Bibliography Block

The Bibliography block displays a formatted list of all references cited in your post. Also called a “Works Cited” or “References” section, it gives readers complete source information.

Why Use the Bibliography Block?

Complete Source Information Citations in text are abbreviated; the bibliography provides full details.

Automatic Updates Add a citation anywhere in your post, and it appears in the bibliography automatically.

Consistent Formatting All entries follow your chosen citation style exactly.

Reader Convenience Readers can find and verify your sources without leaving your page.

Adding a Bibliography Block

Step 1: Position Your Cursor

Place your cursor where you want the bibliography (typically at the end of your post).

Step 2: Insert the Block

Click + or type /bibliography and select the Bibliography block.

Step 3: Configure Options

Adjust settings in the sidebar to customize appearance.

Bibliography block in the editor

Bibliography Block Settings

Heading

Set the section title:

• References (APA default)
• Works Cited (MLA default)
• Bibliography (Chicago default)
• Custom heading of your choice
• No heading (leave blank)

Show Heading

Toggle to show or hide the heading entirely.

Grouping

Organize entries by:

Option	Description
None	Single alphabetized list
Year	Grouped by publication year
Type	Grouped by reference type (articles, books, etc.)
Author	Grouped by first author

Grouping options in the sidebar

Sorting

Order entries by:

• Alphabetical – By author surname (default for most styles)
• Year (Newest First) – Most recent publications first
• Year (Oldest First) – Chronological order
• Citation Order – Order cited in the text (for numeric styles)

Entry Spacing

Control vertical space between entries:

• Compact – Minimal spacing
• Normal – Standard spacing
• Relaxed – Extra space between entries

Hanging Indent

Enable hanging indent (standard for most citation styles):

Smith, J. A. (2020). Title of the article that wraps to
    multiple lines. Journal Name, 10(2), 42-50.

Line Height

Adjust line spacing within entries:

• Single – 1.0 line height
• 1.5 Lines – Standard for academic writing
• Double – 2.0 line height

How It Works

The Bibliography block automatically:

1. Detects all Citation blocks in your post
2. Collects the referenced sources
3. Formats each entry according to your citation style
4. Sorts and displays the list

You don’t need to manually add references to the bibliography – it updates dynamically.

Frontend Display

Readers see a professionally formatted reference list:

Bibliography as it appears to readers

Examples by Style

APA 7th Edition

References Johnson, M. R., & Smith, A. B. (2020). The impact of social media on research dissemination. Journal of Academic Communication, 15(3), 245-260. https://doi.org/10.1234/jac.2020.15.3.245 Williams, C. D. (2019). Understanding digital scholarship (2nd ed.). Academic Press.

MLA 9th Edition

Works Cited Johnson, Maria R., and Alice B. Smith. “The Impact of Social Media on Research Dissemination.” Journal of Academic Communication, vol. 15, no. 3, 2020, pp. 245-60. Williams, Charles D. Understanding Digital Scholarship. 2nd ed., Academic Press, 2019.

Chicago (Notes-Bibliography)

Bibliography Johnson, Maria R., and Alice B. Smith. “The Impact of Social Media on Research Dissemination.” Journal of Academic Communication 15, no. 3 (2020): 245-60. Williams, Charles D. Understanding Digital Scholarship. 2nd ed. Academic Press, 2019.

Toggle-able Bibliography

Enable readers to show/hide the bibliography:

1. In block settings, enable Collapsible
2. The bibliography shows with a toggle button
3. Readers can expand/collapse as needed

Useful for:

• Long reference lists
• Mobile-friendly layouts
• Focus on content first

Multiple Bibliographies

For longer posts, you can:

1. Add multiple Bibliography blocks in different sections
2. Each shows only citations from that section
3. Or configure to show all citations in each bibliography

Example: A thesis with chapters might have a bibliography at the end of each chapter.

Auto-Append Option

Don’t want to manually add a Bibliography block?

1. Go to References > Settings > Display
2. Enable Auto-Append Bibliography
3. A bibliography automatically appears at the end of posts with citations

Styling the Bibliography

Using Theme CSS

Add custom CSS to your theme to style the bibliography:

/* Bibliography container */
.abt-bibliography {
    margin-top: 2em;
    border-top: 1px solid #ccc;
    padding-top: 1em;
}

/* Bibliography heading */
.abt-bibliography h2 {
    font-size: 1.5em;
    margin-bottom: 1em;
}

/* Individual entries */
.abt-bibliography-entry {
    margin-bottom: 1em;
    text-indent: -2em;
    padding-left: 2em;
}

Block Editor Spacing

Use the block spacing controls in the editor sidebar to adjust margins around the bibliography.

Troubleshooting

Bibliography is empty

• Check that you have Citation blocks in your post
• Make sure the cited references exist and are published
• Verify the Bibliography block is properly inserted

Wrong formatting

• Check your citation style at References > Settings
• Some styles have specific bibliography requirements

Missing entries

• Deleted references won’t appear
• Draft references won’t appear
• Check that all citations reference valid sources

Duplicate entries

• If the same source appears twice, check for duplicate Citation blocks
• Some styles show duplicates differently for first vs. subsequent citations

Best Practices

1. Place at the end – Readers expect the bibliography at the bottom
2. Use headings – A clear heading helps readers find sources
3. Match your style guide – Use grouping/sorting that matches your requirements
4. Preview before publishing – Check that all entries appear correctly
5. Don’t forget page numbers – Add locators in Citation blocks for direct quotes

Next Steps

• Citation Styles – Change how entries are formatted
• Citation Block – Add citations that appear in the bibliography
• Display Settings – Configure auto-append and display options