Works Cited vs. Bibliography vs. Reference List

After finishing a paper, you may be asked for a “Works Cited” page, a “Reference List,” or a “Bibliography.” These terms seem interchangeable, but in academic writing, they have specific meanings. Using the wrong term can appear unprofessional.

This guide clarifies the differences so you can format your paper correctly every time.

What is a Citation List?

All three terms—Works Cited, Reference List, and Bibliography—describe a list of sources at the end of a research paper. The purpose is to credit authors and allow readers to find your sources. The specific name of that list depends entirely on the citation style you are using.

The Core Difference: “Cited” vs. “Consulted”

The most important distinction is this:

• A Works Cited (MLA) or Reference List (APA) includes *only* the sources you directly cite in your text.
• A Bibliography (Chicago) often includes *all* sources you consulted during your research, even if you did not cite them.

Works Cited (MLA Style)

The term “Works Cited” is the required title for the source list in MLA (Modern Language Association) style. This style is most common in the humanities, such as literature, language, and philosophy courses.

• Rule: This page lists *only* the sources you actively cited in the body of your paper.
• Formatting: The entire page is double-spaced with a hanging indent. The formatting must follow strict MLA 9th edition guidelines.
• External Resource: According to the Purdue OWL, this page is alphabetized by the author’s last name.

Reference List (APA Style)

The term “Reference List” (or “References”) is the required title for the source list in APA (American Psychological Association) style. This style is standard for the social sciences, education, nursing, and business.

• Rule: Like MLA, this page lists *only* the sources you actively cited in your text.
• Formatting: This page also uses double-spacing and a hanging indent. It follows the APA 7th edition format.
• External Resource: The APA style guide from Purdue provides clear rules for formatting book and journal entries.

Bibliography (Chicago/Turabian Style)

“Bibliography” is used by the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS) and Turabian. This style is common in history, fine arts, and some humanities fields. This term is also used more generally to mean any list of sources.

• Rule: This is the key difference. A Chicago-style bibliography often lists *all* sources you consulted for your research, even if you did not end up citing them in your paper. It shows the full scope of your research.
• Formatting: This list is also alphabetized. Our Chicago style guide covers the basics of this system.
• External Resource: As MIT’s library guide explains, this bibliography is paired with footnotes or endnotes.

At-a-Glance Comparison

What About an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a different assignment. It is a list of citations (in any style) where each citation is followed by a paragraph of analysis (the annotation). For a full breakdown, see our guide on how to write an annotated bibliography.

If you are struggling with any of these formats, our formatting and citation assistance service can help ensure your paper is perfect.