YOUR BIBLIOGRAPHY: LEARN TO LOVE IT AND STOP WORRYING
$ Do yourself a favor and buy a used style manual.
I recommend that students learn the style for their profession as early as possible. Most academic disciplines have them. You can find out what they are by consulting the submission information (as if you wanted to submit something you have written for publication) for a journal from your discipline. Learning this early will save learning and unlearning later on.
If your discipline, Law Enforcement for example, does not seem to have any definite requirements, then I suggest you follow the style rules of MLA. You may also refer to the Chicago Manual of Style or Kate L. Turabian’s A Manuel for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations, any edition. Even The Little Brown Book will work.
A bibliography uses a standard format to give the following details for the publication you are using: the name of the author(s), the title of the publication, the date of publication and republication, the name of the publisher, the city where the work was published, any volume and issue numbers, and page number(s).
If you do not know which of these things to include, the order they should be listed in, or the font characteristics required -- read on...
You have five low-cost options to help master the art of bibliographing:
1) Go and get a new or used style manual (make sure it covers internet sources).
2) Go and visit an English language tutor. They are paid to help people with grammar, syntax, and spelling or the things we refer to when we talk about "style." Say to the tutor, “Excuse me, but my teacher wants me to have this looked at by a tutor before I turn it in. Can you help me by checking my style and showing me where I can improve?” They almost always say yes even if they ask you to make an appointment or wait until they are finished helping the person ahead of you.
They can also show you how to find your own answers to your questions about style. This is the best solution, because then you will not be dependent on the expertise of others. You will be amazed at how much learning the rules of language contributes to your confidence level.
2) Go to the library and visit the reference desk staff. They are paid to help people with research problems or questions. Say to them, “Excuse me, but my teacher wants me to do a research paper with a bibiliography. Can you help me find out what this means?” They will almost always say, "Yes," even if they ask you to wait until they are finished helping the person ahead of you. They can also show you how to find answers to your questions about style.
3) Visit me during office hours - bring your style manual!
4) Turn in your paper and have me return it to you ungraded with a suggestion to see a tutor, a member of reference desk staff, or visit me during office hours.