Question: In the sentence

> 
> I have a bibliography page which I'd like to **split in/into** sections
> 
> 
> 

which would you rather use: *split in* or *split into*?

Why?

Answer: 
There's not really a "grammatical" justification for the choice, but idiomatically, we [almost always](http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=split%20in%20sections,split%20into%20sections&year_start=1700&year_end=2000&corpus=0&smoothing=3) use *"into"* with *"sections"*...

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/1n8Dv.png)

...whereas with *"half"*, for example (there aren't many such examples), it's [the other way around](http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=split%20in%20half,split%20into%20half&year_start=1700&year_end=2000&corpus=0&smoothing=3)

![enter image description here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/WAkM8.png)

In fact, apart from *"half"* I'm not sure there's any other split you can make where *"into"* isn't preferred. If you compare [split in/into two](http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=split%20in%20two,split%20into%20two&year_start=1700&year_end=2000&corpus=0&smoothing=3), the preference isn't quite so marked - but that's probably influenced by the unusual usage with *"half"*. As you go to bigger numbers, the preference for *"into"* [is overwhelmingly reasserted](http://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=split%20in%20three,split%20into%20three&year_start=1700&year_end=2000&corpus=0&smoothing=3).

For a (weak) justification of the idiomatic preference for *split **into*** over *split **in***, I suggest that in numerous "compound verbs" *(lapse into a coma, descend into chaos, developed into full-blown AIDS, etc.)*, the *"into"* component strongly associates with "transformation" of the primary subject.

That association very much involves the "sub-component *"to"*, which can pass muster on its own in things like *turn to stone, bring to focus, etc.*. With those, you can get away with *"into"*, but you couldn't possibly use *"in"*.
> 
> I have a bibliography page which I'd like to split in/into sections
> 
> 
> 

So, there is this bibliography page that you **split in** most cases. Whatever you split, I hope you always **split into** sections, because I find it to be ---sections--- the best format to do so.

I have a bibliography page which I **splited into** twelve sections. Yes, I presented it **splitted in** a recent report. Don't be afraid to split; go ahead and split comfortably! Just don't ever *split into half* but **into halves** or **in half**.

;) Hope that helped. I would use *split into sections*.

From Oxford dictionary:

> 
> **Divide or cause to divide into parts or elements**. ‘The river had split
>  into a number of channels’. ‘Splitting water into oxygen and
>  hydrogen’.
> 
> 
> **Example sentences**:
> 
> 
> ‘It left me absolutely dumbfounded to see the 25-foot high walls, to
>  see how towns have been split into two.’
> 
> 
> ‘He welcomed another measure now set to be adopted by the agency,
>  under which the westbound carriageway will be split into two separate
>  lanes.’
> 
> 
> ‘The development will be split into five separate blocks.’
> 
> 
> ‘Under the new scheme, the town centre will be split into 12 different
>  zones which council bosses claim could be cleared in minutes.’
> 
> 
> ‘It takes energy to split the water molecule and release hydrogen, but
>  that energy is later recovered during oxidation to produce water.’
> 
> 
> ‘The exam is split into 10 separate tests, which last from two minutes
>  to 18 minutes.’
> 
> 
> ‘The water molecule is split into hydrogen ions (positively charged
>  atoms) and oxygen.’
> 
> 
> ‘Classes, which last for 45 minutes, are split into separate sessions
>  for babies, one- to two-year-olds, and two- to four-year-olds.’
> 
> 
> ‘This electricity splits the water molecules in an electrolyte,
>  producing hydrogen.’
> 
> 
> ‘After much debate, it was split into two separate and distinct
>  countries.’
> 
> 
> ‘This resulted in two items being added, no items being dropped, one
>  item being split into two separate items, and one item having minor
>  wording changes.’
> 
> 
> ‘The program is split into three separate phases.’
> 
> 
> ‘Her hair was pulled back into a large ponytail which was split into
>  five separate braids.’
> 
> 
> ‘But when did the Olympics split into separate Summer and Winter
>  Games, and where were the first Winter Olympics held?’
> 
> 
> ‘The playing field is split into three separate areas: surface, air,
>  and underground.’
> 
> 
> ‘The cotton country on this farm is split into two separate
>  developments of about 1250 acres each.’
> 
> 
> ‘The flow of coolant when entering our heatsink base is split into six
>  separate channels and two separate directions.’
> 
> 
> ‘The response was split evenly - 44 percent didn't work; 44 percent
>  did work.’
> 
> 
> ‘The retail business of both his Florida and New Mexico stores was
>  split evenly between new and pre-owned vehicles.’
> 
> 
> ‘Sozopol is split into two main parts: the old town and new town -
>  known as Harmanite.’
> 
> 
>