# Hypertext Help with LaTeX
\bibitem

`\bibitem[label]{cite_key}`

The `\bibitem` command generates an entry labeled by `label`. If the `label` argument is missing, a number is generated as the label, using the `enumiv` counter. The `cite_key` is a mnemonic consisting of any sequence of letters, numbers, and punctuation symbols not containing a comma.

`\bibitem` and `\cite` are used together much as `\label` and `\ref` to produce a correspondence between items in the Reference or Bibliography (`thebibliography` environment).

This command writes an entry on the aux file containing `cite_key` and the item's `label`. When this aux file is read by the `\begin{document}` command, the item's `label` is associated with `cite_key`, causing the reference to `cite_key` by a `\cite` command to produce the associated `label`.

See also Environments
See also `thebibliography`, `\cite`
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