If you prefer manually typing everything, then you can make your own .bib file from scratch. Unlike a manual bibliography as described here, you can still change your bibliography style without having to edit every single entry.
Open a text editor. (like TeXShop, TextEdit, Simple Text or Notepad).
You will need to enter your bibliographic information in a form that BibTeX will understand. The following formats include the required fields only. You can always add extra fields for needed information. Be sure to check out the tips if you have not yet done so.
Chapter={Chapter 7: New Frontier}, AND/OR Pages={350-450},
<--Chapter Title and Page Number Field
Publisher = {Macmillan}
<--Publisher Field
Year = {2003}}
<--Year Field
For a edited volume of articles or a collection:
@incollection{DoyleOwl:1998,
<--This is the Label, and type of citation
Author = {Doyle Owl},
<--Author Field
Title = {Owls and Inflation},
<--Chapter or Article Title Field
BookTitle = {Economics of Lawn Ornaments},
<--Title Field
Publisher = {Reed Press},
<--Publisher Field
Year = {1998}}
<--Year Field
For an article in a book of conference proceedings:
@inproceedings{DoyleOwl:2000,
<--This is the Label, and type of citation
Author = {Doyle Owl},
<--Author Field
Title = {Owls and the US Debt},
<--Chapter or Article Title Field
BookTitle = {Lawn Ornaments Conference},
<--Title Field
Publisher = {Reed Press},
<--Publisher Field
Year = {2000}}
<--Year Field
For a technical manual or documentation:
@manual{Popular,
<--This is the Label, and type of citation
Title = {How to Become Popular}}
<-- Title Field
For a Master's thesis:
@mastersthesis{DoyleOwl:1990,
<--This is the Label, and type of citation
Author = {Doyle Owl},
<--Author Field
Title = {My Life},
<--Title Field
School = {Reed College},
<--Publisher Field
Year = {1990}}
<--Year Field
For a source that does not fit into any particular category:
@misc{DoyleOwl:2004,}
<--This is the Label, and type of citation
none
<--no Fields required
For a PhD thesis,
@phdthesis{DoyleOwl:1990,
<--This is the Label, and type of citation
Author = {Doyle Owl},
<--Author Field
Title = {My Life},
<--Title Field
School = {Reed College},
<--Publisher Field
Year = {1990}}
<--Year Field
For a conference proceedings,
@proceedings{Mascots:1990,
<--This is the Label, and type of citation
Title = {School Mascots},
<--Title Field
Year = {1990}}
<--Year Field
For a report published by a university or other institutions, usually as part of a series,
@techreport{DoyleOwl:1980,
<--This is the Label, and type of citation
Author = {Doyle Owl},
<--Author Field
Title = {Sociology of Mascots},
<--Title Field
Institution= {Reed College},
<--Institution Field
Year = {1990}}
<--Year Field
For unpublished sources,
@unpublished{DoyleOwl:1970,
<--This is the Label, and type of citation
Author = {Doyle Owl},
<--Author Field
Title = {My Life},
<--Title Field
Note = {Reed College}}
<--Note Field
There are many other optional fields that you can use in each database entry, such as Volume=, Number=, Abstract=, Series=, Month= . All of the acceptable fields and entry types are listed below.
<tableclass="table" style="margin:0 auto" >
address
Address of Publisher
author
Names of Authors
booktitle
Book Title when part of book is cited
chapter
Chapter Number
edition
Book Edition
editor
Book Editor or translator
howpublished
States anything unusual about how it was published