A bibliography (also called References or Works Cited) is a list of sources you have used for research on a topic. It is typically found at the end of a work in order to show readers where information has come from.
An annotated bibliography is a similar list of sources used, but each source contains a paragraph that summarizes and evaluates the source itself. In an annotated bibliography, there is a citation for each source, with its annotation in paragraph-form beneath it:
Example from COM Library
First, creating an annotation ensures that you have a good grasp on each source. By summarizing each work, you show that you understand what the author is saying and what the work is about. By assessing and evaluating the source, you are demonstrating why this source will be useful to you and explaining how it could be used in your work. Second, having written out summaries for each source can help you to organize your positions and keep track of which sources you plan to use for which sections of your paper. Being able to quickly refer to an annotated bibliography can save you time and stress.
Writing an annotated bibliography may seem very similar to writing a literature review. A literature review is an overview of the works done on a particular topic. In a literature review, an author will often bring forth ideas from other works, assessing and evaluating them. An annotation also assesses and evaluates, but each annotation focuses only on the specific citation the annotation is for. Annotations are more focused on explaining each individual source, while a literature review is an overview of the research done in a particular area.
The picture below explains the qualities of Literature Reviews and Annotated Bibliographies:
Photo via University of Washington
Annotations are typically around 150 words. They are complete paragraphs, meaning an annotation should contain full sentences that flow together. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab offers these guidelines when writing your annotations:
Summarize: Some annotations merely summarize the source. What are the main arguments? What is the point of this book or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say? The length of your annotations will determine how detailed your summary is.
Assess: After summarizing a source, it may be helpful to evaluate it. Is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source?
Reflect: Once you've summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?
Video from Youtube.com, created by University of Maryland University College Library
Sample MLA Annotation
Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Anchor Books, 1995.
Lamott's book offers honest advice on the nature of a writing life, complete with its insecurities and failures. Taking a humorous approach to the realities of being a writer, the chapters in Lamott's book are wry and anecdotal and offer advice on everything from plot development to jealousy, from perfectionism to struggling with one's own internal critic.
In the process, Lamott includes writing exercises designed to be both productive and fun. Lamott offers sane advice for those struggling with the anxieties of writing, but her main project seems to be offering the reader a reality check regarding writing, publishing, and struggling with one's own imperfect humanity in the process. Rather than a practical handbook to producing and/or publishing, this text is indispensable because of its honest perspective, its down-to-earth humor, and its encouraging approach.
Chapters in this text could easily be included in the curriculum for a writing class. Several of the chapters in Part 1 address the writing process and would serve to generate discussion on students' own drafting and revising processes. Some of the writing exercises would also be appropriate for generating classroom writing exercises. Students should find Lamott's style both engaging and enjoyable.
In the sample annotation above, the writer includes three paragraphs: a summary, an evaluation of the text, and a reflection on its applicability to his/her own research, respectively.
Sample APA Annotation
Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Company.
In this book of nonfiction based on the journalist's experiential research, Ehrenreich attempts to ascertain whether it is currently possible for an individual to live on a minimum-wage in America. Taking jobs as a waitress, a maid in a cleaning service, and a Walmart sales employee, the author summarizes and reflects on her work, her relationships with fellow workers, and her financial struggles in each situation.
An experienced journalist, Ehrenreich is aware of the limitations of her experiment and the ethical implications of her experiential research tactics and reflects on these issues in the text. The author is forthcoming about her methods and supplements her experiences with scholarly research on her places of employment, the economy, and the rising cost of living in America. Ehrenreich’s project is timely, descriptive, and well-researched.
The annotation above both summarizes and assesses the book in the citation. The first paragraph provides a brief summary of the author's project in the book, covering the main points of the work. The second paragraph points out the project’s strengths and evaluates its methods and presentation. This particular annotation does not reflect on the source’s potential importance or usefulness for this person’s own research.
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Click the links below for citations assistance. Ask your instructor if you should be using APA or MLA style and always double check that whatever site you use has the newest edition.
Photo via simpletense.com
