduced the concept of a "Process Chart" to the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers in 1921.
Flow charts tend to consist of four main symbols, linked with arrows that show the direction
of flow:
1. Elongated circles, which signify the start or end of a process.

2. Rectangles, which show instructions or actions.

3. Diamonds, which highlight where you must make a decision.

4. Parallelograms, which show input and output. This can include materials, services or
people.

When to Use a Flow Chart

All manner of organizations uses flow charts to:

• Define a process.
• Standardize a process.
• Communicate a process.
• Identify bottlenecks or waste in a process.
• Solve a problem.
• Improve a process.