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Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review

• By Prof M Lambert
• November 12, 2020

If you’re undertaking a research project or writing a thesis in the US, be it at undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD level, you may be wondering what the difference between an annotated bibliography and a literature review is.

Both are important sections of a research paper and aim to give context to the sources cited around a particular research problem. A literature review places a stronger emphasis on the importance of the findings of a paper, whilst an annotated bibliography focuses on the quality, validity, and relevance of the source of information itself.

What is a Literature Review?

A literature review summarises the research findings of others in a specific topic (this can be from a range of publications including scholarly journal articles, textbooks, interviews, and magazines), critically appraises their work, and uses this information to develop the research project at hand. The purpose of this section is also to identify any gaps in knowledge that exist in the research topic and how your research project can help address them. The literature review also allows you to question the research carried out, for example: does one author’s argument conflict with another’s?, or are a particular author’s conclusions valid?

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

Firstly, a bibliography is the list of sources referred to in a body of work. You should be familiar with this for any essay you have written – think of the APA style references you normally include. This includes important information about the source such as the author name, document title, date of publication, and page number (if applicable). The exact information differs depending on the source type – for example, a scholarly journal article may require a DOI ( Digital Object Identifier ) to be included in the citation, whilst a website will require a URL. The bibliography has several uses, primarily it serves as a reference point for readers who wish to read further into the statements made in a body of work. It also allows readers to question statements and verify the information provided in the body of work.

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources used in your body of work, which includes a brief summary for each source. These summary annotations evaluate the sources of information with regards to their accuracy and quality and identify any potential reasons for bias. As with a standard bibliography, an annotated bibliography should present sources alphabetically in a list-style format. The source summaries are typically around 150 words, though this can vary depending on the nature of the source.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review – What are the differences?

The literature review is presented in a more conversational tone (essay format), as it looks to relate the findings of the source to the research question under review. In comparison, the annotated bibliography is much more structured and factual. It may evaluate sources that only have an indirect relevance to the current project.

Another difference is the length. As mentioned earlier, the annotation summaries are around 150 words per source. The literature review, on the other hand, is typically somewhere between 6,000 – 12,000 words. This reinforces the fact that the annotated bibliography is a concise assessment of the source, whilst the literature review is a comprehensive appraisal of the current knowledge and contributions around a particular topic. For example, the annotated bibliography may comment on a research paper which conducted a similar study and note information such as the scale of the experiments, how they were conducted, and which parameters were controlled. In the literature review this same source of information may be discussed further: what were the limitations of this type of experiment, how does the methodology compare to other studies, do the findings support your argument, and was the scale big enough to draw valid conclusions.

Students preparing a dissertation or thesis should use their annotation summaries to help develop their literary review. This can be done by using the information provided in the bibliography as a reference point to help paint the bigger picture in the literature review.

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Annotated Bibliographies and Literature Reviews

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What is an Annotated Bibliography

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Difference Between a Literature Review and an Annotated Bibliography

Literature review.

A literature review should not be confused with an annotated bibliography. A literature review is not simply a summary of information you have found on a topic. Literature reviews are more in depth and provides analysis of multiple works relating to a research question. An annotated bibliography is a list of the resources, that you consulted when working on a research project. Each citation is accompanied by a brief written analysis of its usefulness to your research.

Courtesy of Washington University Library

“Library Guides: Annotated Bibliographies: Overview.” Overview - Annotated Bibliographies - Library Guides at University of Washington Libraries , guides.lib.uw.edu/tacoma/annotated.

Purdue Owl Annotated Bibliographies

Purdue owl annotated bibliography information, annotated bibliography breakdown, stem cell research: an annotated bibliography.

Holland, Suzanne. The Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy . Boston: MIT P, 2001.

This is the annotation of the above source, which is formatted according to MLA 2016 (8 th ed.) guidelines for the bibliographic information listed above. If one were really writing an annotation for this source, one would offer a brief summary of what this book says about stem cell research.

After a brief summary, it would be appropriate to assess this source and offer some criticisms of it. Does it seem like a reliable and current source? Why? Is the research biased or objective? Are the facts well documented? Who is the author? Is she qualified in this subject? Is this source scholarly, popular, some of both?

The length of your annotation will depend on the assignment or on the purpose of your annotated bibliography. After summarizing and assessing, you can now reflect on this source. How does it fit into your research? Is this a helpful resource? Too scholarly? Not scholarly enough? Too general/specific? Since "stem cell research" is a very broad topic, has this source helped you to narrow your topic?

Senior, K. "Extending the Ethical Boundaries of Stem Cell Research." Trends in Molecular Medicine , vol. 7, 2001, pp. 5-6.

Not all annotations have to be the same length. For example, this source is a very short scholarly article. It may only take a sentence or two to summarize. Even if you are using a book, you should only focus on the sections that relate to your topic.

Not all annotated bibliographies assess and reflect; some merely summarize. That may not be the most helpful for you, but, if this is an assignment, you should always ask your instructor for specific guidelines.

Wallace, Kelly. "Bush Stands Pat on Stem Cell Policy." CNN . 13 Aug. 2001.

Using a variety of sources can help give you a broader picture of what is being said about your topic. You may want to investigate how scholarly sources are treating this topic differently than more popular sources. But again, if your assignment is to only use scholarly sources, then you will probably want to avoid magazines and popular web sites.

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Annotated Bibliography: Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

• Introduction
• Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review
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Differences between Annotated Bibliographies and Literature Reviews

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Literature Reviews: Overview

What is a literature review.

A literature review synthesizes scholarly literature on a topic by evaluating a selection of sources.

It describes common themes, but must also demonstrate the author's understanding of the literature through critical analysis, as well as identify gaps and/or controversies in the research.

The Basics of a Literature Review. (2014). Teaching and Learning Center University of Washington Tacoma. Retrieved from  https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/sites/default/files/2021-05/basics-of-lit-review1.pdf

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What is the Purpose of a Literature Review?

To help define the focus of your research topic.

To identify research already conducted in your field of interest, find gaps in existing scholarship, and avoid repetition of previous research.

To become familiar with significant earlier research and with current progress and/or controversy in your field of interest.

To  diagnose  the strengths and weaknesses in the works pertaining to your field of interest.

To assess the experts, theoretical approaches, methodologies, results, conclusions, and possible opportunities for future research in your field of interest.

Literature Review vs. Annotated Bibliography

Literature reviews and annotated bibliographies are highly useful for constructing your research project. Both provide an examination of relevant scholarly work pertaining to a specific topic, but there are also significant differences between them.

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Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: What’s the Difference?

by  Antony W

January 26, 2024

In this lesson, you will learn about annotated bibliography vs literature review.  

From purpose and structure to components and writing, this guide gives you the differences between the two and points you in the right direction.

Our goal in this lesson is simple: to help you know what goes into each type so that you don’t waste your time working on an assignment you have no idea how to handle.

Note that both annotated bibliography and literature reviews both gives a collection of relevant sources, but that’s all there is to what makes them similar.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review

The following are the differences between an annotated bibliography and a literature review. Note that we’ve looked at the differences in terms of purpose, structure, components, and writing.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: Purpose

By definition, an annotated bibliography is an ordered list of sources with a brief explanation of each source.

Since each source is a brief and concise exposition of the original author’s central ideas, a reader should be able to get a clear objective of the content of the source.

A literature review, on the other hand, gives a reader an overview of a given topic.

The focus of the author in this case is to provide a comprehensive summary and explanation of the most significant sources in the respective subject.

In addition to giving readers an overview of the already existing academic literature on a subject or topic under investigation, a literature review gives a concise evaluation of the strengths and drawbacks of authors’ arguments.

Usually, you have to look into these existing sources, summarize your research and then draw possible conclusions about the issue in question.

In research development, a literature review is necessary because it enables a researcher to uncover existing studies and find gaps and opportunities in existing studies for further research.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: Structure

Authors mention sources more than once in literature reviews by integrating them into paragraphs based on the progression of the topic under investigation.

The structure of an annotated bibliography is different in that an author lists sources alphabetically so that they’re easy to locate.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: Components

Every source item in an annotated bibliography features a formal citation style. Your instructor may ask you to use APA, MLA, or Chicago format to cite a source alongside a short paragraph that explains the credibility and the relevance of the annotation . 

The structure of a literature review is different in that it has an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Using this format, an author gives a summary of the topic in the introduction, explain the subject in the body while synthesizing the sources progressively, and then writes a conclusion that summarize the background under investigation.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: Writing  

When it comes to writing an annotate bibliography, you need to have a separate paragraph describing each source that you cite.

The work examines each source separately based on its relation to the topic under investigation, and you need to make sure you organize these sources alphabetically.

You have to follow each citation with an annotation. Each annotation should be one paragraph with at least 150 words. That’s about 5 to 7 sentences long.

The single most valuable advantage of an annotated bibliography is that it gives a person the freedom to choose whether they would like to explore these sources or look elsewhere altogether.

Check out our comprehensive guide on writing an annotated bibliography to learn more about the topic in-depth.

In the case of a literature review, authors have the freedom to incorporate several sources in their writing, and they can repeat them if necessary.

By drawing together multiple sources, an author is able to determine where the works of literature agree and or disagree.

Instead of organizing sources in an alphabetical order, a literature review uses classification or division, cause or effect, comparison or contrast, and problem or solution to organize the sources. 

Unlike an annotated bibliography, a literature review doesn’t give readers the freedom to choose which sources to explore and which ones to leave out altogether.

Instead, it gives the audience a clear understanding of all the sources used. Check out our comprehensive guide to writing a literature review to learn more about this type of assignment in academic writing.

Get Help with Annotated Bibliography Writing

While collecting sources and organizing them in an alphabetical order is simple, writing the annotated can be somewhat a challenge. It’s challenging for two reasons: either you don’t have the time to complete the work yourself or you have a complex topic to work on.

However, you don’t have to let your annotated bibliography to be a headache at all. Take advantage of our annotated bibliography writing service and let us help you get the work completed in a good time.

Our writers are the best talent in the field. With years of experience in the academic writing industry, not to mention over 500 annotations written so far, we’re no doubt the right team to hire for the job. Plus, you enjoy the benefits of up to 5 revisions at no extra cost if you choose to work with us.

Get Help With Literature Review Writing 

Are you having a difficult time putting together a comprehensive literature review? Maybe you don’t have enough time to handle the assignment and you need help to get the work done? Or maybe your instructor has asked you to explore a topic you don’t like?

If your answer to any, or all, of these questions is a YES, you can count on us to help you. Our literature review writing service is the solution you need. Since we’ve customized this service to suit the need of every student, you can be sure you will get more value for your investment if you choose to work with us.

Take advantage of our 30% discount for your first order and get your literature review written in time.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

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Citations & Writing Help: Annotated Bibliographies vs. Literature Reviews

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What is an Annotated Bibliography?

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An annotated bibliography  is a list of resources that you have gathered on a topic that includes an annotation, or notes, following the reference.  Like a References list, annotated bibliographies gather all resources discovered in the research process in one document. Each citation in the bibliography is followed by an annotation -- a 5-7 sentence paragraph consisting of a summary, an evaluation, and a reflection on that resource. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

The Process

First, locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic. Briefly examine and review what you've found, then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic. 

Cite the book, article, or document using the citation style that your instructor requests that you use.

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.  Annotated Bibliographies  often include personal reactions and opinions and may use 1st person (I/me).

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 . 

(adapted from  https://guides.library.cornell.edu/annotatedbibliography )

What is a Literature Review?

• Purdue OWL Literature Review page

Literature Review

The purpose of a literature review is to provide an overview of existing academic literature on a specific topic and an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the author’s arguments. You are summarizing what research is available on a certain topic and then drawing conclusions about the topic. To make gathering your research easier, be sure to start with a narrow/specific topic and then widen your topic if necessary.

A literature review is helpful when determining what research has already been discovered through academic research and what further research still needs to be done. Are there gaps? Are there opportunities for further research? What is missing from my collection of resources? Are more resources needed?

Literature reviews  do not provide personal arguments or opinions and are written in 3rd person.

It is important to note that the conclusions described in the literature you gather may contradict each other completely or in part.  A literature review gives the researcher an overview and understanding of various strands of thought on a particular topic or issue.

(adapted from  https://rasmussen.libanswers.com/faq/43033 )

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Annotated bibliographies, writing the literature review, matrix for organizing sources for literature reviews / annotated bibliographies, sample literature reviews.

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A literature review is a synthesis of published information on a particular research topics. The purpose is to map out what is already known about a certain subject, outline methods previously used, prevent duplication of research, and, along these lines, reveal gaps in existing literature to justify the research project.

Unlike an annotated bibliography, a literature review is thus organized around ideas/concepts, not the individual sources themselves. Each of its paragraphs stakes out a position identifying related themes/issues, research design, and conclusions in existing literature.

An annotated bibliography  is a bibliography that gives a summary of each article or book. The purpose of annotations is to provide the reader with a summary and an evaluation of the source. Each summary should be a concise exposition of the source's central idea(s) and give the reader a general idea of the source's content.

The purpose of an annotated bibliography is to:

• review the literature of a particular subject;
• demonstrate the quality and depth of reading that you have done;
• exemplify the scope of sources available—such as journals, books, websites and magazine articles;
• highlight sources that may be of interest to other readers and researchers;
• explore and organize sources for further research.

Further Reading:

• Annotated Bibliographies (Purdue OWL)
• How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography (Cornell University)

" Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students " 2009. NC State University Libraries

Review the following websites for tips on writing a literature review:

Literature Reviews. The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Write a Literature Review: Virginia Commonwealth University. 

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Levac, J., Toal-Sullivan, D., & O`Sullivan, T. (2012). Household Emergency Preparedness: A Literature Review.  Journal Of Community Health ,  37 (3), 725-733. doi:10.1007/s10900-011-9488-x

Geale, S. K. (2012). The ethics of disaster management.  Disaster Prevention and Management,  21 (4), 445-462. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09653561211256152

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Q. What is a literature review? Is it the same thing as an annotated bibliography?

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Answered By: Ning Zou Last Updated: Mar 11, 2022     Views: 47

An annotated bibliography is a list of books, journals, and other citations typically accompanied by a short summary or evaluation of each source. A literature review summarizes the published material on a topic to address a specific research question and requires synthesizing evidence or critiquing the literature. For more details about this assignment type, check out our resource on literature reviews .

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Lit review vs annotated bib: what's the big difference?

Even experienced writers and researchers sometimes confuse literature reviews with annotated bibliographies. The two have very different structures and purposes. Additionally, the annotated bibliography is often the precursor to a literature review. It identifies sources that will be used to inform the thinking and organization of the literature review. Here's a quick guide to the components of a literature review, compared to an annotated bibliography.

(Source: University of North Alabama Center for Writing Excellence, http://www.una.edu/writingcenter/)

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Literature Review vs. Annotated Bibliography vs. Research Paper... What's the difference?

Literature Review

The purpose of a literature review is to provide an overview of existing academic literature on a specific topic and an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the author’s arguments. You are summarizing what research is available on a certain topic and then drawing conclusions about the topic. To make gathering your research easier, be sure to start with a narrow/specific topic and then widen your topic if necessary.

A literature review is helpful when determining what research has already been discovered through academic research and what further research still needs to be done. Are there gaps? Are there opportunities for further research? What is missing from my collection of resources? Are more resources needed?

It is important to note that the conclusions described in the literature you gather may contradict each other completely or in part.  A literature review gives the researcher an overview and understanding of research findings to date on a particular topic or issue.

Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a list of resources that you have gathered on a topic that includes an annotation following the reference.  Like a References list, annotated bibliographies gather all resources discovered in the research process in one document. Each citation in the bibliography is followed by an annotation a 5-7 sentence paragraph consisting of a summary, an evaluation, and a reflection of that resource.

An annotated bibliography is different from a literature review because it serves a different purpose. Annotated bibliographies focus on sources gathered for a specific research project. A literature review attempts to take a comprehensive approach to evaluate all of the research available on a particular question or a topic to create the foundation for a research paper. 

For more information, please visit the annotated bibliography page of our APA guide.

Research Paper

A research paper presents a single argument/idea on a topic supported by research that you have gathered. Your own thoughts and opinions will be supported by research that you have gathered on your topic. The resources used in your research paper typically support the argument that you are making.

For more information on writing a research paper, check out our Writing guide .

Generally, either an annotated bibliography or a literature review are written first and set the framework for the final product: your research paper. 

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McNair Scholars: Annotated Bibliographies vs. Literature Reviews

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What is the difference between an Annotated Bibliography and a Literature Review?

Annotated Bibliography - an annotated bibliography is a list of citations with brief notes added below each citation summarizing the content of the article cited (the annotation) included. The annotation accompanying a citation may also contain a short evaluation of the article in addition to a summary. 

Literature Review  - a systematic review of the published material, or scholarly writings, on a specific topic or research question that can be part of a scholarly work or a stand-alone product. The primary goal is analysis - and not simply summarization - of these scholarly writings. This analysis serves to provide background information on your topic and detail the connection between those writings and your research question. 

Learn More - Annotated Bibliographies

Annotated bibliographies are:

• Brief - about 150 words or so
• Summarize and evaluate a source
• Are located under the citation in a bibliography or works cited list
• Are distinct from abstracts, which are mostly a condensed description of an article
• Are distinct from literature reviews.
• Purdue OWL's Annotated Bibliography Page Purdue's Online Writing Lab's page on annotated bibliographies has examples of from the major citation styles and more.
• Writing Center's MLA Annotated Bibliography Handout This handout from the Writing Center is a guide to MLA format annotated bibliographies.

Learn More - Literature Reviews

A Literature Review will help you achieve the following:

• Provides background on research topic
• Guides you in detailing or focusing your own research question
• Provides a framework for research or future research - identifying major themes and concepts
• Offers insights on unexplored ideas related to a topic, gaps in the research
• Assists with avoiding repetition of earlier research
• Tests assumptions; may help counter preconceived ideas and remove unconscious bias
• Identifies points of disagreement, or potentially flawed methodology or theoretical approaches

Searching databases such as  Web of Science, Google Scholar,   and  Dissertations & Theses   is the way you are able to discover the research that has been done on any given subject.

There are many resources available to help you understand what a literature review is and how to write one. Here are a few:

• Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students. A video overview of what a literature review is.
• The Literature Review: A Few Tips On Conducting It Includes an overview and a set of questions to ask of each source included in the review. This guide is hosted on the University of Toronto's Writing Advice website.
• Writing A Literature Review and Using a Synthesis Matrix This tutorial describes a method of notetaking to help you organize the content of your literature review so you can synthesize a coherent presentation of what different authors have said about different parts of your topic. This method may be useful.

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Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

Sample literature review handouts.

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• Literature Reviews This guide from the librarians at the University of Pittsburgh offers information and suggestions on writing your own literature review.

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HWST 603: Review of Hawaiian Literature

Annotated bibliography vs. literature review.

• Primary + Secondary Sources
• General Citation Info
• Examples: Annotated Bib + Lit Review
• Which is Which?
• Writing an Annotated Bibliography
• Writing a Literature Review
• Selecting Sources for the Lit Review
• Tips + What to Avoid

Annotated Bibliography Examples:

• Annotated Bibliography of Hawaiian Mythology "This bibliography lists all the items the author was able to locate which contain at least a passing mention of some incident in Hawaiian legend."
• Liliha (ca. 1800-1839): An Annotated Bibliography Published in 1989. Written by Luella H. Kurkjian for LIS 687: Hawaiian Resource Materials. This paper includes an introduction to Liliha and Boki, an annotated bibliography, illustrations, and author's reflections about the process of creating the bibliography.
• Greco-Roman Mythology: Selected and Annotated Bibliography This annotated bibliography comes from Gods and Goddesses in the Garden: Greco-Roman Mythology and the Scientific Names of Plants by Peter Bernhardt (2008).
• Climate Justice: Annotated Bibliography Published in Dialogues on Climate Justice by Stephen M. Gardiner and Arthur Obst (2022).

Literature Review Examples:

• Kūkaniloko: A Hālau of Ākeaakamai of Kāne A thesis by Jonah Laʻakapu Lenchanko for a Master of Arts in Hawaiian Studies. Published in 2015.
• Demarginalizing knowledge through place-based learning: Exploring the educational experience at the lo'i A thesis by Pearl Z. Wu for a Master of Education in Educational Foundations. Published 2010.
• He Ali'i Ka 'Āina; He Kauwā ke Kanaka (The Land is Chief; Man is its Servant): Traditional Hawaiian Resource Stewardship and the Transformation of the Konohiki A thesis by Claire Hiwahiwa Steele for a Master of Arts in Hawaiian Studies. Published 2015.
• The Hula Industry: Understanding the Commodification of Hula in Japan and Culturally Grounded Hula A thesis by ʻĀnela Uʻilani R. F. Tanigawa for a Master of Arts in Hawaiian Studies. Published 2016.
• E kū makani : a "life history" story of kahuna lāʻau lapaʻau Levon Ohai A thesis by Keoki Baclayon for a Master of Arts in Hawaiian Studies. Published in 2012.

Writing an Annotated Bibliography: Summarize. Assess. Reflect.

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. ( Knott, 2004 )

Check out these resources for more information and tips for writing an Annotated Bibliography:

• 2019. The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  " Annotated Bibliographies ."
• 2018. Purdue Online Writing Lab.  " Annotated Bibliographies ."
• 2004. Deborah Knott, for the New College Writing Centre at the University of Toronto. " Writing an Annotated Bibliography ."

When writing a literature review, ask yourself questions like these:

• What is the specific thesis, problem, or research question that my literature review helps to define?
• What type of literature review am I conducting?  Am I looking at issues of theory? methodology? policy? quantitative research (e.g. on the effectiveness of a new procedure)? qualitative research (e.g., studies of loneliness among migrant workers)?
• What is the scope of my literature review?  What types of publications am I using (e.g., journals, books, government documents, popular media)? What discipline am I working in (e.g., nursing psychology, sociology, medicine)?
• How good was my information seeking?  Has my search been wide enough to ensure I’ve found all the relevant material? Has it been narrow enough to exclude irrelevant material?
• Have I critically analyzed the literature I use?  Do I follow through a set of concepts and questions, comparing items to each other in the ways they deal with them? Instead of just listing and summarizing items, do I assess them, discussing strengths and weaknesses?
• Have I cited and discussed studies contrary to my perspective?
• Will the reader find my literature review relevant, appropriate, and useful?

From ​ Writing Advice from the University of Toronto

Different ways to organize your literature review :

• "A review of the literature of the past fifty years shows research on the motivation behind terrorist acts shifting focus from the psychological to the political and now the religious."
• "While a review of the literature suggests some consensus among researchers regarding the psychological state of most terrorists immediately preceding the commission of a terrorist act, there appears to be little agreement regarding the psychological profile of potential terrorists."
• "In the effort to understand political extremism, researchers have taken various approaches. Some have surveyed vast libraries of historical literature; others have sifted through stores of church and government data; still others have used the ethnographer's tools of first-hand interview and observation."

Adapted from The Literature Review by USC Libraries

For each resource you find, ask yourself these questions:

• Has the author formulated a problem/issue?
• Could the problem have been approached more effectively from another perspective?
• What is the relationship between the theoretical and research perspectives?
• Does the author include literature taking positions she or he does not agree with?
• Can you “deconstruct” the flow of the argument to see whether or where it breaks down logically (e.g., in establishing cause-effect relationships)?
• In what ways does this resource contribute to our understanding of the problem under study? What are the strengths and limitations?
• How does this resource relate to the specific thesis or question I am developing?

From Writing Advice from the University of Toronto

• A literature review section is, in this sense, just like any other academic research paper. Your interpretation of the available sources must be backed up with evidence [citations] that demonstrates that what you are saying is valid.
• Select only the most important points in each source to highlight in the review. The type of information you choose to mention should relate directly to the research problem, whether it is thematic, methodological, or chronological. Related items that provide additional information but that are not key to understanding the research problem can be included in a list of further readings.
• Some short quotes are okay if you want to emphasize a point, or if what an author stated cannot be easily paraphrased. Sometimes you may need to quote certain terminology that was coined by the author, not common knowledge, or taken directly from the study. Do not use extensive quotes as a substitute for your own summary and interpretation of the literature.
• Remember to summarize and synthesize your sources within each thematic paragraph as well as throughout the review. Recapitulate important features of a research study, but then synthesize it by rephrasing the study's significance and relating it to your own work.
• While the literature review presents others' ideas, your voice [the writer's] should remain front and center. For example, weave references to other sources into what you are writing but maintain your own voice by starting and ending the paragraph with your own ideas and wording.
• When paraphrasing a source that is not your own, be sure to represent the author's information or opinions accurately and in your own words. Even when paraphrasing an author’s work, you still must provide a citation to that work.

A poor literature review:

• Includes sources that do not clearly relate to the research problem
• Does not define and identify the most relevant sources for the stated research question(s)
• Relies exclusively on secondary analytical sources rather than including relevant primary research studies or data
• Uncritically accepts another researcher's findings and interpretations as valid, rather than examining critically all aspects of the research design and analysis
• Does not describe the search procedures that were used in identifying the literature to review
• Only includes research that validates assumptions and does not consider contrary findings and alternative interpretations found in the literature.
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• Last Updated: Feb 28, 2024 8:30 AM
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• Finding Sources
• Writing the Annotations
• Formatting the Annotated Bibliography
• Citation This link opens in a new window

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources in proper citation format, each with a descriptive paragraph. The description may critique, analyze or just summarize the content of the item. For this assignment,  you will write a critical/evaluative annotation for each source, critically appraising the evidence that addresses your practice problem. 

A good annotated bibliography:

• Encourages you to think critically about the content of the works you are using, the importance of the works within the field of study, and the relation of the works 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
• Provides a way for others to decide whether a source will be helpful to their research if they read it

*Excerpted from The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill .

The Annotated Bibliography should be the final result after a thorough review of the literature on your topic. Different databases should be searched to get different perspectives. If 8-10 sources are required, you should be reviewing many more sources (20-25), in detail,  before making final selections.

Steps to Writing an Annotated Bibliography

No matter which course or discipline you're researching in, the steps of writing an annotated bibliography should be similar:

• Research, identify, locate and read scholarly and professional articles, books, and documents for your bibliography
• Critically screen, analyze and evaluate the sources
• organize the sources in a logical order
• Create citations in proper APA format (see APA tab)
• Compose annotations

Resources on the Web

For more information on annotated bibliographies, visit these pages:

• Writing an Annotated Bibliography Dena Taylor, Health Sciences Writing Centre, University of Toronto
• Annotated Bibliographies The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Next: Finding Sources >>
• Last Updated: May 7, 2024 6:08 PM
• URL: https://stevenson.libguides.com/annotatedbib

Psychology: Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

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• Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

Literature Review vs. Annotated Bibliography

The purpose of a literature review is to provide an overview of existing academic literature on a specific topic and an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the author’s arguments. You are summarizing what research is available on a certain topic and then drawing conclusions about the topic.

An annotated bibliography is a list of resources that you have gathered on a topic that includes an annotation following the reference.  Like a References list, annotated bibliographies gather all resources discovered in the research process in one document. Each citation in the bibliography is followed by an annotation, a summary of that source.

An annotated bibliography is different from a literature review because it serves a different purpose. Annotated bibliographies focus on sources gathered for a specific research project. A literature review attempts to take a comprehensive approach to evaluate all of the research available on a particular question or a topic to create the foundation for a research paper. This review is often incorporated at the beginning of a research paper in its own section but it may also form the thesis for the paper.

Or as the University of North Alabama puts it " An annotated bibliography examines each source based on its relationship to the topic; a literature review draws together multiple sources to examine where they agree or disagree ."

Comparison Chart

Literature Review Example

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• Last Updated: Apr 18, 2024 2:08 PM
• URL: https://libguides.sctech.edu/psych

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