What is an Annotated Bibliography?
An Annotated Bibliography is an APA Reference list of sources followed by notes and commentary about a source. The annotations summarize, assess, evaluate, and reflect on the information source.
If we look at the word “annotate,” we are talking about “critical or explanatory notes” about the information source(s). “Bibliography” means “a list of information sources”. For an academic audience, annotations must be both critical and descriptive.
Annotated Bibliography structure?
So, if we could develop an anatomy of Annotated Bibliography we could break it into 3 parts: Thesummary,assess and evaluate, andreflection.
For annotated bibliographies, use standard APA format for the citations, then add a brief entry, including:
- 2 to 4 sentences tosummarizethe main idea(s) of the source.
- What are the main arguments?
- What is the point of the information source?
- What topics are discussed?
- 1 or 2 sentences toassessandevaluatethe source.
- How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography?
- Is this information reliable? current?
- Is the author credible?
- Is the source objective or biased?
- 1 or 2 sentences toreflecton the source.
- Was this source helpful to you?
- How can you use this source for your research?
- Has it changed how you think about your research topic?
(Rasmussen College, 2020)
Example Annotated Bibliography
Skloot, Rebecca (2010). The immortal life of Henrietta Lacks. Crown Publishers.
This work discusses the history of a black woman’s cancerous cells better known to the science world as HeLa. Her cancerous cells were unknowingly taken from her in 1951. They have since been used in thousands of scientific studies without compensation or recognition to her or her family. This work discusses the ethical issues of taking someone's cells without their knowledge and using it experimentally. Even though this book was written for the general public to have a better understanding of this medical and ethical issue, I feel that the author brings up relevant information that I can dive deeper into that would be beneficial to my research on medical ethics.
More Information
The library has books and eBooks in our collection which can help answer your questions aboutpreparing an annotated bibliography. To find books and eBooks on preparing an annotated bibliography, please search theMulti-Searchor theOnline Library Catalog.
Further Help
This information is intended to be a guideline, not expert advice. Please be sure to speak to your professor about the appropriate way to write an annotated bibliography in your class assignments and projects.
Campus Students
To access academic support, visit your Brightspace course and select “Tutoring and Mentoring” from the Academic Support pulldown menu.
Online Students
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References
Publication manual of the American Psychological Association (7th ed.). (2020).Sample AnnotatedBibliographyhttps://doi.org/10.1037/0000165-000(p. 308)
Rasmussen College(2020)Annotated Bibliography - APA Guide.https://guides.rasmussen.edu/apa/annotatedbib
FAQs
An annotated bibliography provides an overview or a brief account of the available research on a given topic. It is a list of research sources that takes the form of a citation for each source, followed by an annotation - a short paragraph sumarising and evaluating the source.
How to write an annotated bibliography step by step? ›
Annotated Bibliography: a step by step guide
- Select a Topic. Pick something you can handle well within your time and space limitations. ...
- Get a Good Overview. Use several good reference sources to become familiar with your topic. ...
- Review your Assignment! ...
- Select What to Include. ...
- Write the Annotations. ...
- Put It All Together.
All annotated bibliographies have a title, annotation, and citation. While the annotation is the same for all, the way you create your title and citation varies based on your style. The three main bibliography styles used include MLA, APA, and Chicago.
What does a bibliography annotation look like? ›
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.
How do I write the first paragraph of an annotated bibliography? ›
Most annotated bibliographies will begin with a thesis statement, research question, or introductory paragraph that outlines the purpose of your research. Is there a specific question you're answering with your sources? Is there an argument you're using them to prove?
What is an example of a bibliography? ›
Periodical Chicago Manual of Style Bibliography Examples
Last Name, First Name. Year of Publication. “Title: Subtitle.” Name of Journal, Volume Number, issue number, First Page Number–Last Page Number. URL.
Is it hard to write an annotated bibliography? ›
Writing the annotation is the most difficult part of creating an annotated bibliography. Creating a bibliography in itself is fairly straightforward and is described in numerous writing style manuals, including the APA's and the MLA's style manuals.
What makes a successful annotated bibliography? ›
A good annotated bibliography:
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.
What are the two 2 major purposes of an annotated bibliography? ›
The purpose of an annotated bibliography
The purpose is to: learn about a particular topic through critically reviewing the literature. provide an overview of the main issues, arguments and research within a particular area.
How many sentences should be in an annotated bibliography? ›
While an annotation can be as short as one sentence, the average entry in an annotated bibliography consists of a work's citation information followed by a short paragraph of three to six sentences, roughly 150 words in length.
HIGHLIGHTING/UNDERLINING
Highlighting or underlining key words and phrases or major ideas is the most common form of annotating texts. Many people use this method to make it easier to review material, especially for exams.
What is the difference between a bibliography and an annotated bibliography? ›
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.
What the heck is an annotated bibliography? ›
What is an annotated bibliography? An annotated bibliography or annotated bib is a bibliography (a list of books or other works) that includes descriptive and evaluative comments about the sources cited in your paper. These comments are also known as annotations.
What is the correct format for an annotated bibliography? ›
Basic Writing and Format Tips:
Start with the same format as a regular References list. After each citation, the annotation is indented two spaces from the left margin as a block. Each annotation should be one paragraph, between three to six sentences long (about 150-200 words). All lines should be double-spaced.
What person do you write an annotated bibliography in? ›
In general, an annotated bibliography should be in third person and not in first person.
How do I introduce a topic in an annotated bibliography? ›
WRITE AN INTRODUCTION
Typically a short overview of the research focus, the introduction needs to define the topic, the scope of the bibliography, and if it is meant to cover the whole range of opinion or just one viewpoint or aspect.
What are the 3 parts of an annotated bibliography APA? ›
So, if we could develop an anatomy of Annotated Bibliography we could break it into 3 parts: The summary, assess and evaluate, and reflection.
What is the order of the annotated bibliography? ›
The Annotated Bibliography will be alphabetized the same way a standard Reference List, Works Cited, or Bibliography is done, by the lead author's last name or, if there is no author, by the first word of the title (excluding a, an, and the).
What are the 4 parts of the annotated bibliography? ›
Many annotated bibliographies include:
- A citation to the article, chapter, or other work.
- Qualifications of the author or authors.
- Mention of the methods the authors used.
- A summary of the argument and/or findings.
- Evaluation of the work, for example the logic of the arguments or value of the evidence.
