Humanities scholars interpret and explain the cultural, social, historical, and ideological foundations of human thought, action, and spirit. Their work represents a conversation with both their objects of study and with earlier interpretations by other scholars.

References act as an index to the dialogue and analysis undertaken by the person or group responsible for a piece of writing. Bibliographical references help humanities scholars to understand how an author forms ideas. The list illuminates the intellectual traditions in which the author is working, and provides future scholars with some valuable research pointers.

Reference lists help to evaluate the authority and credibility of an author’s writing. Readers can use the references to establish the reliability of an author’s argument or to outline its limitations or shortcomings.

Bibliographic citations follow standard rules to identify and describe information sources. Researchers in the Humanities use the style manual published by the Modern Language Association (MLA) in The MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. It is essential to use the most recent edition of the style manual.

Depending upon their area of study, scholars may also use the style manual published by the University of Chicago Press in The Chicago Manual of Style. Always check with your professor for the preferred citation format.

MLA Style

Chicago Manual of Style