What is the difference between ID and ibid?

Answered by Robert Dupre

ID and ibid are both Latin abbreviations commonly used in citations to refer to previous sources. However, they have distinct meanings and are used in different ways.

ID, which stands for “Idem” or “Eadem,” means “the same.” When used in a citation, it refers to another page in the same source that was previously cited. It is typically used when citing multiple pages from the same book or article by the same author. By using ID, you indicate that you are referring to the same author and work as the immediately preceding citation, but on a different page.

For example, let’s say you are citing a book by John Smith and you have already cited page 10. If you want to refer to a different page from the same book, such as page 15, you would use ID. The citation would look like this: Smith, John, Title of Book, page 15. ID.

On the other hand, ibid, short for “Ibidem,” means “in the same place.” It is used to refer to the exact same location in the previous citation, regardless of whether it is the same page or a different page. This is commonly used when citing consecutive pages from the same source.

Continuing with the previous example, if you want to cite page 16 immediately following the citation of page 15, you would use ibid. The citation would look like this: Smith, John, Title of Book, page 16. Ibid.

It is important to note that ibid is used when the source is the same, but the page number changes, while ID is used when both the source and the page number change. Additionally, ibid is typically used in footnotes or endnotes, where there is a sequence of citations from the same source.

To summarize:

– ID refers to another page in the same source, indicating that the author and work remain the same, but the page changes.
– Ibid refers to the exact same location in the previous citation, regardless of whether it is the same page or a different page.

ID and ibid are Latin abbreviations used in citations to refer to previous sources. While ID refers to another page in the same source, ibid refers to the exact same location in the previous citation. These abbreviations help to minimize repetition and make citations more concise and clear.