What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of the sources (e.g. books, journal articles, etc.) that you used
to research a topic in preparation for writing a term paper. In an annotated bibliography, each
source in the list is followed by a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph of 4-5 sentences
(approx. 150 words or more), which can also include its relevance to your paper topic. An
annotated bibliography should inform the reader by providing a clear indication of each source's
relevancy, accuracy, and quality.

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.
 Main Types of Annotated Bibliographies:
o Summary/descriptive – provides a concise overview of the main arguments,
evidence presented, and conclusions
o 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.
o 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 style guide (APA, MLA, Chicago, Other Guides) that
is indicated in your course assignment instructions; the style guide will detail what
information to include for each type of source and how it should be formatted.
 . Neighborhoods and violent crime: A multilevel study of collective efficacy. Science,
277, 918–924.
 Analysis of data gathered by the Project on Human Development in Chicago
Neighborhoods indicates that although racial and socioeconomic inequalities are relevant
factors, they are not the singular or primary influences on neighborhood crime. Findings
suggest that neighborhood violence is predicted by measures of informal social control,
social cohesion and trust, and perceptions of violence. Consistent with the social
organization model, collective efficacy is shown to mediate the influence of residential
stability in predicting neighborhood violence.
 Note: the example above is taken from:
Brossoie, N., Graham, B., & Lee, S. (2005). Families and communities: An annotated
bibliography. Family Relations: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Applied Family Studies,
54(5), 666-675. doi:10.1111/j.1741-3729.2005.00350.x

Annotated Bibliography Samples

 Overview
 Below you will find sample annotations from annotated bibliographies, each with a
different research project. Remember that the annotations you include in your own
bibliography should reflect your research project and/or the guidelines of your
assignment.
 As mentioned elsewhere in this resource, depending on the purpose of your bibliography,
some annotations may summarize, some may assess or evaluate a source, and some may
reflect on the source’s possible uses for the project at hand. Some annotations may
address all three of these steps. Consider the purpose of your annotated bibliography
and/or your instructor’s directions when deciding how much information to include in
your annotations.
 Please keep in mind that all your text, including the write-up beneath the citation, must be
indented so that the author's last name is the only text that is flush left.

 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. 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.

 SAMPLE CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE ANNOTATION

 Davidson, Hilda Ellis. Roles of the Northern Goddess. London: Routledge, 1998.
 Davidson's book provides a thorough examination of the major roles filled by the
numerous pagan goddesses of Northern Europe in everyday life, including their roles in
hunting, agriculture, domestic arts like weaving, the household, and death. The author
discusses relevant archaeological evidence, patterns of symbol and ritual, and previous
research. The book includes a number of black and white photographs of relevant
artifacts.
 This annotation includes only one paragraph, a summary of the book. It provides a
concise description of the project and the book's project and its major features.

Grammar Books: Annotated Bibliography

Elliott, R. (2006). Painless grammar (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Barron’s Educational
Series.
This book is a practical and hands-on book with exercises for the reader. The
coverage includes everything from the eight parts of speech to tips for writing. The
book is very helpful for students of English, especially because it shares what to do
and what not to do and provides examples of mistakes.
Fogarty, M. (2008). Grammar Girl’s quick and dirty tips for better writing. New York,
NY: Henry Holt.
This book includes a wide variety of information on both basic and challenging
grammar topics. It is good because it is easy to read and it has cartoons to illustrate
the grammar principles it shares. For example, there is a great cartoon that helps
explain the difference between “affect” and “effect” on page nine.
Hacker, D. (2009). Rules for writers (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Bedford/‌St. Martin’s.
This excellent grammar text outlines all the grammar rules that all writers need to
know. From its excellent examples to its many exercises to its clear and powerful
layout, this book is a standout. This is the text of choice for most college English
 teachers and writing centers. In that vein, it is the best choice for the college student
and life-long learner.
Straus, J. (2008). The blue book of grammar and punctuation (10th ed.). San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass.
This book shares information about grammar for a wide audience ranging from high
school students to college instructors. The book however is written at a high level and
may not be easy to read for everyone. Expectations for readers are high and readers will
learn their grammar if they put in the effort. Quizzes for self-assessment are a highlight

Format:
Note: there is NO official APA format for an annotated bibliography.
The format for an annotated bibliography is similar to that of a research paper. Use one-inch
margins on all sides, double space your entries, and alphabetize each entry. Hanging indents are
required for citations. On the line after the citation, indent approximately two additional spaces
and write the annotation. Indentations for annotations are consistent, even if a citation is one line.

Content:
If your assignment does not provide something more specific, follow the following guidance on
annotations:
· 2 to 4 sentences to summarize the main idea(s) of the source.
o What are the main arguments?
o What is the point of this book/article?
o What topics are covered?
· 1 or 2 sentences to assess and evaluate the source.
o How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography?
o Is this information reliable?
o Is the source objective or biased?
· 1 or 2 sentences to reflect on the source.
o Was this source helpful to you?
o How can you use this source for your research project?
o Has it changed how you think about your topic?
Note: the descriptions and evaluations you provide must be your own writing. Do NOT copy
and paste abstracts or summaries from other sources because that would constitute plagiarism

Below is a sample annotation for a single journal article:

The Annotated Bibliography

For these assignments, you will compile an annotated bibliography as preparation for your theory
and empirical papers. There are only seven (7) entries required for this assignment, which is far
short of what you will probably need for the paper. But it gets the idea across!

What is an annotated bibliography?

Essentially, an annotated bibliography is an organized way of taking notes.
Dictionary.com defines annotation as:

1. The act or process of furnishing critical commentary or explanatory notes.

2. A critical or explanatory note; a commentary;

and defines "bibliography" as:

1. A list of the works of a specific author or publisher.

2.
a. A list of writings relating to a given subject: a bibliography of Latin
American history.
b. A list of writings used or considered by an author in preparing a particular
work.
3.
a. The description and identification of the editions, dates of issue,
authorship, and typography of books or other written material.
b. A compilation of such information.

Thus, an "annotated bibliography" is a compilation of sources related to a given subject which

includes critical or explanatory information.
What is the purpose of an annotated bibliography?

Annotated bibliographies have many uses...first, they provide a compilation of sources with
intelligent commentary; meaning, that not only do you have a summary of the content of an
article, but you also have some comment as to why the article is (or is not) of use. Second, ABs
provide a quick reference for useful definitions and key ideas (if you've done your job). Finally,
ABs help to provide you an overview of the field so that you are not repeating work that's
already been done but can make a genuine contribution (or at least get a better grade on your
current project).

How do you write an annotated bibliography?

1. An APA style reference.

 2. A short paragraph of 150-200 words in 3 or 4 sentences indicating:
o The question or problem addressed by the article -- mention the theoretical bias of
paper!
o The article's argumentation -- if a theory paper, may want to outline (briefly!)
steps to the theory; if data paper,
then mention key data being used
o The article's thesis, conclusions, and/or recommendations.
3. Your assessment of the article's usefulness (global and specific) to your research goals
o for example, maybe you need only the bibliography or a specific discussion of a
particular theory
4. Any useful definitions or key ideas, in quotes, with PAGE NUMBER specified!

Example:

Wyngaerd, G V (2001). Measuring Events. Language, vol. 77, no. 1, 61-89.

Wyngaerd argues that the telic-atelic distinction in resultative clauses is partially determined by
two factors:
1) a semantic dimension of "measuring out" as played out over... 2) a grammatical dimension of
having a
second clause (as opposed to an internal argument). The author provides typological evidence of
resultatives
to demonstrate the theoretical claim that telicity is partially a semantic and partially a
grammatical
phenomenon.

Comment: provides excellent data and further support for my contention that "types" of telic
distinctions realized through different clause types is a viable alternative to continuum-based
models of transitivity

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a descriptive and/or evaluative list of citations for books, articles,
or other documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (100-200 word) paragraph—the
annotation—consisting of a summary of the content of that source and/or the author's thoughts
on the accuracy, quality, and relevance of that source. An annotation (written by the author of
the bibliography) is not the same thing as an abstract (written by the author or publisher of the
cited source).
An annotated bibliography allows a writer to express their opinions on and criticisms of the
information contained in the cited sources and to craft an informed argument or thesis statement
based on these sources. It should also help the reader to decide whether to further pursue these
sources. It can stand alone or become part of a larger research project such as a literature
review, proposal, paper, article, thesis, or dissertation.
This guide contains advice on and examples of how to create a typical annotated bibliography. If
you are creating an annotated bibliography as a course assignment, it is important that you
 know and understand the specific expectations your instructor has for it. What approach
(descriptive, evaluative, or both) do they want you to take? How long should the annotations be?
What specific content do they want you to include in each annotation? Do they have a specific
model or example they want you to follow?
Some Common Elements of an Annotation
Depending on the purpose of your bibliography, different elements will be more important and
some may not be important at all. Your professor may also have guidelines or be able to talk
about specific expectations. In the absence of such guidelines, consider the purpose of your
bibliography and then select appropriately from the following elements:
1. Author information
Who is the author? What is her/his background? Is the author qualified to write this
document?
2. Author's purpose
What is the author's purpose in writing this article or doing this research? Is the purpose
stated or implied? Does the author have a particular message?
3. Audience information
To what audience is the author writing (scholars, teachers, the general public, etc.)? Is
this reflected in the author's style of writing or presentation?
4. Author bias
Does the author show any biases or make assumptions upon which the rationale of the
article rests? If so, what are they?
5. Information source
What methods did the author use to obtain the data? Is the article based on personal
opinion, experience, interviews, library research, questionnaires, laboratory
experiments, empirical observation, or standardized personality tests?
6. Author conclusion
What conclusions does the author draw? Are these conclusions specifically stated or
implied?
7. Conclusion justification
Are the conclusions justified from the research or experience? Are the conclusions in
sync with the original purpose of the research and supported by the data? Are the
conclusions skewed by bias?
8. Relationship to other works
How does this work compare with others cited? Does it conflict with conventional
wisdom, established scholarship, government policy, etc.? Are there specific studies or
writings cited with which this one agrees or disagrees? Are there any opinions not cited
of which readers should be aware? Is the evidence balanced or weighted in favor of a
particular perspective?
9. Time frame
Is the work current? Is this important? How does the time in which it was written
reflect on the information contained in this work?
10. Significant attachments
Are there significant attachments such as appendices, bibliographies, illustrations, etc.?
Are they valuable or not? If there are none, should there be
Tips for Evaluative Annotated Bibliographies
Each annotation should be clear, thorough, and accurate. The goal of the annotation is to
concisely describe and evaluate a source so that other researchers can make a decision about
following up on it for their own research.
An evaluative annotation might try to answer these questions:
 What does the source set out to do and what does it conclude?
 What is important for the reader to know about the method(s) used to arrive at the
source’s conclusion?
 Who is the audience for the source – what type and level of researcher might find this
source useful?
 What are the pros and cons of the source’s approach, or how does this affect the
conclusions of the work?
 What is unique, especially striking, and/or missing in topic coverage in this source?
 What bias, if any, can be detected?