What You Need to Know About Annotated Bibliographies
Powered by chegg.
- Select style:
- Archive material
- Chapter of an edited book
- Conference proceedings
- Dictionary entry
- Dissertation
- DVD, video, or film
- E-book or PDF
- Edited book
- Encyclopedia article
- Government publication
- Music or recording
- Online image or video
- Presentation
- Press release
- Religious text
An Introduction to Annotated Bibliographies
What is an annotated bibliography? Annotated bibliographies are aggregated lists of resources that correlate with a research topic. Students and researchers actively seek out exceptional resources about a specific research topic and develop of list of the best resources they’ve found. In addition to information about the source (such as the title, author’s name, publication information, and other identifiable information), writers also include a brief synopsis of each source to provide readers with information about its contents.
Follow the directions below, developed by Cite This For Me, to form a bibliography with annotations.
How to Do an Annotated Bibliography
The act of compiling a bibliography of this type involves:
- Choosing an annotated bibliography topic. Annotated bibliography topics are sometimes chosen by teachers or professors. There are times, however, when educators allow students or researchers to choose their own topics. Choose a topic which interests you to make the assignment more enjoyable to organize and complete.
- Seeking out relevant resources that directly correlate with a research topic
- Creating a citation for each resource. The citation includes the title, author’s name, date of publication, and other identifiable information. Citations can be formatted in MLA format , or another style your teacher or professor recommends.
- Writing a very brief analysis or summary of each source
In many nonfiction books and texts, authors provide readers with a suggested listing of resources for further reading. This is somewhat similar to an annotated bibliography, except a bibliography of this type takes it one step further and includes a brief write-up (about a paragraph long) about each source.
This specific type of bibliography can stand as an individual assignment or it can be one component of a full research project.
Looking for more information? Need a sample annotated bibliography? In need of another annotated bibliography definition? Click here for further reading.
Why Are Annotated Bibliographies Created?
These specific bibliographies are created for numerous reasons. One reason is to encourage students and researchers to become experts on a topic or area of study. It takes quite a bit of effort and time to access, read, and analyze sources related to a research topic. Scouring the wealth of information available promotes understanding and mastery.
They are also assigned to demonstrate, as well as to advance, information literacy skills. Using accurate keywords and subject headings, accessing databases, and analyzing sources are skills that are necessary in the 21st century. Compiling a bibliography of this type promotes these skills and helps students and researchers demonstrate good practices when it comes to information literacy.
Furthermore, these bibliographies can be helpful to others who are researching the same or a similar topic. Since they provide readers with a brief synopsis, or abstract, of each documented source, readers can determine if they can use it for their own tasks. They may find that the information relates to their own research goals and decide to locate and use the source as well, or they may decide to skip it.
What Elements Are Included in An Annotated Bibliography?
If you’re wondering how to write an annotated bibliography, or need an annotated bibliography template, follow these recommended guidelines from Cite This For Me.
Bibliographies include the following items, in this order:
- An introduction: The introduction should be the first item. The introduction should include the research topic, the types of sources included, the process used to locate the sources, and any other information related to the scope of the bibliography. Since the sources are the focus of the assignment, not the introduction, keep this part of the bibliography brief and succinct.
- A list of the sources and their annotations: This is the heart of the bibliography. Each source should have a full reference citation. Use Cite This For Me’s Citation Generator to instantly develop citations and add them to your assignment. The citations can be placed in alphabetical order by the first item in the citation (most likely the author’s name), in order by publication date, or the citations can be broken up into different categories (by subject categories or source types).
Below each citation, add the annotation. The annotation should be a write-up of about one paragraph, summarizing the source or providing a critique that pertains to the research topic.. For an explanation on the different types of annotations, click here for more.
Annotated Bibliography Examples
Below are a variety of examples and samples to help you understand how to make an annotated bibliography. Please note that only a couple annotations are included to provide an idea of the content and structure. If these were to be complete assignments, the bibliographies below would include more sources.
If you’re still asking yourself, “what is an annotated bibliography?” or wondering what to include in an annotated bibliography, check over here.
Annotated Bibliography Example #1: A MLA style bibliography with summary annotations
Topic: Research Habits of Young Children
This bibliography provides insight into the researching habits of young children. The majority of the resources were found using the ERIC database and include a variety of scholarly articles written in the past two years. These journal articles were peer reviewed.
Karalar, Halit, and Sabri Sidekli. “How Do Second Grade Students in Primary Schools Use and Perceive Tablets?” Universal Journal of Educational Research , vol. 5, no. 6, 2017, pp. 965-71. ERIC , doi: 10.13189/ujer.2017.050609.
This case study examined 60+ second graders in Turkey, seeking to determine how digital natives use tablets. Found that students use tablets to play games, search online, complete homework, and watch videos. Students did not use the tablets to read books, listen to music, or take photos. Students prefer playing outside to using tablets.
Knight, Simon, and Neil Mercer. “Collaborative Epistemic Discourse in Classroom Information-Seeking Tasks.” Technology, Pedagogy and Education, vol. 26, no. 1, 2017, pp. 33-50. ERIC, doi: 10.1080/1475939X.2016.1159978.
Focused on a small group of 11-year-olds who performed various tasks and located answers via search engines. Sought to determine if students regularly discuss their information-seeking practices and findings with one another. Authors found that students did discuss their processes, which ultimately resulted in positive learning outcomes.
Annotated Bibliography Example #2: An APA style bibliography with critique annotations
Note that The American Psychological Association does not provide guidelines or promote the development of annotated bibliographies. However, your teacher or professor may have assigned you one in this specific format. Cite This For Me recommends using the format and structure provided in this guide. Use the example of annotated bibliography below for reference as well.
Understanding the researching habits of young children provides educators with the ability to formulate developmentally appropriate research tasks and understand expectations. In addition, current research allows us to gather information about common misconceptions and to work towards changing them.
This bibliography displays a variety of current scholarly journal articles to help understand students’ research habits. The bibliography is organized by the platform studied and discussed in each article: Research on Desktop Computers and Research on Tablets. Since students’ researching habits can change depending on the platform used, it seemed appropriate to organize the bibliography as such.
Research on Computers
Knight, S., & Mercer, N. (2017). Collaborative epistemic discourse in classroom information-seeking tasks. Technology, Pedagogy and Education, 26(1), 33-50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2016.1159978
Concluded that student discussion during information-seeking tasks helps with understanding and completing research tasks. Small sample of students (8), which makes results difficult to compare to whole population. Developmentally appropriate search activity for students. Many students stated they looked for “official websites” in order to trust information.
Research on Tablets
Karalar, H., & Sidekli, S. (2017). How do second grade students in primary schools use and perceive tablets? Universal Journal of Educational Research, 5(6), 965-971. http://dx.doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2017.050609
Attempts to understand how a small sample of 2nd graders in Turkey use their tablets. As an educator, the format of the open-ended written responses seemed developmentally too difficult. However, it stated in the study that students completed it easily. Findings were not surprising. Fourteen out of 63 students stated they use tablets for searching. One student stated, “It knows whatever I asked,” so it can be assumed that perhaps Siri, or some other type of voice recognition software, was used to type in the search strings or keywords.
Click here for an additional annotated bibliography sample/example of an annotated bibliography. This source also explains how to define annotated bibliography and answers the question, “What are the parts of an annotated bibliography?”
Notice the two annotated bibliography samples found above have different structures. The first bibliography is formatted in alphabetical order by the author’s last names, while the second bibliography is organized into different categories. Both are acceptable. If the bibliography is very long, it may be helpful to organize it into different subject headings or categories.
Researchers and students can also organize their bibliographies in chronological order. This is often done when many of the sources are created by the same person. For example, if writing a bibliography about short stories Mark Twain wrote, it would make sense to organize the bibliography by publication date. For further information on the organization and for an example annotated bibliography, click here to get more info. This site also features an annotation worksheet, which can be used as an annotated bibliography maker.
Here are some additional recommendations from Cite This For Me to help format your annotated bib:
If you are creating the bibliography in MLA:
- Use standard size print or copy paper (8.5 inches x 11 inches). It is not necessary to use a specific finish or texture.
- Double space everything, even the citations.
- Choose a commonly used font. Arial and Times New Roman are both good options. For font size, use 12-point.
- Create a hanging indent for citations. The first line of the citation should align along the left margin. The second line should be indented in half an inch from the left (or use the “Tab” button on your keyboard). Look at the citations above for visual examples.
- Margins should be 1 inch around the perimeter of the paper.
If you are creating the bibliography using APA format:
- Use Times New Roman only. For font size, use 12-point.
Don’t forget, Cite This For Me generates citations in even more styles . Use Cite This For Me’s citation generator to develop your citations in a few easy steps.
An annotated bibliography contains three parts: 1. the title at the top; 2. the bibliographic citation; and 3. the annotation following each citation. Some style formats may also include an introduction to the topic. While the citation provides standard details about the work, the annotation following it is generally summary, analysis, or evaluation. A summary or analysis may also include an evaluation.
The annotated bibliography may be organized alphabetically by authors’ last names, by category, or chronologically.
Elements of an Annotated Bibliography
Title: Annotated Bibliography (centered)
Citation (per APA or MLA or Chicago format)
Annotation (150 to 250 words in summary, analysis, or evaluation)
You should create an annotated bibliography for the following reasons:
- To help you evaluate the credibility, authenticity, and authority of your sources before you start writing your paper
- To help you understand the depth of your topic
- To help you decide if you have enough information on your topic based on your research
- To assess whether your research is adequate or if you need more research to come to a conclusion
These points are discussed in detail below.
Evaluating the credibility, authenticity, and authority of your sources
When you assess a source’s credibility, authenticity, and authority, you become genuinely knowledgeable on whether that source is trustworthy and reliable enough to base your research on. This is of paramount importance when the paper bases its findings on your sources.
Understanding a Topic in Depth
A source can either provide information at a shallow level or at a much deeper level. By creating an annotated bibliography, you can evaluate at what level a resource provides information. Most importantly, the resource enables you to fathom your level of understanding of the subject and transfer that knowledge to future readers of your paper.
Assessing the Need for Further Research
By compiling an annotated bibliography, you can assess if the sourced ideas are enough and relevant or if you need to dig deeper to get more information on your chosen area of focus. While you may get information from all your sources, the ideas and conclusions that you derive from those sources are to be your own. Writing an annotated bibliography can help you to arrive at a final conclusion more easily when you synthesize your ideas and conclusions in a cohesive manner.
Annotated Bibliographies: Writing the introduction
- First steps
- Finding source materials
- Selecting materials
- Finding additional materials
- Steps in writing annotations
- Writing the introduction
- Revising for quality
- Final checklist
- Style sheets
- Examples of styles/annotations
Why write the intro AFTER the bibliography???
Projects like an annotated bibliography lead you beyond what you knew when you started. Your annotated bibliography will be shaped by what you find and what you learn , so it makes sense to write the Introduction when you know exactly what you've accomplished, and what the final scope and limitations of your resource selection are.
The introduction
7. WRITE AN INTRODUCTION Typically a short overview of the research focus, the introduction needs to define the topic, the scope of the bibliography, and if it is meant to cover the whole range of opinion or just one viewpoint or aspect. Check your Subject Outline or verify with your lecturer for what else needs to be included in the introduction.
Note: In a very short exercise ("Write an annotated bibliography with at least three different works."), giving it an informative title might take the place of writing an introduction.
For longer bibliographies, especially ones that attempt to give a full overview of a topic, having an introduction is essential. Very specific topics need to be defined clearly, or the reader might be misled.
Describe the scope of your bibliography, i.e., whether it covers what you judge to be the best, or the most recent, or a broad sample of the available material on your topic.
Again, does it cover the whole range of opinion, or just one viewpoint or aspect of the topic?
Example: Postmodern Interpretations of Hamlet
Does it cover a particular time period, or does it reach back for the "classic" articles, even if they are decades old?
Black Republicans' Opinions on Barack Obama's Candidacy
Negative Criticism of Keynesian Economics during the Reagan Administration
The Lutheran Response to the Holocaust, 1951-1975
Introduction
HiMamma.jpg by gracey
Where to get help
- Librarians Can help you find the best resources for your bibliography
- Learning Advisers There is a Learning Advice desk at Cairns and Townsville and regular workshops you can attend
- << Previous: Steps in writing annotations
- Next: Revising for quality >>
- Last Updated: Feb 18, 2022 2:30 PM
- URL: https://libguides.jcu.edu.au/annotated
Purdue Online Writing Lab College of Liberal Arts
Annotated Bibliography Samples
Welcome to the Purdue OWL
This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.
Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.
This handout provides information about annotated bibliographies in MLA, APA, and CMS.
Below you will find sample annotations from annotated bibliographies, each with a different research project. Remember that the annotations you include in your own bibliography should reflect your research project and/or the guidelines of your assignment.
As mentioned elsewhere in this resource, depending on the purpose of your bibliography, some annotations may summarize, some may assess or evaluate a source, and some may reflect on the source’s possible uses for the project at hand. Some annotations may address all three of these steps. Consider the purpose of your annotated bibliography and/or your instructor’s directions when deciding how much information to include in your annotations.
Please keep in mind that all your text, including the write-up beneath the citation, must be indented so that the author's last name is the only text that is flush left.
Sample MLA Annotation
Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life . Anchor Books, 1995.
Lamott's book offers honest advice on the nature of a writing life, complete with its insecurities and failures. Taking a humorous approach to the realities of being a writer, the chapters in Lamott's book are wry and anecdotal and offer advice on everything from plot development to jealousy, from perfectionism to struggling with one's own internal critic.
In the process, Lamott includes writing exercises designed to be both productive and fun. Lamott offers sane advice for those struggling with the anxieties of writing, but her main project seems to be offering the reader a reality check regarding writing, publishing, and struggling with one's own imperfect humanity in the process. Rather than a practical handbook to producing and/or publishing, this text is indispensable because of its honest perspective, its down-to-earth humor, and its encouraging approach.
Chapters in this text could easily be included in the curriculum for a writing class. Several of the chapters in Part 1 address the writing process and would serve to generate discussion on students' own drafting and revising processes. Some of the writing exercises would also be appropriate for generating classroom writing exercises. Students should find Lamott's style both engaging and enjoyable.
In the sample annotation above, the writer includes three paragraphs: a summary, an evaluation of the text, and a reflection on its applicability to his/her own research, respectively.
For information on formatting MLA citations, see our MLA 9th Edition (2021) Formatting and Style Guide .
Sample APA Annotation
Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America . Henry Holt and Company.
In this book of nonfiction based on the journalist's experiential research, Ehrenreich attempts to ascertain whether it is currently possible for an individual to live on a minimum-wage in America. Taking jobs as a waitress, a maid in a cleaning service, and a Walmart sales employee, the author summarizes and reflects on her work, her relationships with fellow workers, and her financial struggles in each situation.
An experienced journalist, Ehrenreich is aware of the limitations of her experiment and the ethical implications of her experiential research tactics and reflects on these issues in the text. The author is forthcoming about her methods and supplements her experiences with scholarly research on her places of employment, the economy, and the rising cost of living in America. Ehrenreich’s project is timely, descriptive, and well-researched.
The annotation above both summarizes and assesses the book in the citation. The first paragraph provides a brief summary of the author's project in the book, covering the main points of the work. The second paragraph points out the project’s strengths and evaluates its methods and presentation. This particular annotation does not reflect on the source’s potential importance or usefulness for this person’s own research.
For information on formatting APA citations, see our APA Formatting and Style Guide .
Sample Chicago Manual of Style Annotation
Davidson, Hilda Ellis. Roles of the Northern Goddess . London: Routledge, 1998.
Davidson's book provides a thorough examination of the major roles filled by the numerous pagan goddesses of Northern Europe in everyday life, including their roles in hunting, agriculture, domestic arts like weaving, the household, and death. The author discusses relevant archaeological evidence, patterns of symbol and ritual, and previous research. The book includes a number of black and white photographs of relevant artifacts.
This annotation includes only one paragraph, a summary of the book. It provides a concise description of the project and the book's project and its major features.
For information on formatting Chicago Style citations, see our Chicago Manual of Style resources.
- Research Guides
- CECH Library
How to Write an Annotated Bibliography
- Introduction
- New RefWorks
- Formatting Citations
- Writing Annotations
- Sample Annotated Bibliographies
What is an Annotated Bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is an enhanced list of citations that briefly summarizes each article, book, or other source of information and explains why it is important for your topic. It can be divided into two distinct parts: the annotation and the bibliography.
- A bibliography is a list of articles, books, and or other sources of information that have been used for researching a topic. This list is called “References” In APA format or “Works Cited” in MLA format. All academic papers should have a bibliography that lists the sources used for its creation.
- An annotation is a short paragraph that summarizes a source and describes how it is relevant to your research. To annotate literally means “to make notes.”
There is not an official format for annotated bibliographies, though usually the bibliographic citation is written in APA or MLA format. If this is being done for a class, ask the instructor which format you should use.
- Example of an Annotated Bibliography The William Morris Collection at the Archives and Rare Books Library, University of Cincinnati
- More Examples
Example of entries on an Annotated Bibliography
Henderson, R., & Honan, E. (2008). Digital literacies in two low socioeconomic classrooms: Snapshots of practice. English Teaching: Practice and Critique, (7)2 , 85-98.
Provides snapshots of digital practices in two middle-level classrooms within low socioeconomic suburbs in Australia during one school term. Ethnographic research techniques were used to investigate (1) teachers' pedagogical approaches to using digital literacy practices with low-income students; (2) students' access to digital technologies at home and at school; and (3) how home literate practices compared to the practices valued in school. Results underscore the need to disrupt teachers' deficit views of these students' home digital literacies so that school practices can be built upon the knowledge and literacies students already have.
(Beach et al., 2009)
Frazen, K., & Kamps, D. (2008). The utilization and effects of positive behavior support strategies on an urban school playground. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 10, 150-161. doi: 10.1177/1098300708316260.
This study examined the effectiveness of a school-wide PBS recess intervention across three grades—2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th . The intervention included a token economy system for following five operationally defined, positively stated school rules. A multiple baseline design across grades was used to determine the effectiveness of the swPBS recess intervention on inappropriate behaviors. Intervention was implemented across the three grades at staggered times. When intervention was implemented, inappropriate behavior demonstrated a change in level for all grades and a decrease in variability for one grade (2 nd ). Trend was relatively stable across all phases for two classrooms and a slight increasing trend was observed during baseline for the 4 th grade that stabilized once the intervention was implemented. Experimental control was demonstrated when (1) baseline behavior remained consistent despite the implementation of intervention in other grades, (2) only when intervention was implemented was a change in behavior level observed, and (3) experimental control was demonstrated at three distinct points.
(McCoy, 2015)
Why are Annotated Bibliographies useful?
An annotated bibliography demonstrates your understanding of a topic. It's easy to add a source to a reference list and forget about it when you just need a citation, but you will read and evaluate that source more carefully when you have to write an annotation for it. Since annotations need to be more than just a summary and explain the value of each source, you are forced to think critically and develop a point of view on the topic. Writing an annotated bibliography is a great way to start preparing a major research project because you will see what arguments have already been proposed in the literature and where your project can add something new to the larger body of work.
Reading published scholarly annotated bibliographies is an efficient method for starting research since they will provide a comprehensive overview of a topic and introduce what other researchers are saying about a topic.
Beach, R., Bigelow, M., Dillon, D., Dockter, J., Galda, L., Helman, L., . . . Janssen, T. (2009). Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English. Research in the Teaching of English, 44 (2), 210-241. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27784357
McCoy, D. (2015). Annotated bibliography #1 behavior research methods [Class handout]. Behavior Analysis, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH.
Accessing Library Resources
How to Access Library Resources : Click the link to a library resource. You may be prompted to log in with your UC username and password. You may have to complete Duo Two-Factor Authentication as well.
These prompts can occur both on and off campus.
Additional Information and Resources for Accessing Library Resources
- Affiliate and Guest Access Information for Affiliates, Guests and Alumni for connecting from off campus.
- Help and Troubleshooting Tech support for common connection and password issues.
- Tools Proxy link generators and linking via Google Scholar.
- Next: New RefWorks >>
- Last Updated: Feb 27, 2023 10:50 AM
- URL: https://guides.libraries.uc.edu/annotated_bibliography
University of Cincinnati Libraries
PO Box 210033 Cincinnati, Ohio 45221-0033
Phone: 513-556-1424
Contact Us | Staff Directory
University of Cincinnati
Alerts | Clery and HEOA Notice | Notice of Non-Discrimination | eAccessibility Concern | Privacy Statement | Copyright Information
© 2021 University of Cincinnati
- Houston Community College
- Eagle Online
- Nicole Zaza
- Resource Folder
- Sample Papers
Sample Annotated Bibliography with Introduction
To print or download this file, click the link below:
Annotated Bibliographies: Introduction
An annotated bibliography is often used in academic writing to help guide the research process by presenting a focused selection of sources that are relevant to your topic.
What to Include
Check with your professor's instructions regarding:
- number of sources needed,
- length of each entry,
- citation style to use (in this case, APA Style)
Each entry in an Annotated Bibliography includes:
- Annotated Bibliography FAQ/Sample
- Writing Annotated Bibliographies
Learn More...
- Purdue OWL: Annotated Bibliographies
- University of Guelph: Writing Annotated Bibliographies
- University of Toronto: Writing an Annotated Bibliography
Selecting Sources & Writing Tips
APA Style PDF
- Last Updated: Jan 9, 2023 9:23 AM
- URL: https://sheridancollege.libguides.com/annotatedbibliography
Connect with us
GEOG_GEOL4120: Introduction to Research: Home
- Start Your Research
- Find Background Information
- Grey Literature
- Annotated Bibliography
- Literature Review
- Citing Sources
https://geomasterglobal.wordpress.com/2013/05/23/geography-vs-geology/comment-page-1/
Welcome to the Research Guide for GEOG/GEOL 4120: Introduction to Research. This guide has been specifically created to help you be successful in navigating resources for your Intro to Research Class! Use the tabs to go specifically to the help you need. This guide will be available the duration of the semester, and is accessible from a computer or mobile device.
Take the Time
- To create an Illiad account if you don't already have one! Interlibrary loan will probably be a reality at some point in your research future. Save time now, and create your account. This will alleviate a great deal of frustration and confusion once you are researching and find something that the library does not subscribe to.
- Remember , even if you are on campus, your personal laptop will have an IP address that is not recognized. You will need to authenticate (your GS credentials) to fully access materials. Sometimes the initial login does not complete this. If you are searching the databases and see a yellow bar at the top of the page - you need to click and authenticate!
- Ask-A-Librarian Chat is there for a reason! There is no need to second guess and deal with major frustration while searching library resources. The library chat function is on the library home page, and is also available through our library guides (little golden bubble on each page). Use it and receive an immediate answer to your question!
- Next: Start Your Research >>
- Last Updated: Jan 26, 2023 1:21 PM
- URL: https://georgiasouthern.libguides.com/geog4120_research
PHYS 108: Introduction to Astronomy: Creating an annotated bibliography
- Selecting a topic
- Finding books
- Searching for articles
- Creating an annotated bibliography
- Getting help
Other How-To Guides
Searching Using Keywords
How to find books
How to find articles
How to Critically Evaluate Sources
What is an Annotated Bibliography?
Why make an annotated bibliography?
Creating an annotated bibliography involves gathering the most important sources of information about one's topic. These sources can be used later as evidence to support an argument or analysis of a larger research project, like a research essay.
What is an annotated bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a list of high-quality sources that you have found about your topic. The list contains sources such as books, articles, and documents that you have found about your research topic.
- Each source is cited using a citation style (for example MLA, APA, Chicago, etc).
- Each cited source in the list is followed by a brief "annotation" (usually about 150 words) that is a descriptive and evaluative paragraph.
- Write annotations with your audience in mind; remember, the purpose of the annotation is partly to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited. Another purpose is to remind the researcher (you) how you might use the source to support your thesis in a larger, related research project.
Annotations are not abstracts
- An abstract simply summarizes or describes a source.
- An annotation is a paragraph of text that summarizes a source but goes a step further to critically evaluate the source's content by discussing its scope, relevance, strengths and/or weaknesses.
The process in a few easy steps
Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research.
- Understand the rules that your instructor has provided.
- Locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic. Briefly examine and review the actual items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.
- Cite the book, article, or document using the appropriate style.
- Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author (see below), (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.
Critically evaluating books, articles, or other types of information
For guidance in critically appraising and analyzing the sources for your bibliography, see How to Critically Evaluate Information . For information on an author's background and views, ask at the reference desk for help finding appropriate biographical and book review sources.
Citation Styles and Examples of Annotated Bibliographies
Choosing the correct citation style
Check with your instructor to find out which style is preferred for your class. Online citation guides for both the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) styles are linked from the Library's Citation Management page .
How to write annotated bibliographies tutorials provided by UMGC :
- How to Write an Annotated Bibliography – APA | Tutorial
- How to Write an Annotated Bibliography – MLA
SU Libraries Thanks
This guide was adapted by SU Libraries with permission from Research & Learning Services, Olin Library, Cornell University Library, Ithaca, NY, USA. Thanks library folks!
Manage & Organize Citations
ProQuest RefWorks is a citation management tool that can help researchers cite sources in all of styles most commonly used at SU like APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, ACS, AMA, and thousands of others. With this tool, researchers can gather, organize, read, annotate, and cite their research sources. Plus, ProQuest RefWorks creates an online collaboration space that enables groups of researchers to work together from any location
Learn more about RefWorks and how to use it .
- << Previous: Searching for articles
- Next: Getting help >>
- Last Updated: Feb 8, 2023 12:14 PM
- URL: https://libraryguides.salisbury.edu/PHYS108
Want to create or adapt OER like this? Learn how BCcampus supports open education and how you can access Pressbooks . Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices. -->
Part 2: The research process
2.6 Annotated bibliography
An annotated bibliography is a descriptive and evaluative list of citations for books, articles, or other documents. Each citation is followed by a brief paragraph – the annotation – alerting the reader to the accuracy, quality, and relevance of that source.
Composing an annotated bibliography helps you to gather your thoughts on how to use the information contained in the cited sources, and it helps the reader to decide whether to pursue the full context of the information you provide.
Depending on the purpose of your bibliography, different elements will be more important and some may not be important at all. Your instructor may also have guidelines or be able to talk about priorities.
While an annotation can be as short as one sentence, the average entry in an annotated bibliography consists of a work’s citation information followed by a short paragraph. The annotated bibliography may potentially include:
- Author information Who is the author? What is her/his background? Is the author qualified to write this document?
- Author’s purpose What is the author’s purpose in writing this article or doing this research? Is the purpose stated or implied? Does the author have a particular message?
- Audience information To what audience is the author writing (scholars, teachers, the general public, etc.)? Is this reflected in the author’s style of writing or presentation?
- Author bias Does the author show any biases or make assumptions upon which the rationale of the article rests? If so, what are they?
- Information source What methods did the author use to obtain the data? Is the article based on personal opinion, experience, interviews, library research, questionnaires, laboratory experiments, empirical observation, or standardized personality tests?
- Author conclusion What conclusions does the author draw? Are these conclusions specifically stated or implied?
- Conclusion justification Are the conclusions justified from the research or experience? Are the conclusions in sync with the original purpose of the research and supported by the data? Are the conclusions skewed by bias?
- Relationship to other works How does this work compare with others cited? Does it conflict with conventional wisdom, established scholarship, government policy, etc.? Are there specific studies or writings cited with which this one agrees or disagrees? Are there any opinions not cited of which readers should be aware? Is the evidence balanced or weighted in favor of a particular perspective?
- Time frame Is the work current? Is this important? How does the time in which it was written reflect on the information contained in this work?
- Significant attachments Are there significant attachments such as appendices, bibliographies, illustrations, etc.? Are they valuable or not? If there are none, should there be?
Your instructor may have specific requirements for what your annotated bibliography should address.
Sample annotated bibliography entry using APA style (Trent University, 2019)
Morey, D. F. (2006). Burying key evidence: The social bond between dogs and people. Journal of Archaeological Science, 33, 158-175. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2005.07.009
In this article, Morey documents the widespread human practice of burying domesticated dogs and questions what this practice can reveal about relationships between the two [This sentence demonstrates the topic of the article] . He argues that dog burials have been more frequent and more consistent than burials of other types of animals, suggesting that humans have invested dogs with spiritual and personal identities. Morey also demonstrates that the study of dog burials can help scholars to more accurately date the domestication of dogs; thus, he challenges scholars who rely solely on genetic data in their dating of domestication to consider more fully the importance of archaeological finds [The previous 2 sentences explain the article’s argument] . To support his arguments, Morey provides detailed data on the frequency, geographic and historical distribution, as well as modes of dog burials and compares the conclusions he draws from this data to those found by scholarship based on genetic data [This sentence gives an overview of the method used in the article] . This article is useful to a literature review on the domestication of dogs because it persuasively shows the importance of using burial data in dating dog domestication and explains how use of this data could change assessments of when domestication occurred [This sentence explains the relevance of the article to the assigned topic] .
Trent University. (2019). How to create an annotated bibliography . Retrieved from https://www.trentu.ca/academicskills/how-guides/how-write-university/how-approach-any-assignment/how-create-annotated-bibliography.
Attributions
This chapter contains material taken from Annotated Bibliographies by the Laurence McKinley Gould Library (used under a CC-BY-NC 4.0 International License ) and Annotated Bibliographies by the Western Nevada College Library (used under a CC-BY 3.0 International license) .
Introduction to Professional Communications by Melissa Ashman is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
Share This Book
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
The introduction should include the research topic, the types of sources included, the process used to locate the sources, and any other information related to
Your annotated bibliography will be shaped by what you find and what you learn, so it makes sense to write the Introduction when you know
Below you will find sample annotations from annotated bibliographies, each with a different research project. Remember that the annotations you include in
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations followed by a brief summary or analysis of your sources, aka annotations. The annotation gives information
An annotated bibliography is an enhanced list of citations that briefly summarizes each article, book, or other source of information and explains why it is
To print or download this file, click the link below: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document icon
An annotated bibliography is often used in academic writing to help guide the research process by presenting a focused selection of sources
In short, an annotated bibliography is simply a reference list (bibliography) with annotations - or short descriptions about each reference
An annotated bibliography is a list of high-quality sources that you have found about your topic. The list contains sources such as books, articles, and
An annotated bibliography is a descriptive and evaluative list of citations for books, articles, or other documents. Each citation is followed by a brief