Creating bibliographies and works cited pages in strict MLA format is hardly the most fun part of a research project, but it is an undeniably necessary evil. Without a bibliography, how would your audience know where you found your information? In an effort to make her students’ lives a little easier when creating bibliographies, Mrs. Engles recently attended an AIMS (Association of Independent Maryland & D.C. Schools) workshop for teachers to learn more about EasyBib and how her students can use this time-saving tech tool.
EasyBib.com is a website that does exactly what the title says: it uses online information to easily create citations that can be exported to a word document with just a few clicks. When citing a book or print source, students need only enter the ISBN number or search by title to find the exact book that they used in their research. When they find the correct source, EasyBib then returns a fully formatted citation in any style students choose: MLA, APA, or Chicago. EasyBib will also make citations for sources found in newspapers, journals, or magazines; found online; on databases; or 53 other format options. This means that students will no longer have to pour over the MLA manual for exact formatting rules when they use less conventional sources like movies, brochures, or court cases for information in a school project.
Students can also take EasyBib on the go with apps for Apple and Adroid devices. In the picture above, Mrs. Engles demonstrates to her students how simple creating a citation can be if they use the EasyBib app on the iPhone to scan the publisher’s barcode on the back of the book. Using just the barcode, EasyBib access the publication info about the book from WorldCat and then creates a citation that can be emailed to the student from their phone or iPad. Watch the video below to see Mrs. Engles speak more about EasBib and its applications.
Originally posted on Feb. 13. 2012 on http://www.indiancreekschool.org.