Annotated Bibliography

Understanding Annotated Bibliographies

An annotated bibliography is a special kind of list that not only includes sources you used for research but also provides a summary and evaluation of each source. This helps you understand your topic better and organize your research effectively.

What is a Bibliography? Works Cited?

A bibliography is a list of all the sources you used for researching a topic. These sources can be books, articles, websites, journals, and more. The list includes important details about each source (review the page on MLA format for citation order of operations).

Bibliography vs ‘Works Cited’

While they are similar, a Works Cited page only includes sources directly cited in the paper, whereas a bibliography may include background reading or sources that were consulted but not cited. Additionally, a Works Cited page is specific to the MLA (Modern Language Association) format.

What is an Annotation?

An annotation is a short paragraph that summarizes and/or evaluates a source. When you create an annotated bibliography, you add these annotations to each source in your bibliography.

Annotations do the following:

Summarize: Explain the main ideas or arguments of the source.
Assess: Evaluate the source’s usefulness, reliability, and bias.
Reflect: Describe how the source fits into your research and how it helped shape your ideas.

Why Write an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is, at its core, a form of structured notetaking. Creating these annotations provides an effective avenue to explore your source and get familiar with it in a way simply reading or skimming cannot replicate.

Learn more about your topic

It forces you to read sources carefully and critically, deepening topic knowledge.

Develop a thesis

By understanding different viewpoints, you can form your own argument.

Help other researchers

Your annotated bibliography can serve as a guide for others interested in the same topic.

Format

Cite the source using MLA style.
Describe the main ideas, arguments, themes, theses, or methodology, and identify the intended audience.
Explain the author’s expertise, point of view, and any bias he/she may have.
Explain why each source is useful for your research topic and how it relates to your topic.
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each source.
Identify the observations or conclusions of the author.

Basic Tips on Writing and Formatting

Each annotation should be one paragraph, between three to six sentences long (about 150- 200 words).
Start with the same format as a regular Works Cited list.
All lines should be double-spaced. Do not add an extra line between the citations.
Your list of citations should be in alphabetical order
Try to be objective, and give explanations if you state any opinions.
Use the third person (e.g., he, she, the author) instead of the first person (e.g., I, my, me)