how do you write an annotated bibliography example

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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Last Updated: Sep 29, 2022 11:09 AM
URL: https://guides.library.cornell.edu/annotatedbibliography

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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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Chicago Style

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography in Chicago/Turabian Style

Published on October 15, 2019 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on April 9, 2024.

While a standard Chicago style bibliography provides publication details of your sources, an annotated bibliography also provides a summary (and often an evaluation) of each source.

Turabian style , a version of Chicago style specifically designed for students and researchers, provides formatting guidelines for an annotated bibliography. A typical entry might look like this:

Kenny, Anthony. A New History of Western Philosophy: In Four Parts . Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2010.

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How to write annotations, how to format an annotated bibliography.

The purpose of annotations is to give the reader relevant information about each source you have consulted. There are two main types of annotation.

Descriptive annotations simply describe your sources, briefly summarizing their arguments and ideas . They are useful for keeping a record of your reading and giving a quick overview of sources related to your topic.

Evaluative annotations go into more detail and provide your own perspective on each source. For example, you may evaluate your sources by:

assessing the strength of the author’s arguments.
describing the ways in which the source is helpful or unhelpful to your own research.
evaluating the evidence presented in the source, discussing the credibility .

Check the requirements of your assignment to find out whether you need to write descriptive or evaluative annotations.

How long should annotations be?

Annotations can vary in length according to the approach taken and the length of the source. You may write a couple of sentences describing the argument of an essay, or several paragraphs summarizing and evaluating a book .

A good guideline is to aim for 50 to 200 words for each source. Consult your instructor to check how long your annotated bibliography should be and how many sources you need to include.

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how do you write an annotated bibliography example

Each entry starts with a Chicago style citation , which gives full publication details of the source. The citation is formatted the same as a normal bibliography entry:

Single-spaced
Each line after the first indented ( hanging indent )
Organized in alphabetical order by author last name

The annotation appears on a new line directly after the source citation. The whole annotation is indented, to make it clear when the annotation ends and a new source appears.

According to Turabian guidelines, annotations should be formatted the same as the main text of any paper:

Double-spaced
Left-aligned
Indent the first line of each new paragraph

Chicago and Turabian annotated bibliography: example of an annotation

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MLA & APA Style Guide

Setting Up Your Paper
MLA In-Text Citations
MLA Works Cited Page
APA In-Text Citations
APA Reference Page

Annotated Bibliography

Helpul Resources

What is an annotated bibliography?

Bibliography: An alphabetical list of sources, such as books, articles, websites, and reports, for a research project

Annotation: A summary and evaluation of each source and how it fits into your research project

An annotated bibliography has the following:

A citation (in MLA or APA – or another – style)

A paragraph that includes:

A summary of the source’s main points

An evaluation of the source

An explanation of how the source fits into your research project

How do I start an annotated bibliography?

Topic: Review your assignment and readings to start thinking about your topic

Research: Visit the SBVC Library Databases and Research Guides page to search OneSearch or a specific database.

Ask a librarian: Visit the Valley College Library homepage to chat with a librarian or access the Library Databases and Research Guides page.

How do I write an annotation?

Summarize: write the source’s main point or argument in your own words. .

Read the title, abstract, headings, the introduction and conclusion, and take notes as you read, to summarize the main point or argument in your own words.

Include the type of source (book or ebook; academic journal article; encyclopedia or other reference article; news or magazine article; report or document, etc.).

Include the author or responsible organization.

Evaluate: Demonstrate that this is a reliable source.

Include information about the author and source: Is the author an expert? Is this from a peer-reviewed journal? Is the publication reliable? Is there evident bias?

Include the name of the journal, magazine, newspaper, or book where the source appears.

If applicable, include the organization that published or funded the source.

Fit: Explain how the source fits into your research project

Discuss topics the source covers that are related to your research project.

Explain how the source supports your argument or counterargument.

Examples of Annotated Bibliographies

MLA Article
APA Article

Cancro, Polly. “The Dark(Ish) Side of Digitization: Information Equity and the Digital Divide.” Serials Librarian, vol. 71, no. 1, 2016, pp. 57- 62. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/0361526X.2016.1157424.

This peer-reviewed article was published in the journal Serials Librarian; the author is a professor of library science. The article discusses digital and digitized information and how it can increase inequity to access because of the digital divide. It explores the idea of the digital divide in libraries and other institutions. The findings support my argument that libraries are instrumental in bridging the digital divide.

Landers, Craig S. The Digital Divide: Issues, Recommendations and Research . E-book, Nova Science Publishers, 2017.

This book, with chapters contributed by researchers from universities around the world, provides research on the digital divide in the United State and internationally. It has chapters that address the digital divide for college students and for students in K-12 school. In an article that examines mobile technology around the world, it extends the discussion of the impact of the digital divide on students. This book supports my discussion that mobile technology alone cannot bridge the digital divide successfully.

Cancro, P. (2016). The dark(ish) side of digitization: Information equity and the digital divide. Serials Librarian, 71(1), 57- 62. https://doi:10.1080/0361526X.2016.1157424

Landers, Craig S. (Ed.). (2017). The digital divide: Issues, recommendations and research [eBook edition]. Nova Science Publishers.

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / APA Annotated Bibliography Format

APA Annotated Bibliography Format

The American Psychological Association states that your instructor should set the guidelines for your annotated bibliography, but does ask that the list be formatted according to their standard reference page rules (see Section 9.51 of the Publication Manual ). Since there are no set rules for creating one, you may be wondering how to create an annotated APA bibliography. If your teacher or professor requests one, don’t worry, here are our recommendations:

Make sure you create your references according to APA’s guidelines. If you need some help, here’s a great APA citation website , which shows how to create references for electronic sources. We also have a page on developing a reference for an APA journal . Need other source types? Check out the other helpful pages on EasyBib.com.
Annotations should be kept short and are usually not more than one paragraph.
For more information on writing an annotation, visit the general annotated bibliography guide .

Here’s a run-through of everything this page includes:

Quick APA formatting guidelines

Annotation example

Visual example, using the easybib annotation tool, troubleshooting, quick apa formatting guidelines:.

Use 1-inch page margins on all sides.
The entire page should be double-spaced.
Title your page, “Annotated Bibliography”. Center and bold it.
Left-align references. If a reference runs over more than one line, any line(s) that comes after the first should be indented a ½ inch from the left margin.
Organize your references alphabetically by the first word in the reference. (See further details in this APA Reference Page guide).
Add the annotations on the line right after their corresponding reference.
Indent annotations ½ inch from the left margin.
Include a page number in the upper right corner; if this is a professional paper, it should be a running head.

For an annotated bibliography APA example, we’re using the same description as above. The only thing we’re going to change is the structure of the reference. For an APA bibliography, the reference needs to be an APA citation , and the description can be formed the same way as above.

Here’s what the APA book citation for The Elements of Eloquence: Secrets of the Perfect Turn of Phrase looks like:

Forsyth, M. (2014). The elements of eloquence: Secrets of the perfect turn of phrase. Penguin Books.

The author, Mark Forsyth, examines the rhetorical devices used in the English language, analyzing the patterns and formats that create memorable quotes. He traces the history of rhetoric to the Ancient Greeks, and provides an abridged timeline, following their use and evolution through to modern day. The author also explores the broader subject of persuasion and maps out the role that the figures of rhetoric play in it. In all, he examines over thirty devices, dissecting notable passages and phrases from pop music, the plays of William Shakespeare, the Bible, and more to explore the figures of rhetoric at work within each of them. Thorough definitions accompany this examination of structure to demonstrate how these formulas have been used to generate famously memorable expressions as well as how to reproduce their effects.

The EasyBib citation generator has an annotation tool that can help you easily add your annotation to a citation.

To do this, begin creating a citation in the EasyBib citation generator. Already have a citation on EasyBib.com? Go to the citation, open your citation options and select “Edit citation.”
Once you get to the citation form (where you review found information), scroll to the bottom until you see the sections “More options.”
Under that section, click on the “Add annotation” link to open the annotation box.
Copy and paste your annotation into the box.
Complete your citation.
Your annotation will automatically be included and formatted with your citation. You can copy and paste directly into your paper!

Again, even though the APA style does not support the creation of bibliographies that include annotations, many schools and professors expect their students to include summaries or commentary alongside their citations in APA style.

Solution #1: How to write an annotation

Annotations are brief paragraph summaries of your source and may include details about how you plan to use the information in your paper, or the quality of information in your source. Take these steps:

Read through the source.
Identify the main thesis theme of the source then consider how you would summarize the article and its purpose in one sentence.
Evaluate the source. Is the author(s) qualified? Is the source and its arguments credible? Well-written? Why or why not?
How does the source relate to your paper?
Write your annotation based on the above steps. Choose only the points that would most help you or your reader gain an understanding of the source and its significance.

Here are writing tips:

Avoid describing every event, statistic, or detail that occurs in your source.
Focus on details that are relevant to your topic or your paper. Help the reader understand why the source was selected and is importance.
Think about how the information impacts your perspective, how it contributes to your topic, and the effect on your overall paper.

Annotated paragraph example:

Solution #2: How to correctly format an annotation with multiple paragraphs

Indent the entire annotated paragraph at ½ of an inch. When done correctly, the left edge of the annotated paragraph will look entirely straight, as in the first example below.
If there are multiple paragraphs, follow step one but use a second 0.5-inch indention on the second and following paragraphs.
Avoid indenting the paragraph at 0.5 inch like a regular essay paragraph, as shown in the third example.

Single annotated paragraph example:

Multiple annotated paragraphs example:

In his novel, “A True Story of John Doe,” Samuel Smith outlines his life through the eyes of a fictional character. His recollection outlines the immigrant experience and demonstrates how modern life in England came to be.

Chapters two and three outline the novelty of moving to a new location by describing the eventual progression to culture shock. Smith describes life as beautiful and wonderous in chapter two by emphasizing sensory experiences. However, in chapter three, he slowly gains awareness of the differences between his current and previous lives and of how the locals treat him. Smith nullifies the sensory experiences and, instead, focuses on the depth of the human emotion. I intend to use this source to compare to my own experience as an immigrant.

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

Annotated Bibliography
Block Quotes
et al Usage
In-text Citations
Multiple Authors
Paraphrasing
Page Numbers
Parenthetical Citations
Reference Page
Sample Paper
APA 7 Updates
View APA Guide

Citation Examples

Book Chapter
Journal Article
Magazine Article
Newspaper Article
Website (no author)
View all APA Examples

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To create an annotated APA bibliography, follow the below recommendations:

Order your reference entries in alphabetical order similar to how you would order entries in the reference list.
If you want to add an annotation to an entry, add it as a new paragraph below the reference entry. The entire annotation is indented 0.5 inches from the left margin.

For example:

Lim, L. (2014). Ideology, rationality and reproduction in education: A critical discourse analysis. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 35 (1), 61–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2012.739467 Lim focuses on issues of power and ideology dominant in curricular discourses of rationality to study a discourse analysis of the goals of one of the most important curricula in the teaching of thinking. He proves that political and class commitments are reproduced in the forms of thinking that are valued in societies. Through his research, Lim asserts that such curricula engage in creating our understanding of what thinking and rationality are.

To format an annotated bibliography in APA, follow the recommendations given below:

Set the left, right, top, and bottom margins as 1 inch.
Use double-line spacing.
Title the page “Annotated Bibliography.” Set it in bold.
The title should be aligned to the center of the page.
As you format reference entries, left-align all references in the annotated bibliography section. If any entry runs over more than a line, indent the subsequent lines 0.5 inches from the left margin.
Arrange all reference entries alphabetically according to the surname of the authors.
Provide your annotations below the reference entry for which you want to give your annotation. Indent annotations 0.5 inches from the left margin.

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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.

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Annotations

What is an annotation.

An annotation is a short (100-300 words) summary or critical evaluation of a source. Annotations can help you learn about your topic, develop a thesis statement, decide if a source will be useful for your assignment, and determine if there is enough valid information available to complete your project.

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources. The annotated bibliography looks like a Works Cited page but it also includes an annotation after each source cited. Annotated bibliographies are a great research tool.

What Goes Into an Annotation?

Most annotations both summarize and evaluate. Be sure to check with your professors to know what they want in annotations.

A summary describes the source by answering who wrote the document and their overall argument. You don't need to include every part of the argument; just the parts that are most relevant to your topic.

An evaluation critically assesses the work for accuracy, relevance, and quality. Check for any biases, holes, or particular strengths. Try out this Quick-How-To about Evaluating Sources for detailed guidance on assessing a source.

Tip: Annotations are original descriptions that you create after reading the document. You may find a short summary, often titled "abstract," at the beginning of journal articles. Do not copy the abstract as that would be plagiarism.

Writing an Annotation

Cite the source using MLA style.

Describe the main ideas, arguments, themes, theses, or methodology, and identify the intended audience.

Explain the author’s expertise, point of view, and any bias he/she may have.

Compare to other sources on the same topic that you have also cited to show similarities and differences.

Explain why each source is useful for your research topic and how it relates to your topic.

Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each source.

Identify the observations or conclusions of the author.

Tips on Writing and Formatting

Each annotation should be one or two paragraphs and between three to six sentences long (about 100- 300 words total).

All lines should be double-spaced (unless your professor has noted a different format).

Do not add an extra line between the citations.

Try to be objective, and give explanations if you state any opinions.

Use the third person (e.g., he, she, the author) instead of the first person (e.g., I, my, me), unless discussing your own research.

Sample Annotation

London, Herbert. “Five Myths of the Television Age.” Television Quarterly , vol. 10, no. 1, Mar. 1982, pp. 81-89.

Herbert London, the Dean of Journalism at New York University and author of several books and articles, explains how television contradicts five commonly believed ideas. He uses specific examples of events seen on television, such as the assassination of John Kennedy, to illustrate his points. His examples have been selected to contradict such truisms as: “seeing is believing”; “a picture is worth a thousand words”; and “satisfaction is its own reward.” London uses logical arguments to support his ideas which are his personal opinion. He does not refer to any previous works on the topic. London’s style and vocabulary would make the article of interest to any reader. The article clearly illustrates London’s points, but does not explore their implications leaving the reader with many unanswered questions.

Adapted from: "How to Write Annotated Bibliographies." Memorial University Libraries , www.library.mun.ca/researchtools/guides/writing/annotated_bibl/ .

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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography - MLA Style

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 and the two major types of annotations included here demonstrate the difference.

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:

Gabbin, Joanne V. "Maya Angelou--The Peoples' Poet Laureate: An Introduction." Langston Hughes Review , vol. 19, Spring 2005, pp. 3-6. LION: Literature Online , gateway.proquest.com/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion&rft_id=xri:lion:ft:criticism:R04012678:0&rft.accountid=14580. This scholarly article is a critical introduction to the works of Maya Angelou, and the criteria surrounding her success as a poet laureate. The author points out Angelou's literary influences, which include William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Douglas Johnson, Langston Hughes, among others. This article also points out that her poetry lacks cultural boundaries, yet her trademark lies in the secular chants, songs, and games of the black vernacular tradition. The author discusses dialect and vernacular rhythms in several of Angelou's poems, and compares several of her works to the racy dialect of Sterling Brown and Langston Hughes. Also discussed is her political cultural voice and her deep understanding of emotion. This article is distinctive in its discussion of the need for a poet laureate to add to an audience's collective memory.

Please pay attention to the last sentence. While it points out distinctive features about the item it does not analyze the author's conclusions.

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.

Gabbin, Joanne V. "Maya Angelou--The Peoples' Poet Laureate: An Introduction." Langston Hughes Review , vol. 19, Spring 2005, pp. 3-6. LION: Literature Online , gateway.proquest.com/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion&rft_id=xri:lion:ft:criticism:R04012678:0&rft.accountid=14580. This scholarly article is a critical introduction to the works of Maya Angelou, and the criteria surrounding her success as a poet laureate. The author points out Angelou's literary influences, that include William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, Douglas Johnson, Langston Hughes, among others. This article also points out that her poetry lacks cultural boundaries, yet her trademark lies in the secular chants, songs, and games of the black vernacular tradition. The author discusses dialect and vernacular rhythms in several of Angelou's poems, and compares several of her works to the racy dialect of Sterling Brown and Langston Hughes. Also discussed is her political cultural voice and her deep understanding of emotion. This article is a good resource for those wanting to explore criteria related to the achievement of the award of poet laureate and how Angelou meets the criteria. This article begins to explore the poet's works and suggests her ability to add to an audience's collective memory. The author is a professor of English at James Madison University and has authored a book on Sterling Brown and numerous critical essays.

Please pay attention to the last three sentences. They give information about the author and critique the author's research.

To write an annotated bibliography here are the steps:

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 are arranged alphabetically by the first author's last name.

Please see the MLA Examples Page for more information on citing in MLA style.

Last Updated: Aug 8, 2023 1:53 PM
URL: https://libguides.umgc.edu/annotated-bibliography-mla

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Rapaport , M. H., Nierenberg , A. A., Howland , R, Dording , C, Schettler , P. J., & Mischoulon , D. (2011). The treatment of minor depression with St John’s Wort or Citalopram : Failure to show benefit over placebo. Journal of Psychiatric Research, 45 (7), 931-941. https:// doi.org/ 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2011.05.001

This article evaluates the effectiveness of St John’s Wort, Citalopram and placebo in decreasing the severity of symptoms for subjects with minor depression. In this study, a 12-week double-blind randomised method was adopted with participants recruited through clinical referrals and community advertising. Seventy-three subjects were assigned into three treatment groups and received daily the following dosage: 810 mg of St John’s Wort, 20 mg of Citalopram and a look-alike placebo. A total of six visits data was collected over the study period using validated and structured assessments and personal interviews. The findings show similar adverse reactions; however, Citalopram scored the highest at 100 percent with St John's wort scoring 84.6 percent and placebo 91.3 percent. Although the research supports the use of St John’s Wort in managing depression there is no certainty as to which treatment would be better for minor depression. The limitations found in this study including the small sample size of 73 subjects and exclusion of subjects with “organic mental disorders, substance use disorders, current or within one year of psychotic symptoms or disorders, bipolar disorder or antisocial personality disorder”(p.3) call for further research. This article is relevant to my research as it highlights the non-pharmacological treatment for minor depression.

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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
Next: Examples >>

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The land on which we gather is the unceded territory of the Awaswas-speaking Uypi Tribe. The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, comprised of the descendants of indigenous people taken to missions Santa Cruz and San Juan Bautista during Spanish colonization of the Central Coast, is today working hard to restore traditional stewardship practices on these lands and heal from historical trauma.

The land acknowledgement used at UC Santa Cruz was developed in partnership with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band Chairman and the Amah Mutsun Relearning Program at the UCSC Arboretum .

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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

Writing annotations.

Introduction
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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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Last Updated: Jul 1, 2024 1:59 PM
URL: https://guides.libraries.uc.edu/annotated_bibliography

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Annotated Bibliography

What is an annotated bibliography.

An annotated bibliography provides an overview or a brief account of the available research on a given topic. It is a list of research sources that takes the form of a citation for each source, followed by an annotation - a short paragraph sumarising and evaluating the source. An annotated bibliography may be a stand-alone assignment or a component of a larger assignment.

Purpose of an annotated bibliography

When set as an assignment, an annotated bibliography allows you to get acquainted with the material available on a particular topic.

Depending on your specific assignment, an annotated bibliography might:

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, web sites and magazine articles;
highlight sources that may be of interest to other readers and researchers;
explore and organise sources for further research.

What does an annotated bibliography look like?

Each entry in an annotated biliography has two components:

a bibliographic citation followed by
a short paragraph (an annotation) that includes concise descriptions and evaluations of each source.

The annotation usually contains a brief summary of content and a short analysis or evaluation. Depending on your assignment you may be asked to summarise, reflect on, critique, evaluate or analyse each source. While an annotation can be as brief as one sentence, a paragraph is more usual. An example is provided below.

As with a normal reference list or bibliography, an annotated bibliography is usually arranged alphabetically according to the author’s last name.

An annotated bibliography summary should be about 100 - 200 words per citation—check with your lecturer/tutor as this may vary between faculties and assessments. Please also check with your lecturer about the elements each annotation should include.

Steps to writing an annotated bibliography

Choose your sources - locate and record citations to sources of research that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic.
Review the items that you’ve collected in your search.
Write the citation using the correct style.
Write the annotation.

Questions to consider when selecting sources

The sources for your annotated bibliography should be carefully selected. Start by reading abstracts or skimming to help you identify and select relevant sources. Also keep in mind that, while annotated bibliographies are often ‘stand alone’ assignments, they can also be preliminary research about a particular topic or issue, and further research or a longer literature review may follow. Try to choose sources which together will present a comprehensive review of the topic.

Keep the following questions in mind to help clarify your choices

What topic/ problem am I investigating?
What question(s) am I exploring? (Identify the aim of your literature research).
What kind of material am I looking at and why? Am I looking for journal articles, reports, policies or primary data?
Am I being judicious in my selection of sources? Does each one relate to my research topic and assignment requirements?
Have I selected a range of sources? Choose those sources that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic
What are the essential or key works about my topic? Am I finding them? Are the sources valuable or often referred to in other sources?

Surveying the sources

Take notes on your selected texts as you read. Pay attention to:

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

Evaluate and ask questions as you read

Record evaluations in your notes and consider:

How, and how effectively, does this source address the topic?
Does it cover the topic thoroughly or only one aspect of it?
Do the research methods seem appropriate?
Does the argument seem reasonable?
Where does it stand in relation to other studies? Agree with or contradict?

How should I write the annotations?

Each annotation should be concise. Do not write too much—annotations should not extend beyond one paragraph (unless assignment guidelines say otherwise).
The summary should be a brief outline of argument(s) and main ideas. Only mention details that are significant or relevant, and only when necessary.
Any information apparent in the title of thesourcel can be omitted from the annotation.
Background materials and references to previous work by the same author usually are not included. As you are addressing one text at a time, there is no need to cross reference or use in-text citations to support your annotation.
Find out what referencing style you need to use for the bibliographic citations, and use it consistently.
In-text citations would usually only be necessary for quotations or to draw attention to information from specific pages.
Unless otherwise stipulated, you should write in full sentences using academic vocabulary.

Contents of an annotated bibliography

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.

Provide the full bibliographic citation.
Indicate the background of the author(s).
Indicate the content or scope of the text.
Outline the main argument.
Indicate the intended audience.
Identify the research methods if applicable.
Identify any conclusions made by the author/s.
Discuss the reliability of the text.
Highlight any special features of the text that were unique or helpful e.g. charts, graphs etc.
Discuss the relevance or usefulness of the text for your research.
Point out in what way the text relates to themes or concepts in your course.
State the strengths and limitations of the text.
Present your view or reaction to the text.

Sample annotation

The citation goes first and is followed by the annotation. Make sure that you follow your faculty’s preferred citation style. The summary needs to be concise. Please note the following example is entirely fictitious.

In the sample annotation below, each element is numbered (see Key).

(1) Trevor, C.O., Lansford, B. and Black, J.W., 2004, ‘Employee turnover and job performance: monitoring the influences of salary growth and promotion’, Journal of Armchair Psychology, vol 113, no.1, pp. 56-64.

(2) In this article Trevor et al. review the influences of pay and job opportunities in respect to job performance, turnover rates and employee motivation.(3) The authors use data gained through organisational surveys of blue-chip companies in Vancouver, Canada to try to identify the main causes of employee turnover and whether it is linked to salary growth.(4) Their research focuses on assessing a range of pay structures such as pay for performance and organisational reward schemes.(5) The article is useful to my research topic, as Trevor et al. suggest that there are numerous reasons for employee turnover and variances in employee motivation and performance.(6) The main limitation of the article is that the survey sample was restricted to mid-level management,(7) thus the authors indicate that further, more extensive, research needs to be undertaken to develop a more in-depth understanding of employee turnover and job performance.(8) This article will not form the basis of my research; however it will be useful supplementary information for my research on pay structures.

(1) Citation

(2) Introduction

(3) Aims & Research methods

(4) Scope

(5) Usefulness (to your research/ to a particular topic)

(6) Limitations

(7) Conclusions

(8) Reflection (explain how this work illuminates your topic or how it will fit in with your research)

Essay and assignment writing guide

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Essay and assignment planning
Answering assignment questions
Editing checklist
Writing a critical review
Annotated bibliography
Reflective writing
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Mastering MLA Annotated Bibliography Format

Let’s master the MLA annotated bibliography format. Learn how to craft an annotated bibliography, a crucial skill in many academic studies.

Knowing MLA annotated bibliography format is essential for researchers, students, and scholars alike. It serves not only to catalog sources used in a project but also to provide concise summaries and evaluations that offer insights into the relevance and quality of each source. Adhering to specific MLA style guidelines ensures consistency and clarity in formatting. This guide will navigate through the essential elements of crafting an MLA annotated bibliography format, helping you effectively organize and present your research sources.

Understanding the Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a structured list of sources used in research projects or academic papers, each accompanied by a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph, known as the annotation. Unlike a standard bibliography that merely lists sources, an annotated bibliography provides a summary and critical assessment of each source’s content, relevance, and quality.

Definition and Purpose

An annotated bibliography is a detailed list of sources used in research or academia, each accompanied by a brief summary and evaluation of its content and relevance. Unlike a standard bibliography that simply lists references, an annotated bibliography provides additional information to the reader about each source’s significance and quality.

Primary Purposes

The primary purpose of an annotated bibliography is to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of the literature available on a particular topic. It serves several important functions:

Informational : Annotations summarize the main arguments, methodologies, and findings of each source, allowing readers to quickly grasp the key points without reading the entire source.
Evaluation : Annotations critically evaluate the credibility, reliability, and objectivity of each source. This helps researchers assess whether the source is suitable for their research needs.
Contextualization : Annotations place each source within the broader scholarly conversation on the topic. They explain how the source contributes to understanding different perspectives or aspects of the research topic.
Research Depth: By compiling and annotating a variety of sources, an annotated bibliography demonstrates the depth and breadth of research conducted on a topic. It highlights the diversity of sources consulted and the methodological approaches employed.

Components of an Annotation

Summary of the Source: A concise overview of the source’s main arguments, methodology, and findings. It typically ranges from a few sentences to a short paragraph.
Evaluation of the Source: A critical assessment of the source’s credibility, reliability of information, and objectivity. This section may also discuss the author’s authority and the publication’s reputation.
Reflection on the Source’s Use: A reflection on how the source contributes to your research project. This includes discussing its relevance to your thesis or research question, as well as any biases or limitations.

MLA Formatting Overview

An annotated bibliography in MLA format not only lists the sources used for research but also includes annotations that summarize, evaluate, and reflect on each source. Here are the key formatting guidelines:

General Guidelines

Font and Spacing Specifications: Use a legible font such as Times New Roman, 12-point size, and double-space the entire document, including annotations.
Margins and Indentation Rules: Maintain one-inch margins on all sides of the page. Indent the second and subsequent lines of each citation by 0.5 inches (or one tab space).
Order of Entries: Arrange citations alphabetically by the author’s last name. If there is no author, use the title of the work for alphabetization.

Citation Structure

Author Details: Include the author’s full name (last name, first name) or the name of the organization responsible for the work.
Title Conventions: Italicize book titles and titles of larger works (e.g., journals, websites). Use quotation marks for titles of shorter works (e.g., articles, chapters).
Publication Information: Include the publisher’s name, publication date (year), and relevant page numbers (for articles or chapters).

Also read: A Writer’s Guide to MLA Format: How to Get It Right

Writing MLA Annotated Bibliography Format

Writing annotations in MLA style involves summarizing the content of each source, evaluating its credibility and relevance, and reflecting on its usefulness to your research. Here’s a detailed guide on how to write annotations in MLA style:

Summarizing the Source

Key Points to Include: Summarize the main arguments, methodology, and conclusions of the source. Focus on the most relevant aspects to your research topic.
Length of the Summary: Aim for 1-2 paragraphs summarizing the source’s content concisely. The length may vary depending on the complexity of the source.

Evaluating the Source

Criteria for Assessing Credibility: Evaluate the author’s credentials, the accuracy of information presented, and the objectivity of the source.
Discussing Relevance and Bias: Analyze how the source contributes to your understanding of the topic. Discuss any potential biases or limitations that may affect its reliability.

Reflecting on the Source

Personal Engagement with the Material: Reflect on how the source has influenced your thinking or approach to the topic. Discuss any insights gained or challenges posed by the source.
Usefulness in Your Research Context: Explain how the source contributes to your research goals, supports your thesis or arguments, or provides contrasting viewpoints.

Final Tips for Writing Annotations in MLA Style

Stick to the word limit recommended for annotations (typically 100-200 words) and prioritize the most pertinent information about the source.
Focus on summarizing the main arguments, methodologies, and findings without delving into unnecessary details.

Maintain Objectivity

Provide a balanced evaluation of the source’s strengths and weaknesses. Avoid personal biases or opinions that are not supported by evidence.
Critically assess the author’s credibility, the reliability of the information presented, and any potential biases in the source.

Link to Your Research

Clearly articulate how each source contributes to your broader research objectives or thesis statement.
Explain how the source supports your arguments, provides relevant data or theoretical frameworks, or offers contrasting viewpoints that enrich your analysis.
Discuss any limitations or gaps in the source and how you plan to address them in your research.

Consider the Audience

Tailor your annotations to the intended audience, ensuring that your summaries and evaluations are clear and accessible to readers who may not be familiar with the topic.
Use language that is scholarly yet understandable, avoiding jargon or technical terms that may obscure the meaning for non-specialists.

Revise and Proofread

After writing your annotations, revise them for clarity, coherence, and accuracy.
Proofread carefully to correct any grammatical or typographical errors, as well as to ensure consistency in formatting according to MLA style guidelines.

Seek Feedback

If possible, seek feedback from peers, instructors, or colleagues to get insights into the clarity and effectiveness of your annotations.
Incorporate constructive feedback to strengthen your annotations and improve their overall quality.

Examples of MLA Annotated Bibliography Format

The examples below illustrate how to format and annotate sources in MLA style for an annotated bibliography. Each annotation provides a summary of the source’s content, an evaluation of its reliability and relevance, and a reflection on its contribution to the broader research topic. Adjustments can be made based on specific requirements or additional criteria for evaluation as needed.

Book Citation with Annotation

Citation Example:

Smith, John. The Art of Writing . Oxford University Press, 2019.

Annotation Example:

In this comprehensive guide to writing, Smith explores various techniques and strategies for improving writing skills. He emphasizes the importance of clarity and structure, making it an invaluable resource for aspiring writers. Smith’s practical examples and insightful advice help readers understand complex concepts in a straightforward manner. This book is particularly useful for students and professionals looking to enhance their writing proficiency across different genres and disciplines.

Journal Article Citation with Annotation

Brown, Sarah. “The Impact of Climate Change on Global Agriculture.” Environmental Studies Review , vol. 25, no. 2, 2020, pp. 45-60.

Annotation Example:

Brown’s article examines the effects of climate change on global agriculture, highlighting challenges and potential solutions. Through a review of current literature and empirical data, Brown provides a nuanced perspective on this critical issue. The article discusses the impact of changing weather patterns on crop yields and explores adaptive strategies employed by agricultural communities worldwide. Brown’s research contributes significantly to the understanding of environmental sustainability and underscores the urgency of addressing climate-related threats to global food security.

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IMAGES

How to write an annotated bibliography step-by-step with examples
3 Ways to Write an Annotated Bibliography
MLA Annotated Bibliography Examples and Writing Guide
10+ Annotated Bibliography
Write Your APSA Annotated Bibliography Perfectly with Us
🌷 How to write an annotation for a bibliography. How To Write an

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How to Write a Bibliography for a Research Paper?
BIBLIOGRAPHY
How to Write Annotated Bibliography
How to do an Annotated Bibliography
Assignment #3: Annotated Bibliography (Example)
how to write bibliography

COMMENTS

What Is an Annotated Bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a list of source references that includes a short descriptive text (an annotation) for each source. It may be assigned as part of the research process for a paper, or as an individual assignment to gather and read relevant sources on a topic. Scribbr's free Citation Generator allows you to easily create and manage ...
How to Write an Annotated Bibliography
Write the citation and annotation - When writing your annotation, the complete citation should always come first and the annotation follows. Depending on the type of annotated bibliography you are writing, you will want to include some or all of the following: The purpose of the work; A summary of its content; Information about the author(s)
MLA Style Annotated Bibliography
You might be assigned an annotated bibliography as part of the research process for a paper, or as an individual assignment. MLA provides guidelines for writing and formatting your annotated bibliography. An example of a typical annotation is shown below. Kenny, Anthony. A New History of Western Philosophy: In Four Parts.
Annotated Bibliography Examples for MLA & APA
Step 3a: MLA annotated bibliography format. The MLA Style Center and the current edition of the MLA Handbook provide the following guidance for formatting an MLA annotated bibliography: Title your reference page as "Annotated Bibliography" or "Annotated List of Works Cited.". Place each annotation after its reference.
Annotated Bibliography Examples & Step-by-Step Writing Guide
Select the source that matches the title you are looking for. Modify your source as needed and scroll down to the "Annotation" box. Add your annotation into the box and click "Cite.". Once your annotations are done, select "Copy All + Paste" or "Export.". Paste into a Microsoft Word document.
The Annotated Bibliography
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 ...
Annotated Bibliographies
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 ...
APA Annotated Bibliography Guide With Examples
After your APA annotated bibliography is formatted, you create a citation for each entry. The composition of your citation varies based on the type of source you are using. For example, a book citation in APA is different than a journal citation. Therefore, when creating your citation, use the format APA has designated for that specific source.
How to Write an Annotated Bibliography in Chicago/Turabian Style
The annotation appears on a new line directly after the source citation. The whole annotation is indented, to make it clear when the annotation ends and a new source appears. According to Turabian guidelines, annotations should be formatted the same as the main text of any paper: Double-spaced. Left-aligned.
ResearchGuides: MLA & APA Style Guide : Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography has the following: A citation (in MLA or APA - or another - style) A paragraph that includes: A summary of the source's main points . An evaluation of the source . An explanation of how the source fits into your research project . How do I start an annotated bibliography?
APA Annotated Bibliography Format
Title the page "Annotated Bibliography." Set it in bold. The title should be aligned to the center of the page. As you format reference entries, left-align all references in the annotated bibliography section. If any entry runs over more than a line, indent the subsequent lines 0.5 inches from the left margin.
Annotated Bibliography Samples
Below you will find sample annotations from annotated bibliographies, each with a different research project. Remember that the annotations you include in your own bibliography should reflect your research project and/or the guidelines of your assignment. As mentioned elsewhere in this resource, depending on the purpose of your bibliography ...
APA Citation Guide (7th Edition): Annotated Bibliography
The annotated bibliography looks like a References page but includes an annotation after each source cited. An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source. Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself.
Annotated Bibliographies
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.).
MLA Annotated Bibliography Examples and Writing Guide
Step 2: Create the MLA Annotations. Creating the annotation is the pivotal part. This is an annotated bibliography, after all. The first thing to think about is whether this is a summary annotation or evaluative annotation. Per the names, the summary annotation provides a summary while an evaluative annotation evaluates the work.
Writing an Annotated Bibliography
What is an annotated bibliography? An annotated bibliography is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources. The annotated bibliography looks like a Works Cited page but it also includes an annotation after each source cited. Annotated bibliographies are a great research tool.
How to Write an Annotated Bibliography
Write the citation and annotation - When writing your annotation, the complete citation should always come first and the annotation follows. Depending on the type of annotated bibliography you are writing, you will want to include some or all of the following: The purpose of the work; A summary of its content; Information about the author(s)
Library Guides: Annotated Bibliography: Example of annotated
Some limitations in formatting impacted the produced text. Please check the section of this guide How to format an annotated bibliography according to APA 7th ed. style of referencing for exact indentations, the spacing between lines, and the font size.
PDF Annotated Bibliography Examples
MLA Annotated Bibliography Examples. Cook, Sybilla. Instruction Design. New York: Garland, 1986. This book provides an annotated. bibliography of sources concerning instructional patterns for research libraries. Written for an. academic audience, the author provides information on how such a bibliography can be used.
Library Guides: Write an Annotated Bibliography: Home
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 ...
Introduction
An annotation is a short paragraph that summarizes a source and describes how it is relevant to your research. To annotate literally means "to make notes.". There is not an official format for annotated bibliographies, though usually the bibliographic citation is written in APA or MLA format. If this is being done for a class, ask the ...
Writing Annotations
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.
What Is an Annotated Bibliography? Purpose, Types, and Format
What is the usual annotated bibliography format. In general, every annotated bibliography should display an academic writing style, be alphabetized, and be extremely concise. When it comes to the specifics, though, the format of an annotated bibliography usually depends on the style guide the writer is following.
Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography provides an overview or a brief account of the available research on a given topic. It is a list of research sources that takes the form of a citation for each source, followed by an annotation - a short paragraph sumarising and evaluating the source. An annotated bibliography may be a stand-alone assignment or a ...
Mastering MLA Annotated Bibliography Format
Examples of MLA Annotated Bibliography Format. The examples below illustrate how to format and annotate sources in MLA style for an annotated bibliography. Each annotation provides a summary of the source's content, an evaluation of its reliability and relevance, and a reflection on its contribution to the broader research topic.
APA Annotated Bib. Sample Formatting
The American Psychological Association does not prescribe a specific title format for annotated bibliographies. However, to follow the formatting guidelines for APA-style papers, include a separate title page and a page number for each page of your bibliography. For APA-style paper templates, see the HPULibraries APA citation guide (7th Edition).
Annotated Bibliography Instruction (2) (pdf)
Find two articles that you find most relevant and informative to you from the weekly reading list. Include two annotated bibliographies in one Word file. 2. Below is the information to include in the annotated bibliography for each article: a. Reference for the article in APA format in the beginning. b. Include the following components for each ...

How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography: The Annotated Bibliography

Explanation, Process, Directions, and Examples

Annotations vs. Abstracts

The Process

Critically Appraising the Book, Article, or Document

Choosing the Correct Citation Style

Sample Annotated Bibliography Entries

Versión española

Content Permissions

Reference Help

Annotated Bibliographies

Introduction

Why do an annotated bibliography?

What does an annotated bibliography do?

What elements might an annotation include?

Did you know that annotations have categories and styles?

MLA (Modern Language Association)

APA (American Psychological Association)

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

Types of annotations

Summary annotations

Informative annotation

Indicative annotation

Critical/evaluative

Combination

Writing style

Works consulted

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MLA & APA Style Guide

Annotated Bibliography

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography has the following:

How do I start an annotated bibliography?

How do I write an annotation?

Evaluate: Demonstrate that this is a reliable source.

Fit: Explain how the source fits into your research project

Examples of Annotated Bibliographies

APA Annotated Bibliography Format

Annotation example

Solution #1: How to write an annotation

Solution #2: How to correctly format an annotation with multiple paragraphs

APA Formatting Guide

Citation Examples

Plagiarism Checker

Annotated Bibliographies

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

Definitions

Why should I write an annotated bibliography?

MLA Citation Guide (MLA 9th Edition): Writing an Annotated Bibliography

Annotations

What is an annotated bibliography?

What Goes Into an Annotation?

Writing an Annotation

Tips on Writing and Formatting

Sample Annotation

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography - MLA Style

Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography: Example of annotated bibliography (APA7th)

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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

Annotation Styles

Annotated Bibliography

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