How to Citation a Book by Its Page Number
How to cite a book is the question asked by many scholars of all disciplines. A bibliography is essentially a list of works included in a text or essay that describes the author or authors qualifications. The bibliography can provide a background on an author, but more importantly, it will establish the extent to which the author actually participated in the creation of his or her own works. A bibliography must be meticulous, covering every facet of the author’s academic and professional life. A diligent student must make sure that their bibliography accurately lists all the works listed in alphabetical order, beginning with the most obscure. However, the standard format for a bibliography will be one that makes sense to the student and one that can be easily found and employed.
In case you have already completed a course on how to cite a book, it will make sense to simply begin with the most recent edition. All works published after 1990 are not considered part of your bibliography, so if you have written a book, you will need to include all of the earlier editions as well. The year of publication for any book is irrelevant, as long as it was published. The most recent works are always listed first.
An excellent guideline for how to cite a book by its page number should follow. First, locate the date on the cover or table of contents, wherever it may be located. On most covers and tables, there is a line running down the left-hand side of the page and across to the next line. Write the page number directly underneath this line. Be sure to include the capitalization of the book’s name.
Second, use the index. The index is usually located on the table of contents next to the table of contents. If not, the index can generally be found on the table of contents itself. Write the page number directly underneath this line. Make sure to include the capitalization of the book’s name in your citation.
Third, write the entire page number(s) following the citation, including periods. This is followed by the word “citation” followed by the page number. For example, the book’s reference page would be page xii. The reference list at the end of the book, after the table of contents, would be page xiii. Follow this entire citation, including page numbers, in order to fully understand the author’s intended meaning.
When quoting from the work in question, it is important that you correctly quote the source. If a quote refers to a chapter or section of a book, always include the page number(s) where that section is located in your reference page. If your work is an essay, always provide separate pages for each individual section within the essay. The referenced work must always be cited in its entirety, including any footnotes, endnotes, and bibliography.