what is the difference between a bibliography and an annotated bibliography

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Q. What’s the difference between a regular bibliography and an annotated bibliography?

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Answered By: Jason Puckett Last Updated: Aug 12, 2021     Views: 5816

A bibliography (sometimes called "works cited" or "references") is a list of  citations  you have gathered while researching a topic.  These citations are created from your sources and provide your reader   with important information on your sources, such as author, title, and publication of the source.  

An annotated bibliography  is everything above, but also includes a paragraph  of brief information  below each citation.  Ask your instructor for specifics o n  what they want included in the annotated bibliography  as sometimes it can differ , but usually  you want to  include information that  summarizes  the source,  discusses  why you’ve chosen  that specific source , and  explains  how  that source   is important to  your  research .  

For more details on annotated bibliographies, visit  Purdue Owl’s Writing Lab and their page on annotated bibliographies . They will also include  an example , if you’d like to see one.  

For more help,  ask a librarian .

Reviewed 8/12/2021 bgw

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How to Prepare an 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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• Annotated bibliography example - UNT Dallas Library
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• APA 7th Edition Publication Manual - Sample Annotated Bibliography (See Fig. 9.3, p. 308)

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is an organized list of sources, each of which is followed by a brief note or “annotation.”

These annotations do one or more of the following:

• describe the content and focus of the book or article
• suggest the source’s usefulness to your research
• evaluate its method, conclusions, or reliability
• record your reactions to the source.

The process of writing an annotated bibliography provides a structured process to learn about a research topic. It causes you to read the available research (also referred to as "the literature") more closely as you develop a better understanding of the topic, related issues, and current trends. 

Source: The University of Wisconsin-Madison: The Writing Center

Writing a strong annotation

The hardest part of this assignment is writing the annotation, but knowing what it entails can make this task less daunting.

While not all of these are necessary, an annotation could/will:

• Summarize the central theme and scope of the document
• Evaluates the authority, credibility, and/or background of the author(s)
• Comments on the intended audience (who was meant to read the document)
• Assesses the source’s strengths and weaknesses (Interesting? Helpful? Strong/weak argument? Strong/weak evidence?)
• Compares or contrast this work with others you have cited
• Critiques the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the source
• Evaluates the methods, conclusions/findings, and reliability of the source
• Shares how the source reinforces or contradicts your own argument
• Records your reactions to the reading
• States how the source will be used in your paper

Source:  UNT Dallas Learning Commons: Annotated Bibliography

Formatting rules

General Formatting Rules:

• Format and order references in alphabetical order just as you would a reference list
• Each annotation should be a new paragraph below its reference entry
• Indent the entire annotation 0.5 inch from the left margins just as you would a block quotation
• If the annotation spans multiple paragraphs, indent the first line of the second and any subsequent paragraphs an addition 0.5 inch the same as you would a block quotation with multiple paragraphs  

Source: Section 9.51 Annotated Bibliographies in the APA 7th Edition Publication Manual

Sample annotated bibliography

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Annotated Bibliographies

What this handout is about.

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

Introduction

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

Why do an annotated bibliography?

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

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

What does an annotated bibliography do?

A good annotated bibliography:

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

What elements might an annotation include?

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

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

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

Did you know that annotations have categories and styles?

Decisions, decisions.

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

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

MLA (Modern Language Association)

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

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

APA (American Psychological Association)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Types of annotations

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

Summary annotations

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

Summarizing annotations in general have a couple of defining features:

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

Informative annotation

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

Indicative annotation

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

Critical/evaluative

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

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

Combination

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

Writing style

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

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

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

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

MLA Example

APA Example

CBE Example

Works consulted

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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DOC 3 Annotated Bibliography: Annotated Bibliography

• Annotated Bibliography
• Abstract VS Annotations
• Critical Appraisal & Analysis
• Sample Annotations
• Creating Annotations

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of works (books, articles, films, etc.) on a particular topic. An annotated bibliography includes a paragraph following each citation that summarizes the work. An annotation can help the reader determine the value of each work on the topic and the contribution it might make to his own research.

Elements of an Annotation

a brief summary (2-4 sentences) of the article, including the author’s name and what you think is the author’s primary point or thought;

• a description of the intended audience;
• how the article illuminates your bibliography topic;
• an evaluation of the source’s usefulness, reliability, strengths and weaknesses and its value for your research;
• how this specific article relates to another article in your bibliography

For more information, see:

• Annotated Bibliographies UMKC Libraries
• How Do I Write an Annotated Bibliography UC Santa Cruz Library
• Preparing an Annotated Bibliography The Writing Studio, Colorado State University

This information was adapted with permission from  How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography , Hesburgh Libraries, University of Notre Dame.

Types of Annotation

• Descriptive
• Informative

There are different kinds of annotations, depending on what might be most important for your reader to learn about a source. Three common types of annotated bibliographies are  Descriptive ,  Informative , and  Critical .

A Descriptive annotation may summarize:

• The main purpose or idea of the work
• The contents of the work
• The author’s conclusions
• The intended audience
• The author’s research methods
• Special features of the work such as illustrations, maps, and tables

This type of annotation seeks to answer the question, Does this source cover or address the topic I am researching?

This information was adapted with permission rom the following:  How to prepare an annotated bibliography  Hesburgh Libraries, University of Notre Dame.

An  Informative  annotation:

• Summarizes what the content, message, or argument of the source is
• Generally contains the hypothesis, methodology, main points, and conclusion or results
• Does not include any editorial or evaluative comments about such content

This type of annotation seeks to answer these types of questions,  What are the author's main arguments? What conclusions did the author draw?

Critical  annotation includes value judgments or comments on the effectiveness of the work. In this context, critical means evaluative and may include both positive and negative comments. A critical annotation may contain the information found in a descriptive annotation and discuss some of the following features:

• The importance of the work’s contribution to the literature of the subject
• The author’s bias or tone
• The author’s qualifications for writing the work
• The accuracy of the information in the source
• Limitations or significant omissions
• The work’s contribution to the literature of the subject
• Comparison with other works on the topic

This type of annotation seeks to answer these types of questions:

• Is the author's presentation of the facts objective?
• Is the methodology sound? Is this source useful for my audience?
• Are the conclusions still valid in light of new research?
• What contribution does this make to the field?
• Does this source address all the relevant issues?
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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography - APA Style (7th Edition)

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are two major types of annotated bibliographies:

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

For example:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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English Resource Guide: Annotated Bibliographies

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• Examples of an Annotated Bibliography Use this document as an example of how to create an annotated bibliography for MLA, APA or Chicago styles.

Annotations vs. Abstract

Annotation vs. abstract.

At first glance, it may seem like a resource abstract and an annotation are the same thing. However, they serve different purposes

Abstracts are specifically descriptive summaries located at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or indexes. 

Annotation:

Annotations are often contextual to the research project. They are meant to assist in writing research papers by including not only a brief summary, but also one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the author's authority, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) explain how this work ties in with your thesis or (d) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited.

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a combination of two parts: the citation (in your chosen style) and a brief description of the source and how it is useful to your research. They can be used with any citation style (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.).  

Annotated bibliographies are a great way to collect your sources and determine how and why you have chosen to include them for your assignment. They help you think about the quality of the source you have chosen. 

The annotation, or description, part of the annotated bibliography is normally between 3-5 sentences, but may vary depending on what your instructor requires. Typically included in the annotation:

• A short summary of the source and its information.
• An assessment of the quality of information in the source. (Is the information reliable? What is the goal of the source? How does it compare to other resources you have collected? etc.)
• An evaluation of how this source will be useful for your assignment. (Has it changed your thinking of your topic? How will it help shape your argument?) 

**Keep in mind your instructor may have different guidelines for your annotation than the three listed here. Always be sure to follow the requirements given by your instructor. **

Annotated Bibliographies are structured the same way as any other Works Cited or References page. Each citation is placed in alphabetical order and has a hanging indent. The annotation directly follows the citation it is describing. 

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The Process

Finding and selecting sources.

The quality and usefulness of your bibliography will depend on your selection of sources. Define the scope of your research carefully so that you can make good judgments about what to include and exclude. By understanding the requirements and focus of your research it will make the search process more streamlined. Refer to the  Finding Scholarly Sources  guide for searching tips. Consider these questions to help you find appropriate limits for your research:

• What topic do I want to write about? What  question(s)  am I trying to answer? If your bibliography is part of a research project, this project will probably be governed by a research question/thesis. If your bibliography is a project on a general topic (e.g. incarceration and economic status), try formulating your topic as a question or a series of questions in order to define your search more precisely( ie. How does economic status effect incarceration sentences?) 
• What  kind of material  am I looking for? (scholarly academic books and journal articles? government reports or policy statements? articles from the popular press? primary historical sources? etc.)
• Do my sources fit the requirements of the assignment?

Summarizing

Your annotation should identify the main argument of the source. This is often the source's thesis or hypothesis. Include a brief description of the source's main points and the author's final conclusion. 

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

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

This section will be specific to your overall research. How does the source fit into the argument you are making in your paper? If your annotated bibliography is not part of a larger assignment, how does the source contribute to your larger selection of sources? Some thoughts to consider:

• Are you interested in the way the source frames its research question or in the way it goes about answering it (its method)? Does it make new connections or open up new ways of seeing a problem? 
• Are you interested in the way the source uses a theoretical framework or a key concept? 
• Does the source gather and draw from other ideas and sources that you want to use? 
• How do the source’s conclusions bear on your own thoughts?

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

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Annotated Bibliographies: A short guide

What is an annotated bibliography, what makes a good annotated bibliography, what is the difference between an annotated bibliography, a bibliography and an abstract and a literature review.

• How are annotated bibliographies arranged?
• Using EndNote Online to create an annotated bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a list of academic sources put together by a researcher or student. Each of the sources in the list has annotations which summarise and evaluate the content and main arguments of the source.

A good annotated bibliography will demonstrate that you know your subject and that you can:

• follow the instructions that have been set
• read widely
• identify useful and relevant sources
• identify arguments
• recognise important authors in the field
• see how the sources relate to each other
• see how you can use the information in the sources
• highlight sources that may be of interest to other readers and researchers
• use concise and clear language
• use the correct referencing style accurately and consistently 

Make sure you understand what you are being asked to do. Pay attention to the instructions you have been given. 

Use good sources. Depending on your assignment you may need a combination of journal articles, books, policy documents, and professional organisational publications. Search for them using Findit@Bham , Bibliographic Databases  appropriate to your discipline and Google Scholar .  To find the key academic sources for your discipline see our relevant   subject guide .

Read a range of your sources sources which have a variety of view points. Write a short summary and evaluation of each one. Your annotations could include the author's background and credentials, the scope, main argument, intended audience and comparisons to the other sources. See also our guide Evaluating information .

Make sure your citations are accurate, consistent and in the required style. For information on how to reference  and the  i-Cite Guide  and Good Academic Practice: A Guide   We recommend  Cite Them Right Online  as a good source of examples.

An annotated bibliography  

A bibliography or reference list.

The terms, ‘Reference List’ and  ‘Bibliography’ are often used interchangeably, giving the impression that they are the same thing. In reality they have different functions.

There are two main differences – the length and the purpose

A ‘Reference List’ tends to be shorter – it’s a detailed list of items that you have found, read and cited or quoted in your work

A ‘Bibliography’ is much longer - It is a systematic list that includes all the works that you have found or read that are cited in your text as well as those that you found but did not cite in your text. The citations that appear for inclusion in a Bibliography are for suggested or further reading. 

In this short video our academic skills team explain the key differences between Reference Lists and Bibliographies and how they relate to your university work.

An abstract 

An abstract is a concise description of an article written by the author of the article.

A literature review

In a literature review the sources are evaluated and discussed in relation to each other by themes instead of being listed alphabetically.

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What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a summary and evaluation of a resource. According to Merriam-Webster, a bibliography is “the works or a list of the works referred to in a text or consulted by the author in its production.” Your references (APA) or Works Cited (MLA) can be considered a bibliography. A bibliography follows a documentation style and usually includes bibliographic information (i.e., the author(s), title, publication date, place of publication, publisher, etc.). An annotation refers to explanatory notes or comments on a source.

An annotated bibliography, therefore, typically consists of:

Documentation for each source you have used, following the required documentation style.

For each entry, one to three paragraphs that:

Begins  with a summary ,

Evaluates  the reliability of the information,

Demonstrates  how the information relates to previous and future research.

Entries in an annotated bibliography should be in alphabetical order.

** Please note: This may vary depending on your professor’s requirements.

Why Write an Annotated Bibliography?

Why Write an Annotated Bibliography

Writing an annotated bibliography will help you understand your topics in-depth.

An annotated bibliography is useful for organizing and cataloging resources when developing an argument.

Formatting an Annotated Bibliography

Formatting Annotated Bibliographies

• Use 1-inch margins all around
• Indent annotations ½ inch from the left margin.
• Use double spacing.
• Entries should be in alphabetical order.

Structure of an Annotated Bibliography

This table provides a high-level outline of the structure of a research article and how each section relates to important information for developing an annotated bibliography.

Annotated Bibliography Sample Outline

Author, S. A. (date of publication). Title of the article.  Title of Periodical, vol.  (issue), page-page.  https://doi.org/XXXXXX

Write one or two paragraphs that focus on the study and its findings.

• Two or more sentences that outline the thesis, hypothesis, and population of the study.
• Two or more sentences that discuss the methodology.
• Two or more sentences that discuss the study findings.  
• One or more sentences evaluating the study and its relationship to other studies.

Sample Annotated Bibliographies

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EDDL 776 Research Literacy: Annotated Bibliography

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What is an Annotated Bibliography

An  annotated bibliography  is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. 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.

Learn more at University Libraries, University of Nevada, Reno: https://guides.library.unr.edu/apacitation/annotatedbib

General Guidelines

General guidelines.

• Carefully read the course assignment instructions.
• If you are still unclear, check with your professor on the type of annotated bibliography that is required for the assignment.
• Summary/descriptive – provides a concise overview of the main arguments, evidence presented, and conclusions
• Critical/evaluative – in addition to providing an overview, analyzes the content; comments on the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments, evidence, and conclusions; explains the usefulness of the source for your research topic.
• Combination - most annotated bibliography assignments require that you include both an overview and evaluative comments.
• Most annotated bibliographies organize sources alphabetically by the first author's last name.
• Consistently follow the rules of the APA style guide instructions; the style guide will detail what information to include for each type of source and how it should be formatted.
• Carleton University Libraries: Writing an Annotated Bibliography (video)
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Annotated Bibliography: Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

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• Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

Literature Review vs. Annotated Bibliography

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

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

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

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

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Literature Review Example

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Write an Annotated Bibliography

What is an annotated bibliography, what is the purpose of an annotated bibliography, what is the difference between a bibliography and an annotated bibliography, what is the difference between an annotated bibliography and an abstract, what are the two types of annotated bibliographies, how is an annotated bibliography organized, how long should an annotated bibliography be, how can i improve my annotated bibliography, resources to help with citations.

• Components of the Annotation

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An annotated bibliography is a written assignment (paper, journal article, appendix to a journal article, or complete book) consisting of a series of entries on a single theme, organized either alphabetically, by date, or by topic. Each entry consists of two parts:

• the citation information in a proper referencing style (MLA, Chicago, APA, CSE, etc.)
• a brief summary (or "annotation") of the source in paragraph form
• Note-taking Sheet for Annotated Bibliographies Use this fillable form after every article you read. Spend at least 10-15 minutes on your note-taking. Record essential information from one article or study. Remember, annotated bibliographies should do three things: summarize, analyze, and show relevance.

Each annotation enables readers to see the relationship of a number of written works to each other and in the context of the topic studied. Many annotations are both descriptive (telling readers what the source is about) and critical (evaluating the source’s usefulness or importance).

• To present the reader with a fairly comprehensive, yet focused, review of the scholarly sources on a specific topic or in a specialized field
• To provide the writer with a more in-depth understanding of a specific topic or specialized field in preparation for conducting future research
• A bibliography is an organized list of works consulted when you are doing research on a particular topic, which is placed at the end of a paper, journal article, chapter, or book .
• the citation in the proper referencing style
• a one-paragraph discussion (or "annotation") of the source listed above
• An abstract is a descriptive summary of a single longer text, with content summarized in the same order as the original. It is often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles, in periodical indexes, or in electronic databases
• An annotation enables readers to see the relationship of a number of written works to each other and in the context of the topic studied
• Although what is required in annotated bibliographies differs from discipline to discipline, many annotations are both descriptive and critical and illustrate the writer's library research skills, summarizing expertise, point of view, analytical ability, and understanding of the field

In the sciences and some of the more scientific disciplines of the social sciences, annotated bibliographies are rarely used; when they are used, they will often be primarily summary or descriptive—that is, they will paraphrase the original text.

In the arts and some social sciences, annotated bibliographies will be judged by how critical and analytical they are and often by how the writer links the text's usefulness to their potential or imaginary research project.

Summary or descriptive annotated bibliographies:

The summary or descriptive annotated bibliography provides a summary of the main findings in a source with no analysis or evaluation.

Critical annotated bibliographies:

A critical annotation goes beyond a simple summary of the original source.

• It evaluates the reliability of the information presented, including the authors' credentials, the value of the reference for other scholars, and, if relevant, the appropriateness of the methodologies.
• It evaluates the conclusions and discusses how successfully the authors achieve their aims. If the annotated bibliography is intended as a first step to a review of literature leading to a major paper, thesis, or dissertation, then it will also evaluate how useful the information and methodological approaches will be for someone doing research on a particular project.
• It may also indicate your own critical reactions to the sources. This might be done by indicating whether the information presented is similar or different to other authors' findings or approaches to the subject— and hypothesizing why. For example, did the author fail to take important information into consideration? Did the author take a certain approach as the result of a particular theoretical viewpoint?

Annotated bibliographies can be organized in three different ways:

• by author alphabetically
• by subtopics or sections

Most undergraduate-level annotated bibliographies are relatively short and will not need an introductory paragraph and/or separate sections.

Longer annotated bibliographies may necessitate an introductory paragraph, explaining the scope of the selected sources (within certain dates, within geographic parameters, only in a certain discipline, etc.), or noting any other particulars (such as abbreviations, etc.).

The specific length of your annotations and the number of sources will vary from assignment to assignment. Check with your professor to find out what length and organizational style is preferred.

The text of an annotation normally ranges from four to ten sentences. This limit forces the writer to focus on the central ideas in the source.

A long annotated bibliography may be preceded by an introduction to the topic chosen, with a discussion of the rationale behind the selection of the entries for the bibliography as well as the exclusion of others, and the timeframe covered.

In a very long annotated bibliography, the entries are often numbered, but this is rare in undergraduate student papers. Other options for longer annotated bibliographies would be to arrange entries under topic and subtopic headings, or in chronological order.

After you have written a draft,

• Re-read the assignment instructions carefully to make certain you have included all of the essential components that you need in each annotation. Make a checklist and compare each entry against the list.
• Evaluate your annotations and assess whether you have included both summaries and critical evaluations for each entry.
• Check each citation for accuracy and consistency in language and style.
• Try to avoid the passive voice and use active voice instead (e.g., change "Artistic autonomy was spoken about by the presenter" to "The presenter spoke about artistic autonomy.")
• Review your work to see if you have used clear and specific verbs such as demonstrates, asserts, speculates.
• Check your verb tenses. In general, use present tense to describe an author’s ideas and arguments (e.g., Jones argues that…). However, if you are describing an action that was completed in the past, describe it using the past tense (e.g., Smith tested her hypothesis by observing five hamsters…).
• Make certain that you have avoided using direct quotations, except when the words quoted are important terms that you wish to highlight.
• Lastly, proof read your document for errors in grammar, punctuation, and style.
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• What is an Annotation?

Why Do an Annotated Bibliography?

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

Annotated Bibliographies: Why Do an Annotated Bibliography?

Here are some reasons:

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

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography, in its purest form, is simply a list of sources and a description of each source. Aside from being an often required homework assignment in beginning college English courses, the annotated bibliography has a practical use as well. The idea of an annotated bibliography is that it gives you a springboard to write your essay. With this nasty (but helpful!) little tool, you compile all of your sources in their proper citation format and then you describe, briefly, what the content of the source is and its significance to your essay. This way, by the time you are done with your annotated bibliography, you can see what you have to work with, and what you still need more of.

Annotated bibliography vs. works cited/reference page

An annotated bibliography is sometimes confused with a works cited/reference page. Although they do not differ too much, the difference is important. A works cited page (in MLA) or a reference page (in APA) is simply the first part of an annotated bibliography. It is the part where the source is fully cited in the proper format (MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.). Your annotated bibliography, however, enhances this. To turn a works cited/reference page into an annotated bibliography, you must add the description of the source and its content. Here’s a comparison of a works cited vs. an annotated bibliography:

Reference list (in APA format):

Balkrishna, A., Guar, V., Telley, S. (2009). Effect of a yoga practice session and yoga theory session on state anxiety. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 109 (3), 924-930.

A nnotated bibliography (in APA format):

Balkrishna, A., Guar, V., Telley, S. (2009). Effect of a yoga practice session and yoga theory session on state anxiety. Perceptual and Motor Skills, 109 (3), 924-930. 

This study took 300 participants who were unfamiliar with yoga and tested the effects of this ancient method on reducing the participants’ State Anxiety. Participants were assigned to either the yoga practice group or the yoga theory group. Before and after a 2 hour session, participants’ State Anxiety scores were tested via the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. Both groups showed significant decrease in anxiety symptoms after the session. The anxiety scores of the yoga practice group decreased by 14.5% and the yoga theory group’s scores declined by 3.4%.

Note: It is important that everything except the first line of the citation is indented one half inch—this is called a hanging indentation. In both an annotated bibliography and a good old-fashioned works cited page, everything related to that particular source is indented except for the first line with the author’s name at the beginning. This is true for both APA and MLA formatting.

What should be in an annotated bibliography?

As previously stated, first you’ll want to put the source into the proper citation format (whichever one is assigned to you by your professor). Then comes the “annotated” aspect of the annotated bibliography. This part is simply a description of your source, but be sure to put what is relevant about it. Random details may be interesting, but you will probably have a rather short amount of space to sum up an entire work, so your annotation should “cut to the chase,” so to speak. If you are writing an annotated bibliography for a research article, then write what is pertinent to your paper (or what you think will be pertinent to it). If you are writing an annotated bibliography for an argumentative paper, then include the parts of the text that will be important for backing your argument. Even if this is an assignment, make it count. Take advantage of your annotated bibliography to help you organize your material and form a better essay.

Make it make sense

The last thing to remember when you are writing your annotated bibliography is to make it make sense. By this, I mean making it fluid. In the annotated bibliography example above, the annotation begins by introducing the study and the participants. Then it progresses into what the study entailed and what the participants did. At the end, it sums up the study by showing the results. The annotation has a consistent rhythm and can easily be followed by the reader. As with an essay, have a plan as to how you want the annotation to pan out. Start with one subject matter or idea then neatly segue into another. This will make your ideas and the text’s content much easier to follow.

• Finding Sources
• Writing the Annotations
• Formatting the Annotated Bibliography
• Citation This link opens in a new window

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

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

A good annotated bibliography:

• Encourages you to think critically about the content of the works you are using, the importance of the works within the field of study, and the relation of the works to your own research and ideas
• Proves you have read and understand your sources
• Establishes your work as a valid source and you as a competent researcher
• Provides a way for others to decide whether a source will be helpful to their research if they read it

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

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

Steps to Writing an Annotated Bibliography

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

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

Resources on the Web

For more information on annotated bibliographies, visit these pages:

• Writing an Annotated Bibliography Dena Taylor, Health Sciences Writing Centre, University of Toronto
• Annotated Bibliographies The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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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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Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

What's the big deal.

There are fundamental differences between an annotated bibliography and a literature review that are crucial to completing the assignment correctly. The chart below is provides an overview of the biggest differences between the two types of assignments in a side-by-side comparison. However, if you need more specific information about either assignment, visit our Annotated Bibliography and/or Literature Review pages for more detailed information on how to complete them. 

Differences between an annotated bibliography and literature review

Citation Guide

• What is a Citation?
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What is a Bibliography?

What is an annotated bibliography, introduction to the annotated bibliography.

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• the authors' names
• the titles of the works
• the names and locations of the companies that published your copies of the sources
• the dates your copies were published
• the page numbers of your sources (if they are part of multi-source volumes)

Ok, so what's an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is the same as a bibliography with one important difference: in an annotated bibliography, the bibliographic information is followed by a brief description of the content, quality, and usefulness of the source. For more, see the section at the bottom of this page.

What are Footnotes?

Footnotes are notes placed at the bottom of a page. They cite references or comment on a designated part of the text above it. For example, say you want to add an interesting comment to a sentence you have written, but the comment is not directly related to the argument of your paragraph. In this case, you could add the symbol for a footnote. Then, at the bottom of the page you could reprint the symbol and insert your comment. Here is an example:

This is an illustration of a footnote. 1 The number “1” at the end of the previous sentence corresponds with the note below. See how it fits in the body of the text? 1 At the bottom of the page you can insert your comments about the sentence preceding the footnote.

When your reader comes across the footnote in the main text of your paper, he or she could look down at your comments right away, or else continue reading the paragraph and read your comments at the end. Because this makes it convenient for your reader, most citation styles require that you use either footnotes or endnotes in your paper. Some, however, allow you to make parenthetical references (author, date) in the body of your work.

Footnotes are not just for interesting comments, however. Sometimes they simply refer to relevant sources -- they let your reader know where certain material came from, or where they can look for other sources on the subject. To decide whether you should cite your sources in footnotes or in the body of your paper, you should ask your instructor or see our section on citation styles.

Where does the little footnote mark go?

Whenever possible, put the footnote at the end of a sentence, immediately following the period or whatever punctuation mark completes that sentence. Skip two spaces after the footnote before you begin the next sentence. If you must include the footnote in the middle of a sentence for the sake of clarity, or because the sentence has more than one footnote (try to avoid this!), try to put it at the end of the most relevant phrase, after a comma or other punctuation mark. Otherwise, put it right at the end of the most relevant word. If the footnote is not at the end of a sentence, skip only one space after it.

What's the difference between Footnotes and Endnotes?

The only real difference is placement -- footnotes appear at the bottom of the relevant page, while endnotes all appear at the end of your document. If you want your reader to read your notes right away, footnotes are more likely to get your reader's attention. Endnotes, on the other hand, are less intrusive and will not interrupt the flow of your paper.

If I cite sources in the Footnotes (or Endnotes), how's that different from a Bibliography?

Sometimes you may be asked to include these -- especially if you have used a parenthetical style of citation. A "works cited" page is a list of all the works from which you have borrowed material. Your reader may find this more convenient than footnotes or endnotes because he or she will not have to wade through all of the comments and other information in order to see the sources from which you drew your material. A "works consulted" page is a complement to a "works cited" page, listing all of the works you used, whether they were useful or not.

Isn't a "works consulted" page the same as a "bibliography," then?

Well, yes. The title is different because "works consulted" pages are meant to complement "works cited" pages, and bibliographies may list other relevant sources in addition to those mentioned in footnotes or endnotes. Choosing to title your bibliography "Works Consulted" or "Selected Bibliography" may help specify the relevance of the sources listed.

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The Importance of an Annotated Bibliography

An Annotated Bibliography is a collection of annotated citations. These annotations contain your executive notes on a source. Use the annotated bibliography to help remind you of later of the important parts of an article or book. Putting the effort into making good notes will pay dividends when it comes to writing a paper!

Good Summary

Being an executive summary, the annotated citation should be fairly brief, usually no more than one page, double spaced.

• Focus on summarizing the source in your own words.
• Avoid direct quotations from the source, at least those longer than a few words. However, if you do quote, remember to use quotation marks. You don't want to forget later on what is your own summary and what is a direct quotation!
• If an author uses a particular term or phrase that is important to the article, use that phrase within quotation marks. Remember that whenever you quote, you must explain the meaning and context of the quoted word or text. 

Common Elements of an Annotated Citation

• Summary of an Article or Book's thesis or most important points (Usually two to four sentences)
• Summary of a source's methodological approach. That is, what is the source? How does it go about proving its point(s)? Is it mostly opinion based? If it is a scholarly source, describe the research method (study, etc.) that the author used. (Usually two to five sentences)
• Your own notes and observations on the source beyond the summary. Include your initial analysis here. For example, how will you use this source? Perhaps you would write something like, "I will use this source to support my point about . . . "
• Formatting Annotated Bibliographies This guide from Purdue OWL provides examples of an annotated citation in MLA and APA formats.

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Q. What's the difference between an annotated bibliography and a literature review?

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Answered By: APUS Librarians Last Updated: Apr 14, 2017     Views: 59667

The Online Dictionary for Library and Information Science has these definitions:

"A literature review is a text written by someone to consider the critical points of current knowledge. A comprehensive survey of the works published in a particular field of study or line of research, usually over a specific period of time, in the form of an in-depth, critical bibliographic essay or annotated list in which attention is drawn to the most significant works."

An annotated bibliography is "a brief explanatory or evaluative note is added to each reference or citation. An annotation can be helpful to the researcher in evaluating whether the source is relevant to a given topic or line of inquiry."

While a literature review and annotated bibliography share some similarities, they serve different purposes. A literature review answers a particular question about a particular subject (primarily:  what does the existing scholarly research have to say about my topic?). An annotated bibliography, by contrast, is more focused on the content and contribution of each individual source (and showcases your understanding of each).  

See also: 

• How do I write an annotated bibliography?
• How do I write a literature review?
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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography Quickly and Easily

Crafting a bibliography for papers is often a challenge for college students and everyone working with academic texts. They try citation generators, refer to style manuals to re-check every comma, or outsource bibliography writing to professional academic writers.

The task becomes even more challenging if the case is an annotated bibliography. What is it, and how can you write an annotated bibliography fast?

Read this detailed guide today to ensure that you’ll professionally craft annotated bibliographies for academic papers tomorrow.

What Is an Annotated Bibliography?

So, what does an annotated bibliography entail?

To “annotate” means to “make notes”, and a “bibliography” is a “reference list” that comes at the end of your academic paper. And here we have it:

An annotated bibliography means adding notes to your references. It’s an overview of the research sources you used in your paper, and it comes in the form of a citation followed by an annotation — a paragraph summarizing and evaluating the source.

It begs the question:

What exactly are you supposed to include in that annotation?

Structure of an annotated bibliography

For every annotation in your reference list, you should provide the following:

• A summary of the reference
• An evaluation of the reference
• The reference’s relevance to your research

In the summary , introduce the purpose of the research, describe how they performed it, and provide their conclusion. This is an easy summary formula you can always apply in your work. In the evaluation , assess the source. Start with what it contains:

• Is it credible?
• Is this research of quality material?
• What is the size of the study? (The scope, the time frame used to conduct the research, etc.)

Once you have it, continue with what it doesn’t contain:

• Is it biased?
• Is it limited in any way due to their perspective ?

As for its relevance , specify how the source is connected to your research. How is its information crucial to your big picture?

Why people write annotated bibliographies

What is the purpose of an annotated bibliography? Depending on your assignment, it might :

• Explore and organize the sources for your further research
• Review the existing literature on your topic
• Examine the scope of the sources available on the subject of your research
• Demonstrate the quality of the sources you’ve revised for your paper ❗ Important : Please distinguish annotated bibliographies from abstracts. While an abstract merely summarizes a source, an annotated bibliography describes and evaluates it.

Four Steps to Writing an Annotated Bibliography

As with a standard list of references, an annotated bibliography is arranged alphabetically by the author’s last name. Annotations should have 100-200 words per citation—check with your teacher, as the word count may vary depending on your assignment.

Below are your four steps to follow:

Step 1: Choose sources

First, you need to choose sources to place in your annotated bibliography. Consider those that are reliable, relevant to your topic, and valuable to your research. What can be a source for your work?

• Scholarly journals
• Academic articles at Google Scholar
• Reputable online resources: New Scientist, Office of National Statistics, The Economist, TED talks, BBC News, etc.

Step 2: Review the chosen items

Organize your sources by content:

• Those setting the foundation for the problem you’re researching
• Those providing evidence to back it up
• Those suggesting a potential solution

(When writing a paper, you will also decide how to integrate all the sources into it. The ways to do that are quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, and synthesizing.)

Step 3: Write a citation

Now, it’s time to write a citation for every source in your annotated bibliography. Follow the prescribed style — APA, MLA, Chicago, Turabian, IEEE — and format your citations accordingly.

When doubting where to place commas or what words to italicize, address the style’s manual. This is a set of rules for correctly formatting a bibliography and citing sources in the text of your paper.

Each citation style has a detailed manual to follow.

Step 4: Write an annotation

Finally, write an annotated paragraph for every citation in your list:

Briefly summarize the source, evaluate it, and explain why (or how) it’s important for your topic.

You can choose from among four writing styles for your annotation:

• Informative , with a focus on summarizing the source. (Here, you identify the source’s hypothesis, results, and conclusions.)
• Evaluative , focusing on a critical analysis of the source. (Here, you comment on the source’s strengths, weaknesses, and overall relation to your topic.)
• Combined informative/evaluative (the most preferred), providing a more comprehensive view of the source.
• Indicative , focusing on identifying the source’s central theme and included topics.

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography Fast

This section is your step-by-step guide on examining sources for annotated bibliographies. The following strategies will assist you in crafting annotations faster and structuring them so they are more valuable and engaging for readers.

Here are the steps:

1 — Summarize in your own words. Use the source’s headers and subheads to guide you; look for arguments and evidence in bold or italics (as a rule, authors use such formatting to highlight the core information in their work). Paraphrase.

2 — Circle core phrases. When reading and analyzing the source, circle words and phrases that can help you describe and evaluate its content in your annotation.

3 — Write comments in the margins. While reading, leave comments and questions about the source’s statements in the margins. These will activate your analytical skills and help you understand what information to include in the evaluative part of your annotation.

4 — Use abbreviations and symbols. Consider using any system of symbols that makes sense to you. Use “?” for something you need to explore further, try “!” for anything insightful or worthy of noting, place “*” for evidence or counterarguments, etc.

5 — Highlight. When working with PDFs or digital resources, use their built-in comment or highlight features to support your annotations. Consider using your browser’s extensions or add-ons to make notes on web pages.

Also, check if you can import your digital source into a note-taking tool like Evernote or another one of your choice. This can help you annotate texts faster.

Below are several sample annotations, each with a different writing style and research project. How do you understand which style best suits your paper? Consider the purpose of your bibliography and the guidelines of your assignment.

Some annotations merely summarize a source. If that’s your case, consider writing your annotation in an informative style. For example :

Other annotations may focus on evaluating a source and reflecting on its possible uses for your project. If so, try structuring your annotation in an evaluative style. Here’s what it looks like:

The most preferred writing style for annotations is informative and evaluative combined. It provides a source’s summary and evaluation and explains its value for the overall research topic. Such annotations are more comprehensive and may consist of several paragraphs. Like this:

💡 The samples source: How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

✅ More samples to check: Annotated Bibliography Samples in MLA, APA, Chicago

Practical Tips on Writing Annotated Bibliographies

Below, you’ll find a few practical tips to help you write an annotated bibliography faster and make it more engaging and professional.

• Keep each annotation in your bibliography concise. Remember that it shouldn’t extend to one paragraph unless otherwise prescribed in your assignment’s guidelines.
• Don’t include the information a reader can get from the source’s title.
• Use formal language (academic vocabulary) when writing annotated bibliographies.
• Don’t write annotations for in-text citations you use for quotes to draw attention to a specific statement from the source.
• Make the summary part of your annotation brief. Only mention arguments that are significant to your research.
• There’s no need to include the author’s background materials and other works in your annotation. You’re addressing one text at a time, so focus on it and don’t cross reference.
• Remember the referencing style you should use for the citations (APA, MLA, etc.). Praise consistency.

Phew! That’s all, folks. Writing annotated bibliographies doesn’t look terrifying if you read a source carefully and follow the annotation structure:

• Cite a source according to your required referencing style.
• Summarize and evaluate the source.
• Specify its relevance to your research.

Annotations engage readers with the source you describe. So, be brief yet informative, draw connections, and add value.

Do you have any doubts or questions? Remember that you can ask our annotated bibliography writing service with professional writers to quickly help you with your paper.

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