What is an Annotated Bibliography?
The Process
1.) Locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic.
2.) Briefly examine and review the actual items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.
3.) Cite the book, article, or document using MLA style (8th edition).
4.) Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that:
Example (This is ONE entry)
Waite, Linda J. Frances Kobrin Goldcheider, and Christina Witsberger. "Nonfamily
Loving 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 Men and Young Women 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 with young males. Increasing the them
way 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 information on annotated bibliographies has been adapted from:
Olin Library Reference
Research & Learning Services
Cornell University Library
Ithaca, NY, USA
We have received permission to reproduce it and adapt it for our use.