how does an annotated bibliography help in research

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Annotated Bibliographies

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Definitions

A bibliography is a list of sources (books, journals, Web sites, periodicals, etc.) one has used for researching a topic. Bibliographies are sometimes called "References" or "Works Cited" depending on the style format you are using. A bibliography usually just includes the bibliographic information (i.e., the author, title, publisher, etc.).

An annotation is a summary and/or evaluation. Therefore, an annotated bibliography includes a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources. Depending on your project or the assignment, your annotations may do one or more of the following.

For more help, see our handout on paraphrasing sources.

For more help, see our handouts on evaluating resources .

• Reflect : Once you've summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?

Your annotated bibliography may include some of these, all of these, or even others. If you're doing this for a class, you should get specific guidelines from your instructor.

Why should I write an annotated bibliography?

To learn about your topic : Writing an annotated bibliography is excellent preparation for a research project. Just collecting sources for a bibliography is useful, but when you have to write annotations for each source, you're forced to read each source more carefully. You begin to read more critically instead of just collecting information. At the professional level, annotated bibliographies allow you to see what has been done in the literature and where your own research or scholarship can fit. To help you formulate a thesis: Every good research paper is an argument. The purpose of research is to state and support a thesis. So, a very important part of research is developing a thesis that is debatable, interesting, and current. Writing an annotated bibliography can help you gain a good perspective on what is being said about your topic. By reading and responding to a variety of sources on a topic, you'll start to see what the issues are, what people are arguing about, and you'll then be able to develop your own point of view.

To help other researchers : Extensive and scholarly annotated bibliographies are sometimes published. They provide a comprehensive overview of everything important that has been and is being said about that topic. You may not ever get your annotated bibliography published, but as a researcher, you might want to look for one that has been published about your topic.

The format of an annotated bibliography can vary, so if you're doing one for a class, it's important to ask for specific guidelines.

The bibliographic information : Generally, though, the bibliographic information of the source (the title, author, publisher, date, etc.) is written in either MLA or APA format. For more help with formatting, see our MLA handout . For APA, go here: APA handout .

The annotations: The annotations for each source are written in paragraph form. The lengths of the annotations can vary significantly from a couple of sentences to a couple of pages. The length will depend on the purpose. If you're just writing summaries of your sources, the annotations may not be very long. However, if you are writing an extensive analysis of each source, you'll need more space.

You can focus your annotations for your own needs. A few sentences of general summary followed by several sentences of how you can fit the work into your larger paper or project can serve you well when you go to draft.

How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography: The Annotated Bibliography

• The Annotated Bibliography
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Explanation, Process, Directions, and Examples

What is an annotated bibliography.

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Annotations vs. Abstracts

Abstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes. Annotations are descriptive and critical; they may describe the author's point of view, authority, or clarity and appropriateness of expression.

The Process

Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research.

First, 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, (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 Appraising the Book, Article, or Document

For guidance in critically appraising and analyzing the sources for your bibliography, see How to Critically Analyze Information Sources . For information on the author's background and views, ask at the reference desk for help finding appropriate biographical reference materials and book review sources.

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 .

Sample Annotated Bibliography Entries

The following example uses APA style ( Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th edition, 2019) for the journal citation:

Waite, L., Goldschneider, F., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American Sociological Review, 51 (4), 541-554. The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

This example uses MLA style ( MLA Handbook , 9th edition, 2021) for the journal citation. For additional annotation guidance from MLA, see 5.132: Annotated Bibliographies .

Waite, Linda J., et al. "Nonfamily Living and the Erosion of Traditional Family Orientations Among Young Adults." American Sociological Review, vol. 51, no. 4, 1986, pp. 541-554. The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

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• What is an Annotation?

Why Do an Annotated Bibliography?

• What Should be Included in the Annotation?
• What Format Should I Use for the Citations?
• Evaluating Sources
• Summative Annotations
• Evaluative Annotations
• Examples from the Web
• Additional Resources
• University of Washington Libraries
• Library Guides
• Annotated Bibliographies

Annotated Bibliographies: Why Do an Annotated Bibliography?

Here are some reasons:

• An annotated bibliography provides information about each source you have used One of the reasons behind citing sources and compiling a general bibliography is so that you can prove you have done some valid research to back up your argument and claims. Annotated bibliographies include additional details that provide an overview of the sources themselves.
• Each annotation provides essential details about a source Readers, researchers or instructors reading an annotated bibliography will get a snapshot of the important details that they need to know about each source. As a researcher, you have become an expert on your topic: you have the ability to explain the content of your sources, assess their usefulness, and share this information with others who may be less familiar with them.
• Some types of annotations provide details about what the paper's author has done with or thinks about each source Certain types of annotations (Evaluative Annotations, for example) may provide a brief analysis of the source by the paper's author, including details about what information is most important or not, how it the source fits into the broader scope of the paper and why it may or may not be useful to others.
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Annotated Bibliographies

What this handout is about.

This handout will explain why annotated bibliographies are useful for researchers, provide an explanation of what constitutes an annotation, describe various types of annotations and styles for writing them, and offer multiple examples of annotated bibliographies in the MLA, APA, and CBE/CSE styles of citation.

Introduction

Welcome to the wonderful world of annotated bibliographies! You’re probably already familiar with the need to provide bibliographies, reference pages, and works cited lists to credit your sources when you do a research paper. An annotated bibliography includes descriptions and explanations of your listed sources beyond the basic citation information you usually provide.

Why do an annotated bibliography?

One of the reasons behind citing sources and compiling a general bibliography is so that you can prove you have done some valid research to back up your argument and claims. Readers can refer to a citation in your bibliography and then go look up the material themselves. When inspired by your text or your argument, interested researchers can access your resources. They may wish to double check a claim or interpretation you’ve made, or they may simply wish to continue researching according to their interests. But think about it: even though a bibliography provides a list of research sources of all types that includes publishing information, how much does that really tell a researcher or reader about the sources themselves?

An annotated bibliography provides specific information about each source you have used. As a researcher, you have become an expert on your topic: you have the ability to explain the content of your sources, assess their usefulness, and share this information with others who may be less familiar with them. Think of your paper as part of a conversation with people interested in the same things you are; the annotated bibliography allows you to tell readers what to check out, what might be worth checking out in some situations, and what might not be worth spending the time on. It’s kind of like providing a list of good movies for your classmates to watch and then going over the list with them, telling them why this movie is better than that one or why one student in your class might like a particular movie better than another student would. You want to give your audience enough information to understand basically what the movies are about and to make an informed decision about where to spend their money based on their interests.

What does an annotated bibliography do?

A good annotated bibliography:

• encourages you to think critically about the content of the works you are using, their place within a field of study, and their relation to your own research and ideas.
• proves you have read and understand your sources.
• establishes your work as a valid source and you as a competent researcher.
• situates your study and topic in a continuing professional conversation.
• provides a way for others to decide whether a source will be helpful to their research if they read it.
• could help interested researchers determine whether they are interested in a topic by providing background information and an idea of the kind of work going on in a field.

What elements might an annotation include?

• Bibliography according to the appropriate citation style (MLA, APA, CBE/CSE, etc.).
• Explanation of main points and/or purpose of the work—basically, its thesis—which shows among other things that you have read and thoroughly understand the source.
• Verification or critique of the authority or qualifications of the author.
• Comments on the worth, effectiveness, and usefulness of the work in terms of both the topic being researched and/or your own research project.
• The point of view or perspective from which the work was written. For instance, you may note whether the author seemed to have particular biases or was trying to reach a particular audience.
• Relevant links to other work done in the area, like related sources, possibly including a comparison with some of those already on your list. You may want to establish connections to other aspects of the same argument or opposing views.

The first four elements above are usually a necessary part of the annotated bibliography. Points 5 and 6 may involve a little more analysis of the source, but you may include them in other kinds of annotations besides evaluative ones. Depending on the type of annotation you use, which this handout will address in the next section, there may be additional kinds of information that you will need to include.

For more extensive research papers (probably ten pages or more), you often see resource materials grouped into sub-headed sections based on content, but this probably will not be necessary for the kinds of assignments you’ll be working on. For longer papers, ask your instructor about their preferences concerning annotated bibliographies.

Did you know that annotations have categories and styles?

Decisions, decisions.

As you go through this handout, you’ll see that, before you start, you’ll need to make several decisions about your annotations: citation format, type of annotation, and writing style for the annotation.

First of all, you’ll need to decide which kind of citation format is appropriate to the paper and its sources, for instance, MLA or APA. This may influence the format of the annotations and bibliography. Typically, bibliographies should be double-spaced and use normal margins (you may want to check with your instructor, since they may have a different style they want you to follow).

MLA (Modern Language Association)

See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for basic MLA bibliography formatting and rules.

• MLA documentation is generally used for disciplines in the humanities, such as English, languages, film, and cultural studies or other theoretical studies. These annotations are often summary or analytical annotations.
• Title your annotated bibliography “Annotated Bibliography” or “Annotated List of Works Cited.”
• Following MLA format, use a hanging indent for your bibliographic information. This means the first line is not indented and all the other lines are indented four spaces (you may ask your instructor if it’s okay to tab over instead of using four spaces).
• Begin your annotation immediately after the bibliographic information of the source ends; don’t skip a line down unless you have been told to do so by your instructor.

APA (American Psychological Association)

See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for basic APA bibliography formatting and rules.

• Natural and social sciences, such as psychology, nursing, sociology, and social work, use APA documentation. It is also used in economics, business, and criminology. These annotations are often succinct summaries.
• Annotated bibliographies for APA format do not require a special title. Use the usual “References” designation.
• Like MLA, APA uses a hanging indent: the first line is set flush with the left margin, and all other lines are indented four spaces (you may ask your instructor if it’s okay to tab over instead of using four spaces).
• After the bibliographic citation, drop down to the next line to begin the annotation, but don’t skip an extra line.
• The entire annotation is indented an additional two spaces, so that means each of its lines will be six spaces from the margin (if your instructor has said that it’s okay to tab over instead of using the four spaces rule, indent the annotation two more spaces in from that point).

CBE (Council of Biology Editors)/CSE (Council of Science Editors)

See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for basic CBE/CSE bibliography formatting and rules.

• CBE/CSE documentation is used by the plant sciences, zoology, microbiology, and many of the medical sciences.
• Annotated bibliographies for CBE/CSE format do not require a special title. Use the usual “References,” “Cited References,” or “Literature Cited,” and set it flush with the left margin.
• Bibliographies for CSE in general are in a slightly smaller font than the rest of the paper.
• When using the name-year system, as in MLA and APA, the first line of each entry is set flush with the left margin, and all subsequent lines, including the annotation, are indented three or four spaces.
• When using the citation-sequence method, each entry begins two spaces after the number, and every line, including the annotation, will be indented to match the beginning of the entry, or may be slightly further indented, as in the case of journals.
• After the bibliographic citation, drop down to the next line to begin the annotation, but don’t skip an extra line. The entire annotation follows the indentation of the bibliographic entry, whether it’s N-Y or C-S format.
• Annotations in CBE/CSE are generally a smaller font size than the rest of the bibliographic information.

After choosing a documentation format, you’ll choose from a variety of annotation categories presented in the following section. Each type of annotation highlights a particular approach to presenting a source to a reader. For instance, an annotation could provide a summary of the source only, or it could also provide some additional evaluation of that material.

In addition to making choices related to the content of the annotation, you’ll also need to choose a style of writing—for instance, telescopic versus paragraph form. Your writing style isn’t dictated by the content of your annotation. Writing style simply refers to the way you’ve chosen to convey written information. A discussion of writing style follows the section on annotation types.

Types of annotations

As you now know, one annotation does not fit all purposes! There are different kinds of annotations, depending on what might be most important for your reader to learn about a source. Your assignments will usually make it clear which citation format you need to use, but they may not always specify which type of annotation to employ. In that case, you’ll either need to pick your instructor’s brain a little to see what they want or use clue words from the assignment itself to make a decision. For instance, the assignment may tell you that your annotative bibliography should give evidence proving an analytical understanding of the sources you’ve used. The word analytical clues you in to the idea that you must evaluate the sources you’re working with and provide some kind of critique.

Summary annotations

There are two kinds of summarizing annotations, informative and indicative.

Summarizing annotations in general have a couple of defining features:

• They sum up the content of the source, as a book report might.
• They give an overview of the arguments and proofs/evidence addressed in the work and note the resulting conclusion.
• They do not judge the work they are discussing. Leave that to the critical/evaluative annotations.
• When appropriate, they describe the author’s methodology or approach to material. For instance, you might mention if the source is an ethnography or if the author employs a particular kind of theory.

Informative annotation

Informative annotations sometimes read like straight summaries of the source material, but they often spend a little more time summarizing relevant information about the author or the work itself.

Indicative annotation

Indicative annotation is the second type of summary annotation, but it does not attempt to include actual information from the argument itself. Instead, it gives general information about what kinds of questions or issues are addressed by the work. This sometimes includes the use of chapter titles.

Critical/evaluative

Evaluative annotations don’t just summarize. In addition to tackling the points addressed in summary annotations, evaluative annotations:

• evaluate the source or author critically (biases, lack of evidence, objective, etc.).
• show how the work may or may not be useful for a particular field of study or audience.
• explain how researching this material assisted your own project.

Combination

An annotated bibliography may combine elements of all the types. In fact, most of them fall into this category: a little summarizing and describing, a little evaluation.

Writing style

Ok, next! So what does it mean to use different writing styles as opposed to different kinds of content? Content is what belongs in the annotation, and style is the way you write it up. First, choose which content type you need to compose, and then choose the style you’re going to use to write it

This kind of annotated bibliography is a study in succinctness. It uses a minimalist treatment of both information and sentence structure, without sacrificing clarity. Warning: this kind of writing can be harder than you might think.

Don’t skimp on this kind of annotated bibliography. If your instructor has asked for paragraph form, it likely means that you’ll need to include several elements in the annotation, or that they expect a more in-depth description or evaluation, for instance. Make sure to provide a full paragraph of discussion for each work.

As you can see now, bibliographies and annotations are really a series of organized steps. They require meticulous attention, but in the end, you’ve got an entire testimony to all the research and work you’ve done. At the end of this handout you’ll find examples of informative, indicative, evaluative, combination, telescopic, and paragraph annotated bibliography entries in MLA, APA, and CBE formats. Use these examples as your guide to creating an annotated bibliography that makes you look like the expert you are!

MLA Example

APA Example

CBE Example

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

American Psychological Association. 2010. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association . 6th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Bell, I. F., and J. Gallup. 1971. A Reference Guide to English, American, and Canadian Literature . Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.

Bizzell, Patricia, and Bruce Herzburg. 1991. Bedford Bibliography for Teachers of Writing , 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford Books.

Center for Information on Language Teaching, and The English Teaching Information Center of the British Council. 1968. Language-Teaching Bibliography . Cambridge: Cambridge University.

Engle, Michael, Amy Blumenthal, and Tony Cosgrave. 2012. “How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography.” Olin & Uris Libraries. Cornell University. Last updated September 25, 2012. https://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/content/how-prepare-annotated-bibliography.

Gibaldi, Joseph. 2009. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers , 7th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America.

Huth, Edward. 1994. Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers . New York: University of Cambridge.

Kilborn, Judith. 2004. “MLA Documentation.” LEO: Literacy Education Online. Last updated March 16, 2004. https://leo.stcloudstate.edu/research/mla.html.

Spatt, Brenda. 1991. Writing from Sources , 3rd ed. New York: St. Martin’s.

University of Kansas. 2018. “Bibliographies.” KU Writing Center. Last updated April 2018. http://writing.ku.edu/bibliographies .

University of Wisconsin-Madison. 2019. “Annotated Bibliography.” The Writing Center. Accessed June 14, 2019. https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/assignments/annotatedbibliography/ .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography - APA Style (7th Edition)

What is an annotation, how is an annotation different from an abstract, what is an annotated bibliography, types of annotated bibliographies, descriptive or informative, analytical or critical, to get started.

An annotation is more than just a brief summary of an article, book, website, or other type of publication. An annotation should give enough information to make a reader decide whether to read the complete work. In other words, if the reader were exploring the same topic as you, is this material useful and if so, why?

While an abstract also summarizes an article, book, website, or other type of publication, it is purely descriptive. Although annotations can be descriptive, they also include distinctive features about an item. Annotations can be evaluative and critical as we will see when we look at the two major types of annotations.

An annotated bibliography is an organized list of sources (like a reference list). It differs from a straightforward bibliography in that each reference is followed by a paragraph length annotation, usually 100–200 words in length.

Depending on the assignment, an annotated bibliography might have different purposes:

• Provide a literature review on a particular subject
• Help to formulate a thesis on a subject
• Demonstrate the research you have performed on a particular subject
• Provide examples of major sources of information available on a topic
• Describe items that other researchers may find of interest on a topic

There are two major types of annotated bibliographies:

A descriptive or informative annotated bibliography describes or summarizes a source as does an abstract; it describes why the source is useful for researching a particular topic or question and its distinctive features. In addition, it describes the author's main arguments and conclusions without evaluating what the author says or concludes.

For example:

McKinnon, A. (2019). Lessons learned in year one of business.  Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting ,  30 (4), 26–28. This article describes some of the difficulties many nurses experience when transitioning from nursing to a legal nurse consulting business. Pointing out issues of work-life balance, as well as the differences of working for someone else versus working for yourself, the author offers their personal experience as a learning tool. The process of becoming an entrepreneur is not often discussed in relation to nursing, and rarely delves into only the first year of starting a new business. Time management, maintaining an existing job, decision-making, and knowing yourself in order to market yourself are discussed with some detail. The author goes on to describe how important both the nursing professional community will be to a new business, and the importance of mentorship as both the mentee and mentor in individual success that can be found through professional connections. The article’s focus on practical advice for nurses seeking to start their own business does not detract from the advice about universal struggles of entrepreneurship makes this an article of interest to a wide-ranging audience.

An analytical or critical annotation not only summarizes the material, it analyzes what is being said. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of what is presented as well as describing the applicability of the author's conclusions to the research being conducted.

Analytical or critical annotations will most likely be required when writing for a college-level course.

McKinnon, A. (2019). Lessons learned in year one of business.  Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting ,  30 (4), 26–28. This article describes some of the difficulty many nurses experience when transitioning from nursing to a nurse consulting business. While the article focuses on issues of work-life balance, the differences of working for someone else versus working for yourself, marketing, and other business issues the author’s offer of only their personal experience is brief with few or no alternative solutions provided. There is no mention throughout the article of making use of other research about starting a new business and being successful. While relying on the anecdotal advice for their list of issues, the author does reference other business resources such as the Small Business Administration to help with business planning and professional organizations that can help with mentorships. The article is a good resource for those wanting to start their own legal nurse consulting business, a good first advice article even. However, entrepreneurs should also use more business research studies focused on starting a new business, with strategies against known or expected pitfalls and issues new businesses face, and for help on topics the author did not touch in this abbreviated list of lessons learned.

Now you are ready to begin writing your own annotated bibliography.

• Choose your sources - Before writing your annotated bibliography, you must choose your sources. This involves doing research much like for any other project. Locate records to materials that may apply to your topic.
• Review the items - Then review the actual items and choose those that provide a wide variety of perspectives on your topic. Article abstracts are helpful in this process.
• The purpose of the work
• A summary of its content
• Information about the author(s)
• For what type of audience the work is written
• Its relevance to the topic
• Any special or unique features about the material
• Research methodology
• The strengths, weaknesses or biases in the material

Annotated bibliographies may be arranged alphabetically or chronologically, check with your instructor to see what he or she prefers.

Please see the  APA Examples page  for more information on citing in APA style.

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Research Methods: A Student's Comprehensive Guide: Annotated Bibliography

• Research Approaches
• Types of Sources
• Accessing Resources
• Evaluating Sources
• Question Crafting
• Search Strategies

Annotated Bibliography

• Literature Reviews
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An annotated bibliography is a valuable research tool that provides a detailed account of each source you plan to use. Unlike a regular bibliography, it includes not only the citation information but also a brief summary and evaluation of the source. This section will guide you through the process of creating an annotated bibliography and highlight its importance in organizing and evaluating your research.

Significance:  Creating an annotated bibliography helps you demonstrate your understanding of the sources you're using. It allows you to critically engage with the material, showing how each source contributes to your research. This process not only aids in organizing your thoughts and sources but also serves as a useful reference for future research or writing tasks. An annotated bibliography can also be an excellent tool for peer reviews or when seeking feedback from instructors.

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What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a curated list of sources with detailed entries that combine bibliographic citations with descriptive and evaluative annotations. Each entry includes a citation formatted according to the relevant style guide (e.g., APA, MLA) and a brief annotation that summarizes, evaluates, and reflects on the source.

• Format:  Lists the source’s author(s), title, publication details, and other relevant information in the required citation style.
• Purpose:  Provides essential information for retrieving the source.

Annotation:

• Summary:  Offers a snapshot of the source’s key points, arguments, or findings.
• Evaluation:  Assesses the source’s credibility and relevance, considering the author’s expertise, methodology, and impact.
• Reflection:  Discusses how the source fits into your research, its utility, and its relationship to other sources.
• Organize Your Research:  Helps you systematically track and manage your sources.
• Engage Critically:  Demonstrates your ability to critically analyze and assess the value of each source.
• Enhance Understanding:  Provides insight into how each source contributes to your research topic and aids in future projects.

How to Create an Annotated Bibliography

• Identify Relevant Materials:  Choose sources that are pertinent to your research topic, ensuring they contribute valuable perspectives or data.
• Diverse Types:  Include a mix of source types (books, articles, websites) to provide a well-rounded view of the subject.
• Follow Style Guidelines:  Adhere to the required citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago) for consistency and accuracy.
• Include Essential Details:  Make sure each citation contains all necessary information for locating the source, such as author(s), title, publication date, and publisher.
• Summary:  Briefly describe the main content, arguments, or findings of the source. Aim for clarity and brevity.
• Evaluation:  Assess the source’s credibility and relevance. Consider the author's qualifications, the source’s methodology, and its impact on the field.
• Reflection:  Reflect on how the source will be used in your research. Discuss its usefulness, how it compares to other sources, and its contribution to your overall understanding of the topic.

Citation:  Smith, John.  Exploring Modern Economics . Academic Press, 2020.

Summary:  Smith outlines key economic theories and illustrates their practical implications through case studies and real-world examples. The book is structured to guide readers through complex concepts with clarity and precision.

Evaluation:  The source is credible due to Smith’s extensive expertise and the book’s rigorous peer-review process. The use of current data and relevant case studies enhances the book’s reliability and relevance to modern economic discussions.

Reflection:  This book is particularly useful for understanding contemporary economic frameworks and their practical applications. It will support my research by providing a solid theoretical foundation and real-world examples that complement other sources in my bibliography.

Analysis of the Example:

• Citation:  Provides essential bibliographic details to locate the source.
• Summary:  Offers a concise overview of the content, helping to understand the source’s focus.
• Evaluation:  Assesses the credibility and relevance, ensuring the source's quality.
• Reflection:  Demonstrates how the source contributes to the research, emphasizing its practical value.

Additional Notes:

• Formatting:  Ensure consistency in citation style and clarity in annotations.
• Relevance:  Choose examples that are representative of the types of sources you will include in your bibliography.
• Issue:  Failing to provide a full summary, evaluation, and reflection for each source.
• Solution:  Ensure each annotation includes a brief summary of the source’s content, an assessment of its credibility and relevance, and a reflection on how it contributes to your research.
• Issue:  Inconsistent or incorrect citation formatting that deviates from the required style guide (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).
• Solution:  Follow the citation style guidelines carefully. Double-check the format for each citation to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Issue:  Including sources that do not directly relate to your research topic or question.
• Solution:  Select sources that are highly relevant to your research. Each source should contribute meaningful information or insight into your topic.
• Issue:  Writing annotations that are too long or detailed, which can dilute the focus.
• Solution:  Keep annotations concise and to the point. Focus on summarizing the main points, evaluating the source, and reflecting on its utility without excessive detail.
• Issue:  Not critically assessing the credibility or relevance of the sources.
• Solution:  Evaluate each source’s author, methodology, and impact. Consider the source’s strengths and limitations in your annotations.
• ​​​​​​​ Issue:  Relying too heavily on a single type of source or a limited range of perspectives.
• Solution:  Include a diverse array of sources to provide a well-rounded view of your topic. Incorporate different types of sources and viewpoints to enrich your research.
• Issue:  Failing to update or revise annotations as your research progresses.
• Solution:  Regularly review and update your annotated bibliography to reflect new insights or changes in your research focus.
• Issue:  Presenting entries in a disorganized manner that makes it difficult to follow.
• Solution:  Organize your entries logically, either alphabetically by author or thematically, to ensure clarity and ease of navigation.

Q: What if I have multiple sources from the same author?

A:  When citing multiple works by the same author, list them in chronological order, starting with the earliest publication. Ensure that each entry is clearly distinguished by including the publication date in the citation and providing unique annotations for each source.

Q: How long should each annotation be?

A: There is no strict length requirement for annotations, but they should be concise and focused. Typically, annotations range from 3 to 7 sentences, covering the summary, evaluation, and reflection. The key is to provide enough information to be informative without being overly detailed.

Q: Can I use an annotated bibliography for non-academic projects?

A:  Yes, annotated bibliographies can be useful for various types of projects, including professional reports, grant applications, and personal research. They help organize and critically assess sources, making them valuable for any research or writing task.

Q:  How do I handle sources that I can’t access directly?

A:  If you cannot access a source directly, rely on secondary summaries or reviews. Include a citation for the original source and an annotation based on the secondary material. Clearly note in the annotation that you are citing the source indirectly.

Q: Should I include annotations for sources that I decide not to use in my final work?

A:  Generally, only include sources that you are using or considering for your research in your annotated bibliography. If a source is not used, it should not be part of the final bibliography. However, maintaining a preliminary annotated bibliography of sources you considered can be useful for tracking your research process.

Q: How do I integrate an annotated bibliography into my research paper or project?

A:  An annotated bibliography is typically a separate document but can be integrated into your research process as a reference tool. You can refer to it when writing your paper to ensure that you accurately represent and cite your sources. In some cases, sections of the annotated bibliography might be incorporated into the methodology or literature review sections of your paper.

Q: Is it necessary to include an annotation for every source in my bibliography?

A:  Yes, each source listed in your annotated bibliography should have an accompanying annotation. This provides a comprehensive view of each source’s content, relevance, and utility, making your bibliography a useful tool for your research.

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What is An Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (books, articles, websites, etc.) with short paragraph about each source. An annotated bibliography is sometimes a useful step before drafting a research paper, or it can stand alone as an overview of the research available on a topic.

Each source in the annotated bibliography has a citation - the information a reader needs to find the original source, in a consistent format to make that easier. These consistent formats are called citation styles.  The most common citation styles are MLA (Modern Language Association) for humanities, and APA (American Psychological Association) for social sciences.

Annotations are about 4 to 6 sentences long (roughly 150 words), and address:

•     Main focus or purpose of the work
•     Usefulness or relevance to your research topic 
•     Special features of the work that were unique or helpful
•     Background and credibility of the author
•     Conclusions or observations reached by the author
•     Conclusions or observations reached by you

Annotations versus Abstracts

Many scholarly articles start with an abstract, which is the author's summary of the article to help you decide whether you should read the entire article.  This abstract is not the same thing as an annotation.  The annotation needs to be in your own words, to explain the relevance of the source to your particular assignment or research question.

Annotated Bibliography video

MLA 9th Annotated Bibliography Examples

Ontiveros, Randy J.  In the Spirit of a New People: The Cultural Politics of the Chicano Movement . New York UP, 2014.

This book analyzes the journalism, visual arts, theater, and novels of the Chicano movement from 1960 to the present as articulations of personal and collective values. Chapter 3 grounds the theater of El Teatro Campesino in the labor and immigrant organizing of the period, while Chapter 4 situates Sandra Cisneros’s novel  Caramelo  in the struggles of Chicana feminists to be heard in the traditional and nationalist elements of the Chicano movement. Ontiveros provides a powerful and illuminating historical context for the literary and political texts of the movement.

Journal article

Alvarez, Nadia, and Jack Mearns. “The Benefits of Writing and Performing in the Spoken Word Poetry Community.”  The Arts in Psychotherapy , vol. 41, no. 3, July 2014, pp. 263-268.  ScienceDirect ,  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2014.03.004 .

Spoken word poetry is distinctive because it is written to be performed out loud, in person, by the poet. The ten poets interviewed by these authors describe “a reciprocal relationship between the audience and the poet” created by that practice of performance. To build community, spoken word poets keep metaphor and diction relatively simple and accessible. Richness is instead built through fragmented stories that coalesce into emotional narratives about personal and community concerns.  This understanding of poets’ intentions illuminates their recorded performances.

*Note, citations have a .5 hanging indent and the annotations have a 1 inch indent. 

• MLA 9th Sample Annotated Bibliography

APA 7th Annotated Bibliography Examples

Alvarez, N. & Mearns, J. (2014). The benefits of writing and performing in the spoken word poetry community.  The Arts in Psychotherapy, 41 (3), 263-268.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2014.03.004 Prior research has shown narrative writing to help with making meaning out of trauma. This article uses grounded theory to analyze semi-structured interviews with ten spoken word poets.  Because spoken word poetry is performed live, it creates personal and community connections that enhance the emotional development and resolution offered by the practice of writing. The findings are limited by the small, nonrandom sample (all the participants were from the same community).

• APA 7th Sample Annotated Bibliography
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What is an Annotated Bibliography & Why Write One

Mla annotated bibliography example, what is an annotated bibliography.

A bibliograph y is a list of sources (books, journals, Web sites, periodicals, etc.) you used for researching your topic. Bibliographies are called "Works Cited" (in MLA Style) and "References" (in APA Style)  Your bibliography will include the bibliographic information (i.e., the author, title, publisher, etc.) that your reader would need to identify and locate the original source you're citing.

An annotation is a summary and/or evaluation of a source.

Therefore, an annotated bibliography includes your citation followed by a summary and/or evaluation of each of your sources. Depending on your project or the assignment, your annotations may do one or more of the following.

• Summarize: Some annotations merely summarize the source. What are the main arguments? What is the point of this book or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say?
• Assess: After summarizing a source, it may be helpful to evaluate it. Is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source?
• Reflect: Once you've summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?

Your annotated bibliography may include some of these, all of these, or even others.

Be sure to always follow the specific instructions your instructor gives you.

Why Write an Annotated Bibliography

Every good research paper is an argument. The purpose of research is to state and support a thesis. So, a very important part of research is developing a thesis that is debatable, interesting, and current. Writing an annotated bibliography can help you gain a good perspective on what is being said about your topic. By reading and responding to a variety of sources on a topic, you'll start to see what the issues are, what people are arguing about, and you'll then be able to develop your own point of view.

Writing an annotated bibliography is excellent preparation for a research project. Just collecting sources for a bibliography is useful, but when you have to write annotations for each source, you're forced to read each source more carefully. You begin to read more critically instead of just collecting information.

MLA tells us that, you should cite a source in an annotated bibliography just as you would in a list of works cited and then append an annotation to the end of the entry. Annotations describe and/or evaluate sources. Further, annotations should not rehash minor details, cite evidence, quote the author, or recount steps in an argument. Writing an effective annotation requires reading the work, understanding its aims, and clearly summarizing them.

To learn more about annotated bibliographies click on the link below from Purdue OWL

Sample annotated bibliography using mla.

• MLA 9 Annotated Bibliography Sample

Annotated Bibliography Template

You may also want to use the template below. Just type over the words in the template with your own information, citations, and annotations.

• MLA, 9th ed. Annotated Bibliography Template
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Writing an annotated bibliography

How to select resources and write an annotated bibliography.

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography reviews the research published on your problem of study. Unlike a literature review, articles are reviewed separately with a full citation, brief summary of their content and a statement on how or why they apply to your research. It is a list of citations, each followed by a short paragraph, of 150 – 200 words, reviewing each source. Depending on your assignment, in this paragraph you may reflect on, summarise, critique, evaluate or analyse the source.

An annotated bibliography may be a component of a larger assignment or it may be a standalone document.

Why write an annotated bibliography?

Depending on your specific assessment, you may be asked to create an annotated bibliography for the following reasons:

• To familiarise yourself with the material available on a particular topic
• To demonstrate the quality and depth of reading that you have done
• To identify range of sources available on your topic
• To highlight sources that may be of interest to other readers and researchers
• To explore and organise sources for further research, e.g. as the first step toward a literature review

What kind of resources should be studied?

Review recent academic materials such as academic books and peer reviewed journals. Textbooks and web pages are generally not appropriate as the content may be either too broad or unreliable.

The sources you choose will depend on your topic. Choose sources which most closely answer a clearly defined question or problem from a balanced range of approaches, not only those which confirm your current beliefs. Also, include any references which are considered central to your topic.

How to create an annotated bibliography

These are good places to start:

• Your lecture notes / references given in class
• The Library Guide for your subject
• The subject liaison librarian

First, read abstracts or academic book reviews to help you select studies most relevant to your problem, then select the most suitable from those to read in full.  Take notes on your selected texts as you read. Pay attention to:

• the author’s theoretical approach.
• which parts of the topic are covered in this paper.
• main points or findings on the topic.
• the author’s position or argument.

Record evaluations in your notes; your bibliography should not merely be a catalogue but present your own informed position on the texts and the topic as a whole.

• How well does this text address your topic?
• Does it cover the topic thoroughly or only one aspect of it?
• Do the research methods seem appropriate and does the argument stand up to scrutiny?
• Does it agree with or contradict other studies?
• List texts in alphabetical order using citation conventions for a reference list.
• Create an annotation under each citation: a paragraph summarising each text and explaining how the text applies to your research question or problem. e.g. What aspect of your question/ problem does it address?  How fully? Does it provide background information/ theory / useful results? How strong is the evidence?  What are its limitations in answering your research question?

Find out what citation style you need to use, such as APA, Vancouver, MLA. Department style guides or detailed assignment briefs often provide information on this. Details of how to cite are explained in re:cite.

Write in complete sentences to create a cohesive ‘snapshot’ of the text and its contribution to your research. Be brief and selective; aim to outline the text in less than 200 words.

An annotation may contain all or part of the following elements depending on the word limit and the content of the sources you are examining:

You might include:

• the background of the author(s)
• the content or scope of the text
• the main argument
• the intended audience
• the research methods (if applicable)
• any conclusions made by the author/s
• comments on the reliability of the text
• any special features of the text that were helpful (charts, graphs etc.)
• the relevance or usefulness of the text for your research
• the strengths and limitations of the text

Below is a sample annotation (APA). The superscript numbers at the end of the sentence explain the features or elements covered.

Scoffer, J., Treet, M., Nibbell, A., Tayste, C., & Snacker, A. (2017). Visual priming for chocolate increases chocolate consumption–an attention bias modification study. Journal of Healthy Eating, 38(1), 176-183. 1

The study examines the effect of attention priming on subsequent chocolate consumption within a University context 2 . 120 subjects were primed with presentations of pictures either of shoes or chocolate, then participated in a chocolate search 3 . Findings indicated that the group primed with visual stimuli of chocolate showed significantly higher persistence in the chocolate searching task, consuming on average greater amounts of chocolate 4 . The authors contend that attention to food stimuli could increase risk of weight gain for many individuals 5 . By demonstrating the role of visual attention in subsequent food seeking behaviour and quantity consumed, this study provides evidence that such visual stimuli as web-based or billboard-based advertisements containing images of food may present a health risk to many individuals 6 . Limitations of the study include the lack of a true control since no non-primed condition was included. Another limitation is the use of a highly prized foodstuff, which limits the application of the findings to more everyday foods less closely related to reward 7 . However, the positive finding on the role of visual priming in food seeking and consumption provides useful support for the argument in my research that visual advertising contributes to weight problems, particularly in an obesogenic environment 8 .

1 Full citation

2 Aim and scope of the research

3 Brief summary of methods (where appropriate)

4 Summary of findings

5 Author’s main contention/ argument

6 Usefulness for your research

7 Limitations for your study

8 Reflection on how this work informs your research and how it will be applied.

As you research, keep in mind that annotated bibliographies are often preliminary research for a single, cohesive literature review about a situation or problem. Try to choose sources which together will present a comprehensive review of the issue under study.

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The quality and usefulness of your bibliography will depend on your selection of sources. Define the scope of your research carefully to make sound judgments about what you include and exclude.

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents that follows the appropriate style format for the discipline (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc). Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 word) descriptive and evaluative paragraph -- the annotation. Unlike abstracts, which are purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes, annotations are descriptive and critical. 

The purpose of the annotation is to  inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited .  The annotation exposes the author's point of view, clarity and appropriateness of expression, and authority.

How do I create an annotated bibliography?

• Locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that contain useful information and ideas on your topic.
• Review the items. Choose those sources 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 o f the item.

Include  one or more sentences  that:

o    evaluate the authority or background of the author, 

o    comment on the intended audience, 

o    compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or 

o    explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.

The annotation should include most, if not all, of the following elements:

• Explanation of the main purpose and scope of t he cited work;
• Brief description of the work's format and content;
• Theoretical basis and currency of the author's argument; 
• Author's intellectual / academic credentials; 
• Work's intended audience;
• Value and significance of the work as a contribution to the subject under consideration;
• Possible shortcomings or bias in the work;
• Any significant special features of the work (e.g., glossary, appendices, particularly good index);
• Your own brief impression of the work.

An annotated bibliography is an  original work created by you  for a wider audience, usually faculty and colleagues. Copying any of the above elements from the source and including it in your annotated bibliography is plagiarism and intellectual dishonesty.

SAMPLE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ENTRY FOR A JOURNAL ARTICLE

The following example uses APA style ( Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 6th edition, 2010)  for the journal citation.

Waite, L. J., Goldschneider, F. K., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults.  American Sociological Review,   51 , 541-554.

This example uses MLA style ( MLA Handbook , 8th edition, 2016)  for the journal citation.

Waite, Linda J., et al. "Nonfamily Living and the Erosion of Traditional Family Orientations Among Young Adults."  American Sociological Review,  vol. 51, no. 4, 1986, pp. 541-554.

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• Writing an Annotated Bibliography

Introduction

What is an annotated bibliography.

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 - 300 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Annotations vs. Abstracts

Abstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes. Annotations are descriptive and critical; they may describe the author's point of view, authority, or clarity and appropriateness of expression. They may also comment on the relevance of a source to your particular research. 

Types of annotations

The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) breaks annotations into several categories:

• Summarize : Some annotations merely summarize the source. What are the main arguments? What is the point of this book or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say? The length of your annotations will determine how detailed your summary is.
• Assess : After summarizing a source, it may be helpful to evaluate it. Is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source?
• Reflect : Once you've summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?

Why write an annotated bibliography?

Writing an annotated bibliography is an excellent way to prepare for a research project. Writing a critical evaluation of each source requires you to read more carefully and thoroughly, and to collect resources more intentionally. Professional annotated bibliographies, which are often published, provide a comprehensive overview of important themes, issues, and arguments on a given topic. These can be useful for understanding the state of a particular field of study, and seeing where your research fits within it.

How to write an annotated bibliography

For each citation in your bibliography, write a short paragraph beneath it, and consider the following questions. The length of your annotation will depend on its purpose. A simple summary may be shorter than an annotation that contains analysis or evaluation:

• Content -  What is the resource about? Is it relevant to your research?
• Purpose -  What is it for? Why was this written?
• Methods used to collect data -  Where did the information come from?
• Usefulness -  What does it do for your research?
• Reliability-  Is the information accurate?
• Authority -  Is it written by an expert or knowledge keeper?
• Currency -  Is it up-to-date for the topic?
• Scope/Limitations -  What does it cover? What does the author state s/he will cover? What doesn't the resource provide that could be helpful?
• Ease of use  - Can a non-specialist use this resource? What reading level is it?

Annotated bibliography examples in APA style:

Formatting an annotated bibliography is the same as formatting an APA reference list. You use the same author-date style and place the elements in the same order. Indent the annotation five spaces. You can find examples at the links below:

• Purdue OWL examples
• The Writing Center - UNC at Chapel Hill

This 14:48 minute video walks through the steps of writing and formatting your annotated bibliography, including a discussion of the three types of annotation. You can use the timestamps below to navigate to the various sections.

00:00 Introduction

00:33 What is an annotated bibliography?

1:15 Formatting annotated bibliography

5:35 Researching pro tips

7:28 Three types of annotations

Attribution

Content on this page adapted with permission from  Olin Library Reference, Research & Learning Services Cornell University Library  and  Cornish College of the Arts Library ; and Burkhardt J. M., MacDonald M. C. & Rathemacher A.J. (2010).  Teaching information literacy : 50 standards-based exercises for college students  (2nd ed.). American Library Association.

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Introduction

1. Definition

A bibliography is usually thought of as an alphabetical listing of books at the end of a written work (book, book chapter, or article), to which the author referred during the research and writing process. In addition to books, bibliographies can include sources such as articles, reports, interviews, or even non-print resources like Web sites, video or audio recordings. Because they may include such varied resources, bibliographies are also referred to as 'references', 'works cited' or 'works consulted' (the latter can include those titles that merely contributed to research, but were not specifically cited in text). The standard bibliography details the citation information of the consulted sources: author(s), date of publication, title, and publisher's name and location (and for articles: journal title, volume, issue and page numbers). The primary function of bibliographic citations is to assist the reader in finding the sources used in the writing of a work.

To these basic citations, the annotated bibliography adds descriptive and evaluative comments (i.e., an annotation ), assessing the nature and value of the cited works. The addition of commentary provides the future reader or researcher essential critical information and a foundation for further research.

2. Composition

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 of three to six sentences, roughly 150 words in length. Similar to the literature review except for the shorter length of its entries, the annotated bibliography is compiled by:

• Considering scope: what types of sources (books, articles, primary documents, Web sites, non-print materials) will be included? how many (a sampling or a comprehensive list)? (Your instructor may set these guidelines)
• Conducting a search for the sources and retrieving them
• Evaluating retrieved sources by reading them and noting your findings and impressions
• Once a final group of sources has been selected, giving full citation data (according to the bibliographic style [e.g., APA, Chicago, MLA] prescribed by your instructor) and writing an annotation for each source; do not list a source more than once

Annotations begin on the line following the citation data and may be composed with complete sentences or as verb phrases (the cited work being understood as the subject)—again at the discretion of the instructor. The annotation should include most, if not all, of the following:

• Explanation of the main purpose and scope of the cited work
• Brief description of the work's format and content
• Theoretical basis and currency of the author's argument
• Author's intellectual/academic credentials
• Work's intended audience
• Value and significance of the work as a contribution to the subject under consideration
• Possible shortcomings or bias in the work
• Any significant special features of the work (e.g., glossary, appendices, particularly good index)
• Your own brief impression of the work

Although these are many of the same features included in a literature review, the emphasis of bibliographic annotation should be on brevity.

Not to be confused with the abstract —which merely gives a summary of the main points of a work—the annotated bibliography always describes and often evaluates those points. Whether an annotated bibliography concludes an article or book—or is even itself a comprehensive, book-length listing of sources—its purposes are the same:

• To illustrate the scope and quality of one's own research
• To review the literature published on a particular topic
• To provide the reader/researcher with supplementary, illustrative or alternative sources
• To allow the reader to see if a particular source was consulted
• To provide examples of the type of resources available on a given topic
• To place original research in a historical context
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Creating an Annotated Bibliography

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• Introduction

Use of the Annotated Bibliography

• Writing an Annotation
• A Sample Annotated Bibliography

The annotated bibliography is useful not only to the individual researcher who creates the bibliography, but also to later researchers who might follow the same or similar paths. Since each of the identified sources has been described for both content and value, the bibliography provides shortcuts to topics for further investigation. If a researcher determines in writing an annotation that the source being examined provides ground-breaking work in an area, he or she will likely want to return to the article described and pursue its line of investigation more closely. If the researcher writes an annotated bibliography to accompany another project or as a project in itself, he or she is providing other researchers with carefully described clues for further research. In short, the bibliography ultimately can save time for the creator and for the user of the bibliography.

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What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography gives an account of the research that has been done on a given topic. Like any bibliography, an annotated bibliography is an alphabetical list of research sources. In addition to bibliographic data, an annotated bibliography provides a concise summary of each source and some assessment of its value or relevance. Depending on your assignment, an annotated bibliography may be one stage in a larger research project, or it may be an independent project standing on its own.

Selecting the sources:

The quality and usefulness of your bibliography will depend on your selection of sources. Define the scope of your research carefully so that you can make good judgments about what to include and exclude. Your research should attempt to be reasonably comprehensive within well-defined boundaries. Consider these questions to help you find appropriate limits for your research:

• What problem am I investigating? What question(s) am I trying to pursue? If your bibliography is part of a research project, this project will probably be governed by a research question. If your bibliography is an independent project on a general topic (e.g. aboriginal women and Canadian law), try formulating your topic as a question or a series of questions in order to define your search more precisely ( e.g. How has Canadian law affecting aboriginal women changed as a result of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms? How have these changes affected aboriginal women? How have aboriginal women influenced and responded to these legal developments?).
• What kind of material am I looking for? (academic books and journal articles? government reports or policy statements? articles from the popular press? primary historical sources? etc.)
• Am I finding essential studies on my topic? (Read footnotes in useful articles carefully to see what sources they use and why. Keep an eye out for studies that are referred to by several of your sources.)

Summarizing the argument of a source:

An annotation briefly restates the main argument of a source. An annotation of an academic source, for example, typically identifies its thesis (or research question, or hypothesis), its major methods of investigation, and its main conclusions. Keep in mind that identifying the argument of a source is a different task than describing or listing its contents. Rather than listing contents (see Example 1 below), an annotation should account for why the contents are there (see Example 2 below).

Example 1: Only lists contents:

McIvor, S. D. (1995). Aboriginal women’s rights as “existing rights.” Canadian Woman Studies/Les Cahiers de la Femme 2/3 , 34-38. This article discusses recent constitutional legislation as it affects the human rights of aboriginal women in Canada: the Constitution Act (1982), its amendment in 1983, and amendments to the Indian Act (1985). It also discusses the implications for aboriginal women of the Supreme Court of Canada’s interpretation of the Constitution Act in R. v. Sparrow (1991).

Example 2: Identifies the argument:

McIvor, S. D. (1995). Aboriginal women’s rights as “existing rights.” Canadian Woman Studies/Les Cahiers de la Femme 2/3 , 34-38. This article seeks to define the extent of the civil and political rights returned to aboriginal women in the Constitution Act (1982), in its amendment in 1983, and in amendments to the Indian Act (1985). * This legislation reverses prior laws that denied Indian status to aboriginal women who married non-aboriginal men. On the basis of the Supreme Court of Canada’s interpretation of the Constitution Act in R. v. Sparrow (1991), McIvor argues that the Act recognizes fundamental human rights and existing aboriginal rights, granting to aboriginal women full participation in the aboriginal right to self-government. ** * research question ** method & main conclusions

The following reading strategies can help you identify the argument of your source:

• Identify the author’s thesis (central claim or purpose) or research question. Both the introduction and the conclusion can help you with this task.
• Look for repetition of key terms or ideas. Follow them through the text and see what the author does with them. Note especially the key terms that occur in the thesis or research question that governs the text.
• Notice how the text is laid out and organized. What are the main divisions or sections? What is emphasized? Why? Accounting for why will help you to move beyond listing contents and toward giving an account of the argument.
• Notice whether and how a theory is used to interpret evidence or data. Identify the method used to investigate the problem/s addressed in the text.
• Pay attention to the opening sentence(s) of each paragraph, where authors often state concisely their main point in the paragraph.
• Look for paragraphs that summarize the argument. A section may sometimes begin or conclude with such a paragraph.

Assessing the relevance and value of sources:

Your annotation should now go on to briefly assess the value of the source to an investigation of your research question or problem. If your bibliography is part of a research project, briefly identify how you intend to use the source and why. If your bibliography is an independent project, try to assess the source’s contribution to the research on your topic.

• Are you interested in the way the source frames its research question or in the way it goes about answering it (its method)? Does it make new connections or open up new ways of seeing a problem? (e.g. bringing the Sparrow decision concerning aboriginal fishing rights to bear on the scope of women’s rights)
• Are you interested in the way the source uses a theoretical framework or a key concept? (e.g. analysis of existing, extinguished, and other kinds of rights)
• Does the source gather and analyze a particular body of evidence that you want to use? (e.g. the historical development of a body of legislation)
• How do the source’s conclusions bear on your own investigation?

In order to determine how you will use the source or define its contribution, you will need to assess the quality of the argument: why is it of value? what are its limitations? how well defined is its research problem? how effective is its method of investigation? how good is the evidence? would you draw the same conclusions from the evidence?

Keep the context of your project in mind. How is material assessed in your course or discipline? What models for assessing arguments are available in course materials?

Various kinds of annotated bibliographies:

Annotated bibliographies do come in many variations. Pay close attention to the requirements of your assignment. Here are some possible variations:

• Some assignments may require you to summarize only and not to evaluate.
• Some assignments may want you to notice and comment on patterns of similarity and dissimilarity between sources; other assignments may want you to treat each source independently.
• If the bibliography is long, consider organizing it in sections. Your categories of organization should help clarify your research question.
• Some assignments may require or allow you to preface the bibliography (or its sections) with a paragraph explaining the scope of your investigation and providing a rationale for your selection of sources.

Some language for talking about texts and arguments:

It is sometimes challenging to find the vocabulary in which to summarize and discuss a text. Here is a list of some verbs for referring to texts and ideas that you might find useful:

To learn more on referring to texts and ideas, visit our file on reporting verbs .

This handout and many others are available in Writing in the Health Sciences: a comprehensive guide .

Based on materials originally developed for the Equity Studies Program, New College.

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INTRODUCTION

Annotated bibliographies are lists of resources that include an evaluative summary of each resource.  More than just a summary of the article, annotated bibliographies give you a chance to critique the resources you're finding.  They can also help you determine whether your research question is viable.  Take a look at some of the resourcs on this page to help you write a strong annotated bibliography!

Quick Links

• Annotated Bibliographies From Purdue OWL
• Cornel University Annotated Bibliography Guide This guide is one of the few guides that describes the process of writing an annotated bibliography. The information on 'Critically Appraising the book, article, or document' is a great place to get started. Start here if you already have your resources.
• easyBib: Annotated Bibliographies An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents where each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 100 to 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation.
• What is it?
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What is an annotated bibliography?

It is a bibliography in which you include a short summary or abstract of sources you are thinking of using for a paper. It is more than a works cited list, which gives only a bibliographic citation for the source. These annotations do one or more of the following:

• Describe the content and focus of the book, article or website
• Suggest the source's usefulness to your research
• Evaluate the source's method, conclusions or reliability
• Record your reactions to the source

Why write an annotated bibliography?

They provide readers with background information about your sources, who then may want to consult those sources. It's a great way to organize your research by helping you critically evaluate books, journal articles, websites and other resources.

How do I go about starting this bibliography?

You should begin your annotated bibliography when you begin your research. This enables you to decide from the start which sources are appropriate for your study. As you read your material, you should identify the thesis statement, take notes, and make a brief outline of what you have read.

How do I format an annotated bibliography?

Just write the bibliographic entries as you would write any other bibliography, according to the style your instructor wishes. Check  Citing Sources  of information for the various style guides. The annotation starts beneath the citation, but you will need to check the style manual for specifics on form, spacing and consistency.

How do I write an annotation? What's included?

You should include one or two sentences summarizing or describing content and one or two sentences providing an evaluation. In evaluation, tell how the source is interesting or helpful to you, or why it is not. List what kind of and how much information is given.

The Summary

Write a few sentences summarizing the source. What was it about? What was the main point of it?

Your Personal Thoughts and Insights

Was the source helpful for your particular assignment?

How did it help answer your research question(s)?

How was this source different than the other sources used?

Did the source change your thinking on the research topic?

How did the source affect you?

How should I format sentences in an annotation?

Whole sentences are preferable and at times very concise sentences and simple phrases could be acceptable. Sentence length should vary to avoid short, choppy sentences. Every sentence should convey a maximum amount of information in a minimum number of words. Annotations should be 1-3 paragraphs long. Annotations should offer a summary of the material as well as critical comments. Critical comments should be supported by personal argument or knowledge.

When writing an annotated bibliography, it's helpful to ask yourself these 3 questions for each source:

1. What is this book/journal article/etc really about?   Summarize the main points.  Remember that an annotated bibliography is more than just a summary, however.

2.  How does this resource relate to the other sources in my bibliography?   Is it biased?  Is it basic or advanced?  Who are the authors and how do they compare with the other authors?  Critically analyze your resource and compare it to other resources in your annotated bibliography.

3. How does this resource help or hurt my research?   What is the unique information?  How does this uphold or change your research focus? Should you include it in your paper?  Why or why not?

The point of an annotated bibliography is to tell the story of your research and your thinking process so that when you sit down to write the paper, you have a strong foundation of thought and information.

• OWL at Purdue: Annotated Bibliographies The OWL is a great resource and their online guide gives a good introduction to different types of annotated bibliographies. They also have examples of finished annotated bibliographies.

• Off-Campus Access: Open Athens Many of the databases offered by the FIU Libraries are restricted to currently registered students, staff, and faculty of the University. When connecting to these services from off campus you are required to let the system know you are currently affiliated with FIU.

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Take a look at these guides for more detailed information!

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What is An Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations for books, articles, and/or documents that you have read in pursuit of your research.  Each citation is followed by a brief (at least 100 words) paragraph that describes and evaluates the source. 

Annotated bibliographies are useful tools for gathering and condensing information about the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources you're planning to cite in your paper/project/presentation. 

NOTE: An annotated bibliography IS NOT a required element of this course's assignment, however at least creating a spreadsheet outlining the key points of the articles researched for your position paper can be key to highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of your arguments.  It's a good way to keep all the information straight without having to reread everything.

What Should Each Citation Include?

1.  The full citation for the source (or whatever citation style is required for the assignment). 

2.  A paragraph that includes:      a.  A brief summary of the source – its main point or argument, written in your own words.      b.  A description of the authority or background of the author(s).      c.  A description of how this source compares and/or contrasts with other sources you have read on        this topic.      d.  An explanation of how this source contributes to answering your research question.

3.  All of this needs to be written in your own words, to convey your own understanding of the      source.  If you simply copy or lift language (or cut and paste) from the source or its abstract, you      have failed.

Example 1: Fullard, D. (2005). Biodiversity Education at a Natural World Heritage Site: Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden. Roots 2(1): 3. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, in Cape Town, is the first botanical garden to be recognized as a natural World Heritage Site. The Kirstenbosch Environmental Education Program supports the World Heritage Convention’s mission to encourage participation of the local population in the preservation of their cultural and natural heritage. The program’s stated mission is to inspire and enable people from all walks of life to take responsibility for their environment. Learners/youth from the disadvantaged areas and under-resourced schools of the Cape Flats in the Western Cape participate in a curriculum-linked, gardenbased and outreach greening program which cover a wide variety of themes, learning program and activities. The article does not describe and specific outcomes or how program successes were measured and evaluated.  Example 2:

Kletou, D., Hall-Spencer, J. M., & Kleitou, P. (2016). A lionfish (Pterois miles) invasion has begun in the Mediterranean Sea.  Marine Biodiversity  Records 9( 46) .  1-7. doi:10.1186/s41200-016-0065-y ​ This article discusses the recent invasion of the lionfish in the Mediterranean Sea and offers reasons for the sudden increase in the species' presence.  The study concludes that growth of the lionfish population can be controlled by encouraging commercial fishermen and divers to capture the lionfish to be sold on the market. While the article provides data and graphs that forecast the decline of the lionfish with a commercial fishing intervention, the methodology is incomplete. The researchers do not fully explain how they obtained these results.  The article does not address external factors that may derail the fishing plan proposed by the authors; for example, the researchers do not consider the population growth rate of the lionfish or how aggressive the fishing rate needs to be to control the population in a timely manner. Although the introduction is helpful in providing a framework for why the lionfish invasion is a concerning issue, the discussion lacks depth in addressing other issues that may arise.

(Source: University of West Florida LibGuides: EVR 2001: Introduction to Environmental Science.  https://libguides.uwf.edu/c.php?g=436278&p=3891645)

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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

Writing annotations.

• Introduction
• New RefWorks
• Formatting Citations
• Sample Annotated Bibliographies

An annotation is a brief note following each citation listed on an annotated bibliography.  The goal is to briefly summarize the source and/or explain why it is important for a topic.  They are typically a single concise paragraph, but might be longer if you are summarizing and evaluating.

Annotations can be written in a variety of different ways and it’s important to consider the style you are going to use.  Are you simply summarizing the sources, or evaluating them?  How does the source influence your understanding of the topic?  You can follow any style you want if you are writing for your own personal research process, but consult with your professor if this is an assignment for a class.

Annotation Styles

• Combined Informative/Evaluative Style - This style is recommended by the library as it combines all the styles to provide a more complete view of a source.  The annotation should explain the value of the source for the overall research topic by providing a summary combined with an analysis of the source.  

Aluedse, O. (2006). Bullying in schools: A form of child abuse in schools.  Educational Research Quarterly ,  30 (1), 37.

The author classifies bullying in schools as a “form of child abuse,” and goes well beyond the notion that schoolyard bullying is “just child’s play.” The article provides an in-depth definition of bullying, and explores the likelihood that school-aged bullies may also experience difficult lives as adults. The author discusses the modern prevalence of bullying in school systems, the effects of bullying, intervention strategies, and provides an extensive list of resources and references.

Statistics included provide an alarming realization that bullying is prevalent not only in the United States, but also worldwide. According to the author, “American schools harbor approximately 2.1 million bullies and 2.7 million victims.” The author references the National Association of School Psychologists and quotes, “Thus, one in seven children is a bully or a target of bullying.” A major point of emphasis centers around what has always been considered a “normal part of growing up” versus the levels of actual abuse reached in today’s society.

The author concludes with a section that addresses intervention strategies for school administrators, teachers, counselors, and school staff. The concept of school staff helping build students’ “social competence” is showcased as a prevalent means of preventing and reducing this growing social menace. Overall, the article is worthwhile for anyone interested in the subject matter, and provides a wealth of resources for researching this topic of growing concern.

(Renfrow & Teuton, 2008)

• Informative Style -  Similar to an abstract, this style focuses on the summarizing the source.  The annotation should identify the hypothesis, results, and conclusions presented by the source.

Plester, B., Wood, C, & Bell, V. (2008). Txt msg n school literacy: Does texting and knowledge of text abbreviations adversely affect children's literacy attainment? Literacy , 42(3), 137-144.

Reports on two studies that investigated the relationship between children's texting behavior, their knowledge of text abbreviations, and their school attainment in written language skills. In Study One, 11 to 12 year-old children reported their texting behavior and translated a standard English sentence into a text message and vice versa. In Study Two, children's performance on writing measures were examined more specifically, spelling proficiency was also assessed, and KS2 Writing scores were obtained. Positive correlations between spelling ability and performance on the translation exercise were found, and group-based comparisons based on the children's writing scores also showed that good writing attainment was associated with greater use of texting abbreviations (textisms), although the direction of this association is not clear. Overall, these findings suggest that children's knowledge of textisms is not associated with poor written language outcomes for children in this age range. 

(Beach et al., 2009)

• Evaluative Style - This style analyzes and critically evaluates the source.  The annotation should comment on the source's the strengths, weaknesses, and how it relates to the overall research topic.

Amott, T. (1993). Caught in the Crisis: Women in the U.S. Economy Today . New York: Monthly Review Press.

A very readable (140 pp) economic analysis and information book which I am currently considering as a required collateral assignment in Economics 201. Among its many strengths is a lucid connection of "The Crisis at Home" with the broader, macroeconomic crisis of the U.S. working class (which various other authors have described as the shrinking middle class or the crisis of de-industrialization).

(Papadantonakis, 1996)

• Indicative Style - This style of annotation identifies the main theme and lists the significant topics included in the source.  Usually no specific details are given beyond the topic list . 

Example: 

Gambell, T.J., & Hunter, D. M. (1999). Rethinking gender differences in literacy. Canadian Journal of Education , 24(1) 1-16.

Five explanations are offered for recently assessed gender differences in the literacy achievement of male and female students in Canada and other countries. The explanations revolve around evaluative bias, home socialization, role and societal expectations, male psychology, and equity policy.

(Kerka & Imel, 2004)

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

Kerka, S., & Imel, S. (2004). Annotated bibliography: Women and literacy.  Women's Studies Quarterly,  32 (1), 258-271. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/233645656?accountid=2909

Papadantonakis, K. (1996). Selected Annotated Bibliography for Economists and Other Social Scientists.  Women's Studies Quarterly,   24 (3/4), 233-238. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40004384

Renfrow, T.G., & Teuton, L.M. (2008). Schoolyard bullying: Peer victimization an annotated bibliography. Community & Junior College Libraries, 14(4), 251-­275. doi:10.1080/02763910802336407

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Annotated Bibliography

Ai generator.

You may have gone through this once in your life or even daily, depending on the work you do. But looking for sources to support the research you are doing for a topic is also necessary. Bibliographies come in different forms, they could be enumerative, analytical, or even annotated.

What Is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is simply a list of sources, such as book , articles , and documents, that typically comes with a brief description of each item. This could be to describe, gives an evaluation, or explain a given item. An annotated bibliography can be selective or comprehensive in nature.

Annotated Bibliography Format

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation . The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

The title should be concise and descriptive. For example, “Annotated Bibliography on Climate Change.”

2. Citations

Citations should be formatted according to the style guide you are following (APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.). Below are examples for APA and MLA styles.

Format: Author(s). (Year). Title of the book. Publisher.

Example: Smith, J. (2020). Understanding Climate Change. Green Earth Publishers.

Format: Author(s). Title of the Book. Publisher, Year.

Example: Smith, John. Understanding Climate Change. Green Earth Publishers, 2020.

3. Annotations

Annotations should provide a summary of the source and evaluate its relevance, accuracy, and quality. Below are examples of annotations in APA and MLA styles.

Format: Author(s). (Year). Title of the book. Publisher. Summary: A brief summary of the source’s content. Evaluation: An assessment of the source’s reliability and relevance. Reflection: How the source fits into your research.

Example: Smith, J. (2020). Understanding Climate Change. Green Earth Publishers. Summary : This book provides an overview of climate change, including its causes, effects, and potential solutions. Evaluation: The author is a renowned environmental scientist with numerous publications on the topic, making this a reliable source. Reflection: This source will be useful for understanding the basic concepts of climate change and its global impact.

Format: Author(s). Title of the Book. Publisher, Year. Summary: A brief summary of the source’s content. Evaluation: An assessment of the source’s reliability and relevance. Reflection: How the source fits into your research.

Example: Smith, John. Understanding Climate Change. Green Earth Publishers, 2020. Summary: This book provides an overview of climate change, including its causes, effects, and potential solutions. Evaluation: The author is a renowned environmental scientist with numerous publications on the topic, making this a reliable source. Reflection: This source will be useful for understanding the basic concepts of climate change and its global impact.

Types of Annotated Bibliography

Annotated bibliographies can serve various purposes depending on the needs of the researcher or the requirements of the assignment. They can be categorized based on the content of the annotations. Here are the main types:

1. Descriptive or Informative Annotated Bibliography

A descriptive or informative annotated bibliography provides a summary of the source. It describes the main points and arguments of the work without offering an evaluation.

Purpose: The purpose of a descriptive annotation is to inform the reader about the content of the source. It focuses on the main ideas and key points.

Smith, J. (2020). Understanding Climate Change . Green Earth Publishers. Summary: This book provides an overview of climate change, including its causes, effects, and potential solutions. The author discusses various scientific studies and offers predictions for future climate patterns.

2. Evaluative or Critical Annotated Bibliography

An evaluative or critical annotated bibliography not only summarizes the source but also evaluates its quality, accuracy, and relevance. It provides a critical assessment of the source’s strengths and weaknesses.

Purpose: The purpose of an evaluative annotation is to provide an analysis of the source’s credibility and its contribution to the topic. It helps the reader understand the source’s value in relation to other research.

Doe, A. (2019). Climate Change: A Comprehensive Study . Blue Ocean Press. Summary: This study examines the impact of climate change on various ecosystems. Evaluation: The research is thorough and well-documented, making it a credible source. However, the author’s strong bias towards policy advocacy might influence the interpretation of the data.

3. Summative Annotated Bibliography

A summative annotated bibliography combines elements of both descriptive and evaluative annotations. It provides a summary of the source along with a brief evaluation.

Purpose : The purpose of a summative annotation is to give a comprehensive overview of the source, covering both its content and its usefulness.

Brown, C. (2018). The Economics of Climate Change . Eco Press. Summary: This book explores the economic impacts of climate change, discussing both the costs and potential benefits. Evaluation: The author’s analysis is balanced and well-supported by empirical data, making it a valuable resource for understanding the economic implications of environmental policies.

4. Indicative Annotated Bibliography

An indicative annotated bibliography provides a general overview of the source. It outlines the main topics or themes covered without delving into specific details or evaluations.

Purpose: The purpose of an indicative annotation is to give the reader an idea of what the source covers, allowing them to decide if it is relevant to their research.

Williams, L. (2017). Environmental Policy and Climate Change . Green Leaf Publications. Summary: This book discusses various environmental policies related to climate change, including international agreements and national regulations.

Annotated bibliography Examples for Students

Citation: Smith, J. (2020). The Art of Effective Study . Academic Press. Annotation: This book provides comprehensive strategies for effective study habits, including time management, note-taking, and test preparation. Smith emphasizes the importance of discipline and organization in achieving academic success. The book is well-researched and includes practical examples, making it a valuable resource for students. Evaluation: The book is thorough and covers a wide range of topics related to study techniques. Smith’s writing is clear and accessible, and the strategies provided are backed by research. However, some sections could benefit from more detailed explanations. Reflection: This source will be useful in the section of my project discussing effective study techniques. It provides practical advice that can be directly applied to improve academic performance.

2. Journal Article

Citation: Johnson, L. & Lee, M. (2021). The impact of social media on student productivity. Journal of Educational Psychology, 33 (4), 456-469. https://doi.org/10.1234/jep.2021.0456 Annotation: Johnson and Lee explore the effects of social media on students’ productivity through a series of controlled experiments. The study finds a significant negative correlation between social media usage and academic performance. The article is peer-reviewed and provides strong empirical evidence. Evaluation: The study is well-designed and offers valuable insights into the impact of social media on student productivity. The findings are significant and supported by robust data analysis. However, the sample size is relatively small, which may limit the generalizability of the results. Reflection: This source will help illustrate the negative aspects of social media in my research on student productivity. Its empirical evidence will support my argument on the detrimental effects of excessive social media use.

Citation: National Institute of Mental Health. (2022, January 15). Tips for managing stress. NIMH . https://www.nimh.nih.gov/tips-for-managing-stress Annotation: This webpage offers practical tips for managing stress, including relaxation techniques and lifestyle changes. The information is reliable and up-to-date, making it a valuable resource for those seeking to improve their mental health. Evaluation: The tips provided are practical and easy to implement. The website is credible, being an official health institute, and the information is presented in a clear and concise manner. However, it lacks in-depth explanations of some techniques. Reflection: This source will be used to provide stress management strategies in my project on student well-being. Its practical advice will help support the section on coping mechanisms for academic stress.

4. Book Chapter

Citation: Brown, R. (2019). Cognitive development in early childhood. In S. Green & P. White (Eds.), Foundations of Child Psychology (pp. 45-68). Springer. Annotation: Brown discusses the stages of cognitive development in early childhood, providing insights from various psychological theories. The chapter is thorough and includes references to key studies in the field. Evaluation: The analysis is well-structured and accessible, making it a valuable resource for understanding early cognitive development. Brown effectively integrates different theoretical perspectives. However, the chapter could benefit from more recent studies. Reflection: This source will be used to support the theoretical framework of my research on child psychology. It provides a foundation for discussing developmental stages and will help contextualize my findings.

5. Magazine Article

Citation: Martinez, L. (2023, June 10). The future of educational technology. Education Today , 45(6), 22-25. Annotation: Martinez explores emerging trends in educational technology, including AI and virtual reality. The article is well-researched and provides insights into the potential future of education. Evaluation: The article is informative and offers a comprehensive overview of potential technological advancements in education. However, it lacks empirical data to support some of its claims. Despite this, it is a valuable resource for understanding future trends. Reflection: This source will be used to discuss technological advancements in my project on education. It will provide a contemporary perspective on how technology can enhance learning experiences.

Annotated Bibliography Examples for College Students

1. scholarly book.

Citation: Smith, J. (2020). The Art of Effective Study . Academic Press. Annotation: Smith provides comprehensive strategies for effective study habits, including time management, note-taking, and test preparation. Emphasizing the importance of discipline and organization, the book is well-researched and includes practical examples. Evaluation: The book is thorough and covers a wide range of topics related to study techniques. Smith’s writing is clear and accessible, making the strategies easy to understand and implement. However, more detailed explanations in some sections would enhance its usefulness. Reflection: This source will be particularly useful for the section of my project that discusses effective study techniques. It offers practical advice that I can apply directly to improve my academic performance.

Citation: Johnson, L. & Lee, M. (2021). The impact of social media on student productivity. Journal of Educational Psychology, 33 (4), 456-469. https://doi.org/10.1234/jep.2021.0456 Annotation: Johnson and Lee explore the effects of social media on students’ productivity through controlled experiments. The study finds a significant negative correlation between social media usage and academic performance. Evaluation: The study is well-designed and offers valuable insights into the impact of social media on student productivity. The findings are significant and supported by robust data analysis, though the relatively small sample size may limit the generalizability of the results. Reflection: This source will help illustrate the negative aspects of social media in my research on student productivity, providing empirical evidence to support my argument on the detrimental effects of excessive social media use.

3. Government Website

Citation: National Institute of Mental Health. (2022, January 15). Tips for managing stress. NIMH . https://www.nimh.nih.gov/tips-for-managing-stress Annotation: This webpage from the National Institute of Mental Health offers practical tips for managing stress, including relaxation techniques and lifestyle changes. Evaluation: The tips are practical and easy to implement. The website is credible and the information is presented in a clear and concise manner. However, it lacks in-depth explanations of some techniques. Reflection: This source will be used to provide stress management strategies in my project on student well-being, offering practical advice for coping with academic stress.

Citation: Brown, R. (2019). Cognitive development in early childhood. In S. Green & P. White (Eds.), Foundations of Child Psychology (pp. 45-68). Springer. Annotation: Brown discusses the stages of cognitive development in early childhood, providing insights from various psychological theories. The chapter includes references to key studies in the field. Evaluation: The chapter is well-structured and accessible, making it a valuable resource for understanding early cognitive development. Brown effectively integrates different theoretical perspectives, though more recent studies would enhance the chapter. Reflection: This source will support the theoretical framework of my research on child psychology, providing a foundation for discussing developmental stages and contextualizing my findings.

Citation: Martinez, L. (2023, June 10). The future of educational technology. Education Today , 45(6), 22-25. Annotation: Martinez explores emerging trends in educational technology, including AI and virtual reality. The article provides insights into the potential future of education. Evaluation: The article is informative and offers a comprehensive overview of potential technological advancements in education. However, it lacks empirical data to support some of its claims. Despite this, it is a valuable resource for understanding future trends. Reflection: This source will be used to discuss technological advancements in my project on education, providing a contemporary perspective on how technology can enhance learning experiences.

Examples of Annotated Bibliography in APA Format

1. research report.

Citation: Pew Research Center. (2023). The state of online learning: A comprehensive study . Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/online-learning Annotation: The report provides an in-depth analysis of the current trends in online learning, including demographic data, student performance metrics, and user satisfaction. The study highlights the rapid growth of online education and its impact on traditional learning environments. Evaluation: This report is highly detailed and utilizes a wide range of data sources, making it a credible and comprehensive resource. However, it is primarily descriptive and lacks a critical analysis of the data presented. Reflection: This source will be instrumental in providing current data and trends in the online education section of my project, offering a broad overview of the state of online learning today.

2. Documentary Film

Citation: Morris, T. (Director). (2020). The digital classroom: Technology in education [Film]. Educational Media Productions. Annotation: The documentary explores the integration of technology in modern classrooms, featuring interviews with educators, students, and technology experts. It examines both the benefits and challenges of digital tools in education. Evaluation: The film is well-produced and offers diverse perspectives on the subject. The visual and anecdotal evidence provided is compelling, though it could benefit from more empirical data to support its claims. Reflection: This documentary will be useful in illustrating real-world applications and challenges of educational technology, complementing the more data-driven sources in my research.

3. Encyclopedia Entry

Citation: Encyclopedia Britannica. (2021). Mindfulness. In Encyclopedia Britannica online . https://www.britannica.com/topic/mindfulness Annotation: The entry provides a concise overview of mindfulness, its origins, and its applications in various fields such as psychology, education, and healthcare. It also includes references to key studies and practitioners in the field. Evaluation: As a tertiary source, the entry is a reliable and accessible summary of the topic. However, it lacks the depth and detailed analysis found in primary and secondary sources. Reflection: This entry will serve as a foundational overview of mindfulness, helping to frame the broader context for the more detailed studies and articles I will use in my project.

4. Blog Post

Citation: Walker, K. (2022, September 14). How to balance work and study: Tips from successful students. College Life Blog . https://www.collegelifeblog.com/balance-work-study Annotation: Walker shares practical advice from successful students on how to balance work and study commitments. The post includes time management strategies, personal anecdotes, and links to additional resources. Evaluation: The blog post is engaging and practical, written in an accessible style that resonates with its target audience. However, it is anecdotal and lacks the empirical support found in academic sources. Reflection: This source will provide practical tips and real-life examples for the section of my project on time management, offering a relatable perspective to complement academic research.

5. Newspaper Article

Citation: Green, A. (2023, March 5). Schools adopt new technologies to enhance learning. The New York Times . https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/05/education/schools-new-technologies.html Annotation: Green discusses the latest technological innovations being adopted by schools to enhance learning, including virtual reality, AI, and personalized learning platforms. The article includes interviews with educators and students. Evaluation: The article is current and provides firsthand accounts of the impact of new technologies in education. However, it is relatively short and lacks the depth of academic journal articles. Reflection: This source will be valuable for providing contemporary examples of technological advancements in education, helping to illustrate the practical applications of the concepts discussed in my research.

Examples of Annotated Bibliography in MLA Format

Citation: Smith, John. The Art of Effective Study . Academic Press, 2020. Annotation: Smith provides comprehensive strategies for effective study habits, including time management, note-taking, and test preparation. Emphasizing the importance of discipline and organization, the book is well-researched and includes practical examples. Evaluation: The book is thorough and covers a wide range of topics related to study techniques. Smith’s writing is clear and accessible, making the strategies easy to understand and implement. However, more detailed explanations in some sections would enhance its usefulness. Reflection: This source will be particularly useful for the section of my project that discusses effective study techniques. It offers practical advice that I can apply directly to improve my academic performance.

Citation: Johnson, Linda, and Mark Lee. “The Impact of Social Media on Student Productivity.” Journal of Educational Psychology , vol. 33, no. 4, 2021, pp. 456-469. Annotation: Johnson and Lee explore the effects of social media on students’ productivity through controlled experiments. The study finds a significant negative correlation between social media usage and academic performance. Evaluation: The study is well-designed and offers valuable insights into the impact of social media on student productivity. The findings are significant and supported by robust data analysis, though the relatively small sample size may limit the generalizability of the results. Reflection: This source will help illustrate the negative aspects of social media in my research on student productivity, providing empirical evidence to support my argument on the detrimental effects of excessive social media use.

Citation: National Institute of Mental Health. “Tips for Managing Stress.” NIMH , 15 Jan. 2022, www.nimh.nih.gov/tips-for-managing-stress . Annotation: This webpage from the National Institute of Mental Health offers practical tips for managing stress, including relaxation techniques and lifestyle changes. Evaluation: The tips are practical and easy to implement. The website is credible and the information is presented in a clear and concise manner. However, it lacks in-depth explanations of some techniques. Reflection: This source will be used to provide stress management strategies in my project on student well-being, offering practical advice for coping with academic stress.

Citation: Brown, Rebecca. “Cognitive Development in Early Childhood.” Foundations of Child Psychology , edited by Susan Green and Peter White, Springer, 2019, pp. 45-68. Annotation: Brown discusses the stages of cognitive development in early childhood, providing insights from various psychological theories. The chapter includes references to key studies in the field. Evaluation: The chapter is well-structured and accessible, making it a valuable resource for understanding early cognitive development. Brown effectively integrates different theoretical perspectives, though more recent studies would enhance the chapter. Reflection: This source will support the theoretical framework of my research on child psychology, providing a foundation for discussing developmental stages and contextualizing my findings.

Citation: Martinez, Laura. “The Future of Educational Technology.” Education Today , vol. 45, no. 6, 10 June 2023, pp. 22-25. Annotation: Martinez explores emerging trends in educational technology, including AI and virtual reality. The article provides insights into the potential future of education. Evaluation: The article is informative and offers a comprehensive overview of potential technological advancements in education. However, it lacks empirical data to support some of its claims. Despite this, it is a valuable resource for understanding future trends. Reflection: This source will be used to discuss technological advancements in my project on education, providing a contemporary perspective on how technology can enhance learning experiences.

More Annotated Bibliography Examples & Samples in PDF

1. free annotated bibliography example.

2. Simple Annotated Bibliography

3. MLA Annotated Bibliography

4. APA Annotated Bibliography

5. Visual Annotated Bibliography

6. Annotated Bibliography Format in PDF

7. Annotated Bibliography Examples

8. Annotated Bibliography Document

9. Short Annotated Bibliography Examples

10. English Annotated Bibliography

Purpose of an Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography serves several important purposes in academic research and writing. Below are the key purposes it fulfills:

1. Provide a Summary of Sources

An annotated bibliography summarizes the main ideas and arguments of each source. This helps the reader understand the content and scope of the sources without having to read them in full.

Smith, J. (2021). The Future of Renewable Energy. Green Energy Publishers. Summary: This book provides an overview of the current state of renewable energy, including solar, wind, and hydroelectric power. The author discusses the benefits and challenges associated with each type of renewable energy.

2. Evaluate the Quality and Credibility of Sources

Annotations often include an evaluation of the source’s reliability, accuracy, and relevance to the research topic. This helps determine the usefulness and scholarly value of the sources.

Evaluation: The author is a recognized expert in the field, making this a reliable source. However, some data might be outdated due to rapid technological advancements.

3. Reflect on the Source’s Relevance to Your Research

Annotations allow the researcher to reflect on how each source contributes to their research. This includes how it supports or contradicts their thesis, what new insights it offers, and how it fits into the broader context of their study.

Reflection: This source is useful for understanding the basic concepts and the potential of renewable energy, making it a good starting point for my research on sustainable energy solutions.

4. Assist in the Organization of Research

Creating an annotated bibliography helps in organizing and managing sources. It allows researchers to keep track of what they have read and ensures they can easily reference sources in their writing.

• Keeping a detailed annotated bibliography can prevent duplication of effort and help in identifying gaps in the existing research.

5. Facilitate a Deeper Understanding of the Topic

Writing annotations requires critical thinking and a deep engagement with the source material. This process enhances the researcher’s understanding of the topic and the existing literature.

• By summarizing and evaluating sources, researchers gain a comprehensive view of the scholarly conversation on their topic, which can inform their own analysis and arguments.

6. Support the Development of a Thesis or Research Question

Annotated bibliographies help in refining and focusing a research question or thesis. By reviewing various sources, researchers can better understand the scope of their topic and identify key issues and debates.

• Reviewing annotated sources may reveal patterns, trends, and gaps that can shape the direction of the research.

7. Provide a Resource for Other Researchers

Annotated bibliographies serve as valuable resources for other researchers interested in the same topic. They provide an overview of the existing literature and can guide others in their own research efforts.

• A well-constructed annotated bibliography on renewable energy can serve as a reference point for future studies in the field.

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a valuable research tool that includes citations to books, articles, and other sources, each accompanied by a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph. This guide will walk you through the process of writing an annotated bibliography, ensuring that your work is well-organized, informative, and relevant.

Step 1: Select Your Sources

Start by choosing sources that are relevant to your research topic. These can include books, journal articles, websites, and other types of publications. Ensure that you select credible and authoritative sources to support your research.

Step 2: Cite the Sources

List your sources in alphabetical order according to the citation style required by your instructor or field of study (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). Each citation should include the author, title, publication date, and other pertinent information.

Example (APA Style):

Smith, J. (2020). Understanding Annotated Bibliographies . Academic Press.

Step 3: Write the Annotations

Each annotation typically consists of three parts: a summary, an evaluation, and a reflection.

• Summary: Briefly describe the main points and arguments of the source.
• Evaluation: Assess the source’s credibility, reliability, and relevance to your research.
• Reflection: Explain how this source fits into your research, how it will help you, and any insights you gained from it.

Example Annotation:

Smith, J. (2020). Understanding Annotated Bibliographies . Academic Press. This book provides a comprehensive overview of how to compile annotated bibliographies, including the purpose, structure, and examples from various disciplines. Smith emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and offers practical tips for evaluating sources. This source is highly credible, as it is written by an expert in academic writing. It is particularly useful for my research on academic writing techniques as it provides clear guidelines and strategies that I can apply.

Step 4: Format Your Annotated Bibliography

Ensure that your annotated bibliography is formatted correctly according to the citation style you are using. Pay attention to details such as indentation, spacing, and order of entries.

Step 5: Review and Revise

Carefully review your annotated bibliography for accuracy, clarity, and completeness. Make sure each annotation is concise and informative, and that all sources are properly cited.

How do you format an annotated bibliography?

Format according to your citation style (APA, MLA, etc.), list sources alphabetically, and include a summary, evaluation, and reflection for each source.

How long should an annotation be?

An annotation is typically 100-200 words, including a summary, evaluation, and reflection on the source’s relevance to your research.

Can you include websites in an annotated bibliography?

Yes, websites can be included if they are credible and relevant to your research topic, and properly cited in your chosen citation style.

Do annotations replace the need for a bibliography?

No, an annotated bibliography includes both the citation and a descriptive/evaluative paragraph. It supplements a regular bibliography, providing more detail.

Should annotations be written in first or third person?

Annotations are usually written in third person to maintain an objective and formal tone, but check with your instructor for specific preferences.

How do I evaluate a source for an annotation?

Assess the source’s credibility, relevance, and quality. Consider the author’s expertise, the publication’s reputation, and the source’s contribution to your research.

Can I use annotations from abstracts?

No, annotations should be written by you, providing a summary, evaluation, and reflection tailored to your research needs, not just the abstract provided by the source.

Is there a specific order for elements in an annotation?

Yes, typically start with a summary of the source, followed by an evaluation of its credibility and usefulness, and conclude with a reflection on its relevance to your research.

How many sources should be in an annotated bibliography?

The number of sources depends on your assignment requirements. Typically, an annotated bibliography includes 5-20 sources, but check your guidelines.

Can annotated bibliographies include primary and secondary sources?

Yes, both primary and secondary sources can be included as long as they are relevant and credible for your research topic.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

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