scope:

This International Standard gives guidelines for the preparation of bibliographic references. It also gives guidelines for the preparation of citations in Latin scripts in works that are not themselves primarily bibliographical. It is applicable to bibliographic references and citations to all kinds of information resources, including but not limited to monographs, serials, contributions, patents, cartographic materials, electronic information resources (including computer software and databases), music, recorded sound, prints, photographs, graphic and audiovisual works, and moving images. It is not applicable to machine-parsable citations. It is also not applicable to legal citations, which have their own standards.

This International Standard does not prescribe a particular style of reference or citation. The examples used in this International Standard are not prescriptive as to style and punctuation.

Annexes A and B make reference to the relevant clause(s) of this International Standard which explain the requirements for referencing or citing printed and electronic information resources. Annex C gives examples of bibliographic references that comply with this International Standard.