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How to Write a Research Paper: Annotated Bibliography

  • Anatomy of a Research Paper
  • Developing a Research Focus
  • Background Research Tips
  • Searching Tips
  • Scholarly Journals vs. Popular Journals
  • Thesis Statement
  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Citing Sources
  • Evaluating Sources
  • Literature Review
  • Academic Integrity
  • Scholarship as Conversation
  • Understanding Fake News
  • Data, Information, Knowledge

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

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Write an Annotated Bibliography

What is an annotated bibliography?

It is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. 

An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source.

Annotated bibliographies answer the question: "What would be the most relevant, most useful, or most up-to-date sources for this topic?"

 Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself. 

Annotation versus abstracts 

An abstract is a paragraph at the beginning of the paper that discusses the main point of the original work. They typically do not include evaluation comments. 

Annotations can either be descriptive or evaluative. The annotated bibliography looks like a works cited page but includes an annotation after each source cited. 

Types of Annotations: 

Descriptive Annotations: Focuses on description. Describes the source by answering the following questions. 

Who wrote the document?

What does the document discuss?

When and where was the document written? 

Why was the document produced?

How was it provided to the public?

Evaluative Annotations: Focuses on description and evaluation. Includes a summary and critically assess the work for accuracy, relevance, and quality. 

Evaluative annotations help you learn about your topic, develop a thesis statement, decide if a specific source will be useful for your assignment, and determine if there is enough valid information available to complete your project.

What does the annotation include?

Depending on your assignment and style guide, annotations may include some or all of the following information. 

  • Should be no more than 150 words or 4 to 6 sentences long. 
  • What is the main focus or purpose of the work?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • ​How useful or relevant was the article to your topic?
  • Was there any unique features that useful to you?
  • What is the background and credibility of the author?
  • What are any conclusions or observations that your reached about the article?

Which citation style to use?

There are many styles manuals with specific instructions on how to format your annotated bibliography. This largely depends on what your instructor prefers or your subject discipline. Check out our citation guides for more information. 

Additional Information

Why doesn't APA have an official APA-approved format for annotated bibliographies?

Always consult your instructor about the format of an annotated bibliography for your class assignments. These guides provide you with examples of various styles for annotated bibliographies and they may not be in the format required by your instructor. 

Citation Examples and Annotations

Book Citation with Descriptive Annotation

Liroff, R. A., & G. G. Davis. (1981). Protecting open space: Land use control in the Adirondack Park. Cambridge, MA: Ballinger.

This book describes the implementation of regional planning and land use regulation in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York. The authors provide program evaluations of the Adirondack Park Agency’s regulatory and local planning assistance programs.

Journal Article Citation with Evaluative Annotation

Gottlieb, P. D. (1995). The “golden egg” as a natural resource: Toward a normative theory of growth management. Society and Natural Resources, 8, (5): 49-56.

This article explains the dilemma faced by North American suburbs, which demand both preservation of local amenities (to protect quality of life) and physical development (to expand the tax base). Growth management has been proposed as a policy solution to this dilemma. An analogy is made between this approach and resource economics. The author concludes that the growth management debate raises legitimate issues of sustainability and efficiency.

Examples were taken from http://lib.calpoly.edu/support/how-to/write-an-annotated-bibliography/#samples

Book Citation

Lee, Seok-hoon, Yong-pil Kim, Nigel Hemmington, and Deok-kyun Yun. “Competitive Service Quality Improvement (CSQI): A Case Study in the Fast-Food Industry.” Food Service Technology 4 (2004): 75-84.

In this highly technical paper, three industrial engineering professors in Korea and one services management professor in the UK discuss the mathematical limitations of the popular SERVQUAL scales. Significantly, they also aim to measure service quality in the fast-food industry, a neglected area of study. Unfortunately, the paper’s sophisticated analytical methods make it inaccessible to all but the most expert of researchers.

Battle, Ken. “Child Poverty: The Evolution and Impact of Child Benefits.”  A Question of Commitment: Children's Rights in Canada . Ed. Katherine Covell and R.Brian Howe. Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press. 2007. 21-44.

             Ken Battle draws on a close study of government documents, as well as his own research as an extensively-published policy analyst, to explain Canadian child benefit programs.  He outlines some fundamental assumptions supporting the belief that all society members should contribute to the upbringing of children.  His comparison of child poverty rates in a number of countries is a useful wake-up to anyone assuming Canadian society is doing a good job of protecting children.  Battle pays particular attention to the National Child Benefit (NCB), arguing that it did not deserve to be criticized by politicians and journalists.  He outlines the NCB’s development, costs, and benefits, and laments that the Conservative government scaled it back in favour of the inferior Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB).  However, he relies too heavily on his own work; he is the sole or primary author of almost half the sources in his bibliography.  He could make this work stronger by drawing from others' perspectives and analyses.  However, Battle does offer a valuable source for this essay, because the chapter provides a concise overview of government-funded assistance currently available to parents.  This offers context for analyzing the scope and financial reality of child poverty in Canada.

Journal Article Example

  Kerr, Don and Roderic Beaujot. “Child Poverty and Family Structure in Canada, 1981-1997.”  Journal of Comparative Family Studies  34.3 (2003): 321-335.

             Sociology professors Kerr and Beaujot analyze the demographics of impoverished families.  Drawing on data from Canada’s annual Survey of Consumer Finances, the authors consider whether each family had one or two parents, the age of single parents, and the number of children in each household.  They analyze child poverty rates in light of both these demographic factors and larger economic issues.  Kerr and Beaujot use this data to argue that. 

Examples were taken from  http://libguides.enc.edu/writing_basics/ annotatedbib/mla

Check out these resources for more information about Annotated Bibliographies. 

  • Purdue Owl- Annotated Bibliographies
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill- Annotated Bibliographies
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How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography: The Annotated Bibliography

  • The Annotated Bibliography
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Explanation, Process, Directions, and Examples

What is an annotated bibliography.

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.

Annotations vs. Abstracts

Abstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes. Annotations are descriptive and critical; they may describe the author's point of view, authority, or clarity and appropriateness of expression.

The Process

Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research.

First, locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic. Briefly examine and review the actual items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.

Cite the book, article, or document using the appropriate style.

Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.

Critically Appraising the Book, Article, or Document

For guidance in critically appraising and analyzing the sources for your bibliography, see How to Critically Analyze Information Sources . For information on the author's background and views, ask at the reference desk for help finding appropriate biographical reference materials and book review sources.

Choosing the Correct Citation Style

Check with your instructor to find out which style is preferred for your class. Online citation guides for both the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) styles are linked from the Library's Citation Management page .

Sample Annotated Bibliography Entries

The following example uses APA style ( Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th edition, 2019) for the journal citation:

Waite, L., Goldschneider, F., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American Sociological Review, 51 (4), 541-554. The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men 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 of young males. Increasing the time away 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 example uses MLA style ( MLA Handbook , 9th edition, 2021) for the journal citation. For additional annotation guidance from MLA, see 5.132: Annotated Bibliographies .

Waite, Linda J., et al. "Nonfamily Living 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 Women and Young Men 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 of young males. Increasing the time away 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.

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  • Last Updated: Sep 29, 2022 11:09 AM
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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography - APA Style (7th Edition)

What is an annotation, how is an annotation different from an abstract, what is an annotated bibliography, types of annotated bibliographies, descriptive or informative, analytical or critical, to get started.

An annotation is more than just a brief summary of an article, book, website, or other type of publication. An annotation should give enough information to make a reader decide whether to read the complete work. In other words, if the reader were exploring the same topic as you, is this material useful and if so, why?

While an abstract also summarizes an article, book, website, or other type of publication, it is purely descriptive. Although annotations can be descriptive, they also include distinctive features about an item. Annotations can be evaluative and critical as we will see when we look at the two major types of annotations.

An annotated bibliography is an organized list of sources (like a reference list). It differs from a straightforward bibliography in that each reference is followed by a paragraph length annotation, usually 100–200 words in length.

Depending on the assignment, an annotated bibliography might have different purposes:

  • Provide a literature review on a particular subject
  • Help to formulate a thesis on a subject
  • Demonstrate the research you have performed on a particular subject
  • Provide examples of major sources of information available on a topic
  • Describe items that other researchers may find of interest on a topic

There are two major types of annotated bibliographies:

A descriptive or informative annotated bibliography describes or summarizes a source as does an abstract; it describes why the source is useful for researching a particular topic or question and its distinctive features. In addition, it describes the author's main arguments and conclusions without evaluating what the author says or concludes.

For example:

McKinnon, A. (2019). Lessons learned in year one of business.  Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting ,  30 (4), 26–28. This article describes some of the difficulties many nurses experience when transitioning from nursing to a legal nurse consulting business. Pointing out issues of work-life balance, as well as the differences of working for someone else versus working for yourself, the author offers their personal experience as a learning tool. The process of becoming an entrepreneur is not often discussed in relation to nursing, and rarely delves into only the first year of starting a new business. Time management, maintaining an existing job, decision-making, and knowing yourself in order to market yourself are discussed with some detail. The author goes on to describe how important both the nursing professional community will be to a new business, and the importance of mentorship as both the mentee and mentor in individual success that can be found through professional connections. The article’s focus on practical advice for nurses seeking to start their own business does not detract from the advice about universal struggles of entrepreneurship makes this an article of interest to a wide-ranging audience.

An analytical or critical annotation not only summarizes the material, it analyzes what is being said. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of what is presented as well as describing the applicability of the author's conclusions to the research being conducted.

Analytical or critical annotations will most likely be required when writing for a college-level course.

McKinnon, A. (2019). Lessons learned in year one of business.  Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting ,  30 (4), 26–28. This article describes some of the difficulty many nurses experience when transitioning from nursing to a nurse consulting business. While the article focuses on issues of work-life balance, the differences of working for someone else versus working for yourself, marketing, and other business issues the author’s offer of only their personal experience is brief with few or no alternative solutions provided. There is no mention throughout the article of making use of other research about starting a new business and being successful. While relying on the anecdotal advice for their list of issues, the author does reference other business resources such as the Small Business Administration to help with business planning and professional organizations that can help with mentorships. The article is a good resource for those wanting to start their own legal nurse consulting business, a good first advice article even. However, entrepreneurs should also use more business research studies focused on starting a new business, with strategies against known or expected pitfalls and issues new businesses face, and for help on topics the author did not touch in this abbreviated list of lessons learned.

Now you are ready to begin writing your own annotated bibliography.

  • Choose your sources - Before writing your annotated bibliography, you must choose your sources. This involves doing research much like for any other project. Locate records to materials that may apply to your topic.
  • Review the items - Then review the actual items and choose those that provide a wide variety of perspectives on your topic. Article abstracts are helpful in this process.
  • The purpose of the work
  • A summary of its content
  • Information about the author(s)
  • For what type of audience the work is written
  • Its relevance to the topic
  • Any special or unique features about the material
  • Research methodology
  • The strengths, weaknesses or biases in the material

Annotated bibliographies may be arranged alphabetically or chronologically, check with your instructor to see what he or she prefers.

Please see the  APA Examples page  for more information on citing in APA style.

  • Last Updated: Aug 8, 2023 11:27 AM
  • URL: https://libguides.umgc.edu/annotated-bibliography-apa

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Annotated Bibliographies

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This handout provides information about annotated bibliographies in MLA, APA, and CMS.

Definitions

A bibliography is a list of sources (books, journals, Web sites, periodicals, etc.) one has used for researching a topic. Bibliographies are sometimes called "References" or "Works Cited" depending on the style format you are using. 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. Depending on your project or the assignment, your annotations may do one or more of the following.

For more help, see our handout on paraphrasing sources.

For more help, see our handouts on evaluating resources .

  • 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?

Your annotated bibliography may include some of these, all of these, or even others. If you're doing this for a class, you should get specific guidelines from your instructor.

Why should I write an annotated bibliography?

To learn about your topic : Writing an annotated bibliography is excellent preparation for a research project. Just collecting sources for a bibliography is useful, but when you have to write annotations for each source, you're forced to read each source more carefully. You begin to read more critically instead of just collecting information. At the professional level, annotated bibliographies allow you to see what has been done in the literature and where your own research or scholarship can fit. To help you formulate a thesis: Every good research paper is an argument. The purpose of research is to state and support a thesis. So, a very important part of research is developing a thesis that is debatable, interesting, and current. Writing an annotated bibliography can help you gain a good perspective on what is being said about your topic. By reading and responding to a variety of sources on a topic, you'll start to see what the issues are, what people are arguing about, and you'll then be able to develop your own point of view.

To help other researchers : Extensive and scholarly annotated bibliographies are sometimes published. They provide a comprehensive overview of everything important that has been and is being said about that topic. You may not ever get your annotated bibliography published, but as a researcher, you might want to look for one that has been published about your topic.

The format of an annotated bibliography can vary, so if you're doing one for a class, it's important to ask for specific guidelines.

The bibliographic information : Generally, though, the bibliographic information of the source (the title, author, publisher, date, etc.) is written in either MLA or APA format. For more help with formatting, see our MLA handout . For APA, go here: APA handout .

The annotations: The annotations for each source are written in paragraph form. The lengths of the annotations can vary significantly from a couple of sentences to a couple of pages. The length will depend on the purpose. If you're just writing summaries of your sources, the annotations may not be very long. However, if you are writing an extensive analysis of each source, you'll need more space.

You can focus your annotations for your own needs. A few sentences of general summary followed by several sentences of how you can fit the work into your larger paper or project can serve you well when you go to draft.

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  • How to create an MLA style annotated bibliography

MLA Style Annotated Bibliography | Format & Examples

Published on July 13, 2021 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on June 14, 2022.

An annotated bibliography is a special assignment that lists sources in a way similar to the MLA Works Cited list, but providing an annotation for each source giving extra information.

You might be assigned an annotated bibliography as part of the research process for a paper , or as an individual assignment.

MLA provides guidelines for writing and formatting your annotated bibliography. An example of a typical annotation is shown below.

Kenny, Anthony. A New History of Western Philosophy: In Four Parts . Oxford UP, 2010.

You can create and manage your annotated bibliography with Scribbr’s free MLA Citation Generator. Choose your source type, retrieve the details, and click “Add annotation.”

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Table of contents

Mla format for annotated bibliographies, length and content of annotations, frequently asked questions about annotated bibliographies.

The list should be titled either “Annotated Bibliography” or “Annotated List of Works Cited.” You may be told which title to use; “bibliography” is normally used for a list that also includes sources you didn’t cite in your paper or that isn’t connected to a paper at all.

Sources are usually organized alphabetically , like in a normal Works Cited list, but can instead be organized chronologically or by subject depending on the purpose of the assignment.

The source information is presented and formatted in the same way as in a normal Works Cited entry:

  • Double-spaced
  • Left-aligned
  • 0.5 inch hanging indent

The annotation follows on the next line, also double-spaced and left-aligned. The whole annotation is indented 1 inch from the left margin to distinguish it from the 0.5 inch hanging indent of the source entry.

  • If the annotation is only one paragraph long, there’s no additional indent for the start of the paragraph.
  • If there are two or more paragraphs, indent the first line of each paragraph , including the first, an additional half-inch (so those lines are indented 1.5 inches in total).

MLA annotated bibliography

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MLA gives some guidelines for writing the annotations themselves. They cover how concise you need to be and what exactly you should write about your sources.

Phrases or full sentences?

MLA states that it’s acceptable to use concise phrases rather than grammatically complete sentences in your annotations.

While you shouldn’t write this way in your main text, it’s acceptable in annotations because the subject of the phrase is clear from the context. It’s also fine to use full sentences instead, if you prefer.

  • Broad history of Western philosophy from the ancient Greeks to the present day.
  • Kenny presents a broad history of Western philosophy from the ancient Greeks to the present day.

Always use full sentences if your instructor requires you to do so, though.

How many paragraphs?

MLA states that annotations usually aim to be concise and thus are only one paragraph long. However, it’s acceptable to write multiple-paragraph annotations if you need to.

If in doubt, aim to keep your annotations short, but use multiple paragraphs if longer annotations are required for your assignment.

Descriptive, evaluative, or reflective annotations?

MLA states that annotations can describe or evaluate sources, or do both. They shouldn’t go into too much depth quoting or discussing minor details from the source, but aim to write about it in broad terms.

You’ll usually write either descriptive , evaluative , or reflective annotations . If you’re not sure what kind of annotations you need, consult your assignment guidelines or ask your instructor.

An annotated bibliography is an assignment where you collect sources on a specific topic and write an annotation for each source. An annotation is a short text that describes and sometimes evaluates the source.

Any credible sources on your topic can be included in an annotated bibliography . The exact sources you cover will vary depending on the assignment, but you should usually focus on collecting journal articles and scholarly books . When in doubt, utilize the CRAAP test !

Each annotation in an annotated bibliography is usually between 50 and 200 words long. Longer annotations may be divided into paragraphs .

The content of the annotation varies according to your assignment. An annotation can be descriptive, meaning it just describes the source objectively; evaluative, meaning it assesses its usefulness; or reflective, meaning it explains how the source will be used in your own research .

No, in an MLA annotated bibliography , you can write short phrases instead of full sentences to keep your annotations concise. You can still choose to use full sentences instead, though.

Use full sentences in your annotations if your instructor requires you to, and always use full sentences in the main text of your paper .

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Annotated Bibliographies

What this handout is about.

This handout will explain why annotated bibliographies are useful for researchers, provide an explanation of what constitutes an annotation, describe various types of annotations and styles for writing them, and offer multiple examples of annotated bibliographies in the MLA, APA, and CBE/CSE styles of citation.

Introduction

Welcome to the wonderful world of annotated bibliographies! You’re probably already familiar with the need to provide bibliographies, reference pages, and works cited lists to credit your sources when you do a research paper. An annotated bibliography includes descriptions and explanations of your listed sources beyond the basic citation information you usually provide.

Why do an annotated bibliography?

One of the reasons behind citing sources and compiling a general bibliography is so that you can prove you have done some valid research to back up your argument and claims. Readers can refer to a citation in your bibliography and then go look up the material themselves. When inspired by your text or your argument, interested researchers can access your resources. They may wish to double check a claim or interpretation you’ve made, or they may simply wish to continue researching according to their interests. But think about it: even though a bibliography provides a list of research sources of all types that includes publishing information, how much does that really tell a researcher or reader about the sources themselves?

An annotated bibliography provides specific information about each source you have used. As a researcher, you have become an expert on your topic: you have the ability to explain the content of your sources, assess their usefulness, and share this information with others who may be less familiar with them. Think of your paper as part of a conversation with people interested in the same things you are; the annotated bibliography allows you to tell readers what to check out, what might be worth checking out in some situations, and what might not be worth spending the time on. It’s kind of like providing a list of good movies for your classmates to watch and then going over the list with them, telling them why this movie is better than that one or why one student in your class might like a particular movie better than another student would. You want to give your audience enough information to understand basically what the movies are about and to make an informed decision about where to spend their money based on their interests.

What does an annotated bibliography do?

A good annotated bibliography:

  • encourages you to think critically about the content of the works you are using, their place within a field of study, and their relation to your own research and ideas.
  • proves you have read and understand your sources.
  • 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.
  • could help interested researchers determine whether they are interested in a topic by providing background information and an idea of the kind of work going on in a field.

What elements might an annotation include?

  • Bibliography according to the appropriate citation style (MLA, APA, CBE/CSE, etc.).
  • Explanation of main points and/or purpose of the work—basically, its thesis—which shows among other things that you have read and thoroughly understand the source.
  • Verification or critique of the authority or qualifications of the author.
  • Comments on the worth, effectiveness, and usefulness of the work in terms of both the topic being researched and/or your own research project.
  • The point of view or perspective from which the work was written. For instance, you may note whether the author seemed to have particular biases or was trying to reach a particular audience.
  • Relevant links to other work done in the area, like related sources, possibly including a comparison with some of those already on your list. You may want to establish connections to other aspects of the same argument or opposing views.

The first four elements above are usually a necessary part of the annotated bibliography. Points 5 and 6 may involve a little more analysis of the source, but you may include them in other kinds of annotations besides evaluative ones. Depending on the type of annotation you use, which this handout will address in the next section, there may be additional kinds of information that you will need to include.

For more extensive research papers (probably ten pages or more), you often see resource materials grouped into sub-headed sections based on content, but this probably will not be necessary for the kinds of assignments you’ll be working on. For longer papers, ask your instructor about their preferences concerning annotated bibliographies.

Did you know that annotations have categories and styles?

Decisions, decisions.

As you go through this handout, you’ll see that, before you start, you’ll need to make several decisions about your annotations: citation format, type of annotation, and writing style for the annotation.

First of all, you’ll need to decide which kind of citation format is appropriate to the paper and its sources, for instance, MLA or APA. This may influence the format of the annotations and bibliography. Typically, bibliographies should be double-spaced and use normal margins (you may want to check with your instructor, since they may have a different style they want you to follow).

MLA (Modern Language Association)

See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for basic MLA bibliography formatting and rules.

  • MLA documentation is generally used for disciplines in the humanities, such as English, languages, film, and cultural studies or other theoretical studies. These annotations are often summary or analytical annotations.
  • Title your annotated bibliography “Annotated Bibliography” or “Annotated List of Works Cited.”
  • Following MLA format, use a hanging indent for your bibliographic information. This means the first line is not indented and all the other lines are indented four spaces (you may ask your instructor if it’s okay to tab over instead of using four spaces).
  • Begin your annotation immediately after the bibliographic information of the source ends; don’t skip a line down unless you have been told to do so by your instructor.

APA (American Psychological Association)

See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for basic APA bibliography formatting and rules.

  • Natural and social sciences, such as psychology, nursing, sociology, and social work, use APA documentation. It is also used in economics, business, and criminology. These annotations are often succinct summaries.
  • Annotated bibliographies for APA format do not require a special title. Use the usual “References” designation.
  • Like MLA, APA uses a hanging indent: the first line is set flush with the left margin, and all other lines are indented four spaces (you may ask your instructor if it’s okay to tab over instead of using four spaces).
  • After the bibliographic citation, drop down to the next line to begin the annotation, but don’t skip an extra line.
  • The entire annotation is indented an additional two spaces, so that means each of its lines will be six spaces from the margin (if your instructor has said that it’s okay to tab over instead of using the four spaces rule, indent the annotation two more spaces in from that point).

CBE (Council of Biology Editors)/CSE (Council of Science Editors)

See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for basic CBE/CSE bibliography formatting and rules.

  • CBE/CSE documentation is used by the plant sciences, zoology, microbiology, and many of the medical sciences.
  • Annotated bibliographies for CBE/CSE format do not require a special title. Use the usual “References,” “Cited References,” or “Literature Cited,” and set it flush with the left margin.
  • Bibliographies for CSE in general are in a slightly smaller font than the rest of the paper.
  • When using the name-year system, as in MLA and APA, the first line of each entry is set flush with the left margin, and all subsequent lines, including the annotation, are indented three or four spaces.
  • When using the citation-sequence method, each entry begins two spaces after the number, and every line, including the annotation, will be indented to match the beginning of the entry, or may be slightly further indented, as in the case of journals.
  • After the bibliographic citation, drop down to the next line to begin the annotation, but don’t skip an extra line. The entire annotation follows the indentation of the bibliographic entry, whether it’s N-Y or C-S format.
  • Annotations in CBE/CSE are generally a smaller font size than the rest of the bibliographic information.

After choosing a documentation format, you’ll choose from a variety of annotation categories presented in the following section. Each type of annotation highlights a particular approach to presenting a source to a reader. For instance, an annotation could provide a summary of the source only, or it could also provide some additional evaluation of that material.

In addition to making choices related to the content of the annotation, you’ll also need to choose a style of writing—for instance, telescopic versus paragraph form. Your writing style isn’t dictated by the content of your annotation. Writing style simply refers to the way you’ve chosen to convey written information. A discussion of writing style follows the section on annotation types.

Types of annotations

As you now know, one annotation does not fit all purposes! There are different kinds of annotations, depending on what might be most important for your reader to learn about a source. Your assignments will usually make it clear which citation format you need to use, but they may not always specify which type of annotation to employ. In that case, you’ll either need to pick your instructor’s brain a little to see what they want or use clue words from the assignment itself to make a decision. For instance, the assignment may tell you that your annotative bibliography should give evidence proving an analytical understanding of the sources you’ve used. The word analytical clues you in to the idea that you must evaluate the sources you’re working with and provide some kind of critique.

Summary annotations

There are two kinds of summarizing annotations, informative and indicative.

Summarizing annotations in general have a couple of defining features:

  • They sum up the content of the source, as a book report might.
  • They give an overview of the arguments and proofs/evidence addressed in the work and note the resulting conclusion.
  • They do not judge the work they are discussing. Leave that to the critical/evaluative annotations.
  • When appropriate, they describe the author’s methodology or approach to material. For instance, you might mention if the source is an ethnography or if the author employs a particular kind of theory.

Informative annotation

Informative annotations sometimes read like straight summaries of the source material, but they often spend a little more time summarizing relevant information about the author or the work itself.

Indicative annotation

Indicative annotation is the second type of summary annotation, but it does not attempt to include actual information from the argument itself. Instead, it gives general information about what kinds of questions or issues are addressed by the work. This sometimes includes the use of chapter titles.

Critical/evaluative

Evaluative annotations don’t just summarize. In addition to tackling the points addressed in summary annotations, evaluative annotations:

  • evaluate the source or author critically (biases, lack of evidence, objective, etc.).
  • show how the work may or may not be useful for a particular field of study or audience.
  • explain how researching this material assisted your own project.

Combination

An annotated bibliography may combine elements of all the types. In fact, most of them fall into this category: a little summarizing and describing, a little evaluation.

Writing style

Ok, next! So what does it mean to use different writing styles as opposed to different kinds of content? Content is what belongs in the annotation, and style is the way you write it up. First, choose which content type you need to compose, and then choose the style you’re going to use to write it

This kind of annotated bibliography is a study in succinctness. It uses a minimalist treatment of both information and sentence structure, without sacrificing clarity. Warning: this kind of writing can be harder than you might think.

Don’t skimp on this kind of annotated bibliography. If your instructor has asked for paragraph form, it likely means that you’ll need to include several elements in the annotation, or that they expect a more in-depth description or evaluation, for instance. Make sure to provide a full paragraph of discussion for each work.

As you can see now, bibliographies and annotations are really a series of organized steps. They require meticulous attention, but in the end, you’ve got an entire testimony to all the research and work you’ve done. At the end of this handout you’ll find examples of informative, indicative, evaluative, combination, telescopic, and paragraph annotated bibliography entries in MLA, APA, and CBE formats. Use these examples as your guide to creating an annotated bibliography that makes you look like the expert you are!

MLA Example

APA Example

CBE Example

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

American Psychological Association. 2010. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association . 6th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Bell, I. F., and J. Gallup. 1971. A Reference Guide to English, American, and Canadian Literature . Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.

Bizzell, Patricia, and Bruce Herzburg. 1991. Bedford Bibliography for Teachers of Writing , 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford Books.

Center for Information on Language Teaching, and The English Teaching Information Center of the British Council. 1968. Language-Teaching Bibliography . Cambridge: Cambridge University.

Engle, Michael, Amy Blumenthal, and Tony Cosgrave. 2012. “How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography.” Olin & Uris Libraries. Cornell University. Last updated September 25, 2012. https://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/content/how-prepare-annotated-bibliography.

Gibaldi, Joseph. 2009. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers , 7th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America.

Huth, Edward. 1994. Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers . New York: University of Cambridge.

Kilborn, Judith. 2004. “MLA Documentation.” LEO: Literacy Education Online. Last updated March 16, 2004. https://leo.stcloudstate.edu/research/mla.html.

Spatt, Brenda. 1991. Writing from Sources , 3rd ed. New York: St. Martin’s.

University of Kansas. 2018. “Bibliographies.” KU Writing Center. Last updated April 2018. http://writing.ku.edu/bibliographies .

University of Wisconsin-Madison. 2019. “Annotated Bibliography.” The Writing Center. Accessed June 14, 2019. https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/assignments/annotatedbibliography/ .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Creating an Annotated Bibliography

  • What is an Annotated Bibliography

Writing an Annotation

Formatting an annotated bibliography.

  • Resources and Tools
  • Creating an Annotated Bibliography Video

Components of an Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is an APA reference list that includes a brief summary and analysis -- the annotation --  under the reference entry.  

An annotated bibliography includes:

  • APA Title page
  • Pages are numbered beginning with title page
  • References centered and bolded at top of page
  • Entries listed in alphabetical order
  • Annotations begin under its associated reference
  • Annotations are indented 0.5 inches from the left margin
  • The entire document is double spaced; no extra space between entries

Example of an annotated bibliography entry:

annotated bibliography for a paper

An  an n otated bibliography is composed of the full APA reference for a source followed by notes and commentary about that so urce. T he word  “annotate” means “critical or explanatory notes” and the word “bibliography” means “a list of sources”.  Annotation s are meant to be critical in addition to being descriptive.

Annotations are generally between five to seven sentences in length and appear directly under the APA reference.  The entire annotation is indented 0.5 inch from the left margin and lines up with the hanging indent of the APA reference.

Use the question prompts below as a guide when writing annotations:

• 2 to 4 sentences to  summarize   the main idea(s) of the source.

     - What are the main arguments?

     - What is the point of this book/article?

     - What topics are covered?

• 1 or 2 sentences to  assess   and  evaluate   the source.

     - How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography?

     - Is this information reliable? current?

     - Is the author credible? have the background to write on this topic?

     - Is the source objective or biased?

• 1 or 2 sentences to  reflect   on the source.

     - Was this source helpful to you?

     - How can you use this source for your research project?

     - Has it changed how you think about your topic?

  • a title page, and
  • the annotated bibliography which begins on its own page with the word References bolded and centered at the top of the page.

Each entry begins with an APA reference for the resource with the annotation appearing directly beneath. The entire annotation is indented 0.5 inches from the left margin.

Entries are listed in alphabetical order. The entire document is typed on one of the six approved font styles and sizes and is double spaced.  There is no additional space between entires.

Consider using Academic Writer or NoodleTools to create and format your annotated bibliography.  

annotated bibliography for a paper

APA Citation Style Resources and Tools

Apa academic writer.

Use the tools in the  References tab to create APA references for the resources in your annotated bibliography.  The form includes a text box for your annotation.  You can create your title page and assemble your annotated bibliography in the Write tab in this authoritative resource.

  • APA Academic Writer This link opens in a new window Formerly APA Style Central, Academic Writer is a digital library of quick APA guides and tutorials: - Learn - view videos and tutorials, test your APA knowledge with quizzes, and view sample papers, references, tables, and figures. - Reference - view tutorials, search APA dictionaries, develop research ideas, plan and track your research, and manage your references. - Write - use templates to write papers (includes step-by-step help), and work on saved papers. (Must create a personal account to use.)

Create and format your annotated bibliography in NoodleTools .  Find information on how to create an account, create APA references, and creating and formatting an annotated bibliography in the NoodleTools Guide.

  • NoodleTools Guide

This video below provides an overview of how to create an annotated bibliography including evaluating resources, writing annotations, creating APA references, and formatting the final document in the APA style. 

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Home / Guides / Citation Guides / APA Format / APA Annotated Bibliography Format

APA Annotated Bibliography Format

The American Psychological Association states that your instructor should set the guidelines for your annotated bibliography, but does ask that the list be formatted according to their standard reference page rules (see Section 9.51 of the  Publication Manual ). Since there are no set rules for creating one, you may be wondering how to create an annotated APA bibliography. If your teacher or professor requests one, don’t worry, here are our recommendations:

  • Make sure you create your references according to APA’s guidelines. If you need some help, here’s a great  APA citation website , which shows how to create references for electronic sources. We also have a page on developing a reference for an  APA journal . Need other source types? Check out the other helpful pages on EasyBib.com.
  • Annotations should be kept short and are usually not more than one paragraph.
  • For more information on writing an annotation, visit the general  annotated bibliography guide .

Here’s a run-through of everything this page includes:

  • Quick APA formatting guidelines

Annotation example

Visual example, using the easybib annotation tool, troubleshooting, quick  apa  formatting guidelines:.

  • Use 1-inch page margins on all sides.
  • The entire page should be double-spaced.
  • Title your page, “Annotated Bibliography”. Center and bold it.
  • Left-align references. If a reference runs over more than one line, any line(s) that comes after the first should be indented a ½ inch from the left margin.
  • Organize your references alphabetically by the first word in the reference. (See further details in this  APA Reference Page  guide).
  • Add the annotations on the line right after their corresponding reference.
  • Indent annotations ½ inch from the left margin.
  • Include a page number in the upper right corner; if this is a professional paper, it should be a running head.

For an annotated bibliography APA example, we’re using the same description as above. The only thing we’re going to change is the structure of the reference. For an APA bibliography, the reference needs to be an  APA citation , and the description can be formed the same way as above.

Here’s what the  APA book citation  for  The Elements of Eloquence: Secrets of the Perfect Turn of Phrase  looks like:

Forsyth, M. (2014).  The elements of eloquence: Secrets of the perfect turn of phrase.  Penguin Books.

The author, Mark Forsyth, examines the rhetorical devices used in the English language, analyzing the patterns and formats that create memorable quotes. He traces the history of rhetoric to the Ancient Greeks, and provides an abridged timeline, following their use and evolution through to modern day. The author also explores the broader subject of persuasion and maps out the role that the figures of rhetoric play in it. In all, he examines over thirty devices, dissecting notable passages and phrases from pop music, the plays of William Shakespeare, the Bible, and more to explore the figures of rhetoric at work within each of them. Thorough definitions accompany this examination of structure to demonstrate how these formulas have been used to generate famously memorable expressions as well as how to reproduce their effects.

annotated bibliography for a paper

The EasyBib citation generator has an annotation tool that can help you easily add your annotation to a citation.

  • To do this, begin creating a citation in the EasyBib citation generator. Already have a citation on EasyBib.com? Go to the citation, open your citation options and select “Edit citation.”
  • Once you get to the citation form (where you review found information), scroll to the bottom until you see the sections “More options.”
  • Under that section, click on the “Add annotation” link to open the annotation box.
  • Copy and paste your annotation into the box.
  • Complete your citation.
  • Your annotation will automatically be included and formatted with your citation. You can copy and paste directly into your paper!

Annotated bibliography tool

Again, even though the APA style does not support the creation of bibliographies that include annotations, many schools and professors expect their students to include summaries or commentary alongside their citations in APA style.

Solution #1: How to write an annotation

Annotations are brief paragraph summaries of your source and may include details about how you plan to use the information in your paper, or the quality of information in your source. Take these steps:

  • Read through the source.
  • Identify the main thesis theme of the source then consider how you would summarize the article and its purpose in one sentence.
  • Evaluate the source. Is the author(s) qualified? Is the source and its arguments credible? Well-written? Why or why not?
  • How does the source relate to your paper?
  • Write your annotation based on the above steps. Choose only the points that would most help you or your reader gain an understanding of the source and its significance.

Here are writing tips:

  • Avoid describing every event, statistic, or detail that occurs in your source.
  • Focus on details that are relevant to your topic or your paper. Help the reader understand why the source was selected and is importance.
  • Think about how the information impacts your perspective, how it contributes to your topic, and the effect on your overall paper.

Annotated paragraph example:

Solution #2: How to correctly format an annotation with multiple paragraphs

  • Indent the entire annotated paragraph at ½ of an inch. When done correctly, the left edge of the annotated paragraph will look entirely straight, as in the first example below.
  • If there are multiple paragraphs, follow step one but use a second 0.5-inch indention on the second and following paragraphs.
  • Avoid indenting the paragraph at 0.5 inch like a regular essay paragraph, as shown in the third example.

Single annotated paragraph example:

Multiple annotated paragraphs example:

In his novel, “A True Story of John Doe,” Samuel Smith outlines his life through the eyes of a fictional character. His recollection outlines the immigrant experience and demonstrates how modern life in England came to be.

          Chapters two and three outline the novelty of moving to a new location by describing the eventual progression to culture shock. Smith describes life as beautiful and wonderous in chapter two by emphasizing sensory experiences. However, in chapter three, he slowly gains awareness of the differences between his current and previous lives and of how the locals treat him. Smith nullifies the sensory experiences and, instead, focuses on the depth of the human emotion. I intend to use this source to compare to my own experience as an immigrant.

APA Formatting Guide

APA Formatting

  • Annotated Bibliography
  • Block Quotes
  • et al Usage
  • In-text Citations
  • Multiple Authors
  • Paraphrasing
  • Page Numbers
  • Parenthetical Citations
  • Reference Page
  • Sample Paper
  • APA 7 Updates
  • View APA Guide

Citation Examples

  • Book Chapter
  • Journal Article
  • Magazine Article
  • Newspaper Article
  • Website (no author)
  • View all APA Examples

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To create an annotated APA bibliography, follow the below recommendations:

  • Order your reference entries in alphabetical order similar to how you would order entries in the reference list.
  • If you want to add an annotation to an entry, add it as a new paragraph below the reference entry. The entire annotation is indented 0.5 inches from the left margin.

For example:

Lim, L. (2014). Ideology, rationality and reproduction in education: A critical discourse analysis. Discourse: Studies in the Cultural Politics of Education, 35 (1), 61–76. https://doi.org/10.1080/01596306.2012.739467 Lim focuses on issues of power and ideology dominant in curricular discourses of rationality to study a discourse analysis of the goals of one of the most important curricula in the teaching of thinking. He proves that political and class commitments are reproduced in the forms of thinking that are valued in societies. Through his research, Lim asserts that such curricula engage in creating our understanding of what thinking and rationality are.

To format an annotated bibliography in APA, follow the recommendations given below:

  • Set the left, right, top, and bottom margins as 1 inch.
  • Use double-line spacing.
  • Title the page “Annotated Bibliography.” Set it in bold.
  • The title should be aligned to the center of the page.
  • As you format reference entries, left-align all references in the annotated bibliography section. If any entry runs over more than a line, indent the subsequent lines 0.5 inches from the left margin.
  • Arrange all reference entries alphabetically according to the surname of the authors.
  • Provide your annotations below the reference entry for which you want to give your annotation. Indent annotations 0.5 inches from the left margin.

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What is An Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (books, articles, websites, etc.) with short paragraph about each source. An annotated bibliography is sometimes a useful step before drafting a research paper, or it can stand alone as an overview of the research available on a topic.

Each source in the annotated bibliography has a citation - the information a reader needs to find the original source, in a consistent format to make that easier. These consistent formats are called citation styles.  The most common citation styles are MLA (Modern Language Association) for humanities, and APA (American Psychological Association) for social sciences.

Annotations are about 4 to 6 sentences long (roughly 150 words), and address:

  •     Main focus or purpose of the work
  •     Usefulness or relevance to your research topic 
  •     Special features of the work that were unique or helpful
  •     Background and credibility of the author
  •     Conclusions or observations reached by the author
  •     Conclusions or observations reached by you

Annotations versus Abstracts

Many scholarly articles start with an abstract, which is the author's summary of the article to help you decide whether you should read the entire article.  This abstract is not the same thing as an annotation.  The annotation needs to be in your own words, to explain the relevance of the source to your particular assignment or research question.

Annotated Bibliography video

MLA 9th Annotated Bibliography Examples

Ontiveros, Randy J.  In the Spirit of a New People: The Cultural Politics of the Chicano Movement . New York UP, 2014.

This book analyzes the journalism, visual arts, theater, and novels of the Chicano movement from 1960 to the present as articulations of personal and collective values. Chapter 3 grounds the theater of El Teatro Campesino in the labor and immigrant organizing of the period, while Chapter 4 situates Sandra Cisneros’s novel  Caramelo  in the struggles of Chicana feminists to be heard in the traditional and nationalist elements of the Chicano movement. Ontiveros provides a powerful and illuminating historical context for the literary and political texts of the movement.

Journal article

Alvarez, Nadia, and Jack Mearns. “The Benefits of Writing and Performing in the Spoken Word Poetry Community.”  The Arts in Psychotherapy , vol. 41, no. 3, July 2014, pp. 263-268.  ScienceDirect ,  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2014.03.004 .

Spoken word poetry is distinctive because it is written to be performed out loud, in person, by the poet. The ten poets interviewed by these authors describe “a reciprocal relationship between the audience and the poet” created by that practice of performance. To build community, spoken word poets keep metaphor and diction relatively simple and accessible. Richness is instead built through fragmented stories that coalesce into emotional narratives about personal and community concerns.  This understanding of poets’ intentions illuminates their recorded performances.

*Note, citations have a .5 hanging indent and the annotations have a 1 inch indent. 

  • MLA 9th Sample Annotated Bibliography

MLA 8th Annotated Bibliography Examples

Ontiveros, Randy J. In the Spirit of a New People: The Cultural Politics of the Chicano Movement . New York UP, 2014. This book analyzes the journalism, visual arts, theater, and novels of the Chicano movement from 1960 to the present as articulations of personal and collective values. Chapter 3 grounds the theater of El Teatro Campesino in the labor and immigrant organizing of the period, while Chapter 4 situates Sandra Cisneros’s novel Caramelo in the struggles of Chicana feminists to be heard in the traditional and nationalist elements of the Chicano movement. Ontiveros provides a powerful and illuminating historical context for the literary and political texts of the movement.

Alvarez, Nadia, and Jack Mearns. “The Benefits of Writing and Performing in the Spoken Word Poetry Community.” The Arts in Psychotherapy , vol. 41, no. 3, July 2014, pp. 263-268. ScienceDirect , doi:10.1016/j.aip.2014.03.004 . Spoken word poetry is distinctive because it is written to be performed out loud, in person, by the poet. The ten poets interviewed by these authors describe “a reciprocal relationship between the audience and the poet” created by that practice of performance. To build community, spoken word poets keep metaphor and diction relatively simple and accessible. Richness is instead built through fragmented stories that coalesce into emotional narratives about personal and community concerns.  This understanding of poets’ intentions illuminates their recorded performances.

  • MLA 8th Sample Annotated Bibliography

APA 7th Annotated Bibliography Examples

Alvarez, N. & Mearns, J. (2014). The benefits of writing and performing in the spoken word poetry community.  The Arts in Psychotherapy, 41 (3), 263-268.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2014.03.004 Prior research has shown narrative writing to help with making meaning out of trauma. This article uses grounded theory to analyze semi-structured interviews with ten spoken word poets.  Because spoken word poetry is performed live, it creates personal and community connections that enhance the emotional development and resolution offered by the practice of writing. The findings are limited by the small, nonrandom sample (all the participants were from the same community).

  • APA 7th Sample Annotated Bibliography
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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

Writing annotations.

  • Introduction
  • New RefWorks
  • Formatting Citations
  • Sample Annotated Bibliographies

An annotation is a brief note following each citation listed on an annotated bibliography.  The goal is to briefly summarize the source and/or explain why it is important for a topic.  They are typically a single concise paragraph, but might be longer if you are summarizing and evaluating.

Annotations can be written in a variety of different ways and it’s important to consider the style you are going to use.  Are you simply summarizing the sources, or evaluating them?  How does the source influence your understanding of the topic?  You can follow any style you want if you are writing for your own personal research process, but consult with your professor if this is an assignment for a class.

Annotation Styles

  • Combined Informative/Evaluative Style - This style is recommended by the library as it combines all the styles to provide a more complete view of a source.  The annotation should explain the value of the source for the overall research topic by providing a summary combined with an analysis of the source.  

Aluedse, O. (2006). Bullying in schools: A form of child abuse in schools.  Educational Research Quarterly ,  30 (1), 37.

The author classifies bullying in schools as a “form of child abuse,” and goes well beyond the notion that schoolyard bullying is “just child’s play.” The article provides an in-depth definition of bullying, and explores the likelihood that school-aged bullies may also experience difficult lives as adults. The author discusses the modern prevalence of bullying in school systems, the effects of bullying, intervention strategies, and provides an extensive list of resources and references.

Statistics included provide an alarming realization that bullying is prevalent not only in the United States, but also worldwide. According to the author, “American schools harbor approximately 2.1 million bullies and 2.7 million victims.” The author references the National Association of School Psychologists and quotes, “Thus, one in seven children is a bully or a target of bullying.” A major point of emphasis centers around what has always been considered a “normal part of growing up” versus the levels of actual abuse reached in today’s society.

The author concludes with a section that addresses intervention strategies for school administrators, teachers, counselors, and school staff. The concept of school staff helping build students’ “social competence” is showcased as a prevalent means of preventing and reducing this growing social menace. Overall, the article is worthwhile for anyone interested in the subject matter, and provides a wealth of resources for researching this topic of growing concern.

(Renfrow & Teuton, 2008)

  • Informative Style -  Similar to an abstract, this style focuses on the summarizing the source.  The annotation should identify the hypothesis, results, and conclusions presented by the source.

Plester, B., Wood, C, & Bell, V. (2008). Txt msg n school literacy: Does texting and knowledge of text abbreviations adversely affect children's literacy attainment? Literacy , 42(3), 137-144.

Reports on two studies that investigated the relationship between children's texting behavior, their knowledge of text abbreviations, and their school attainment in written language skills. In Study One, 11 to 12 year-old children reported their texting behavior and translated a standard English sentence into a text message and vice versa. In Study Two, children's performance on writing measures were examined more specifically, spelling proficiency was also assessed, and KS2 Writing scores were obtained. Positive correlations between spelling ability and performance on the translation exercise were found, and group-based comparisons based on the children's writing scores also showed that good writing attainment was associated with greater use of texting abbreviations (textisms), although the direction of this association is not clear. Overall, these findings suggest that children's knowledge of textisms is not associated with poor written language outcomes for children in this age range. 

(Beach et al., 2009)

  • Evaluative Style - This style analyzes and critically evaluates the source.  The annotation should comment on the source's the strengths, weaknesses, and how it relates to the overall research topic.

Amott, T. (1993). Caught in the Crisis: Women in the U.S. Economy Today . New York: Monthly Review Press.

A very readable (140 pp) economic analysis and information book which I am currently considering as a required collateral assignment in Economics 201. Among its many strengths is a lucid connection of "The Crisis at Home" with the broader, macroeconomic crisis of the U.S. working class (which various other authors have described as the shrinking middle class or the crisis of de-industrialization).

(Papadantonakis, 1996)

  • Indicative Style - This style of annotation identifies the main theme and lists the significant topics included in the source.  Usually no specific details are given beyond the topic list . 

Example: 

Gambell, T.J., & Hunter, D. M. (1999). Rethinking gender differences in literacy. Canadian Journal of Education , 24(1) 1-16.

Five explanations are offered for recently assessed gender differences in the literacy achievement of male and female students in Canada and other countries. The explanations revolve around evaluative bias, home socialization, role and societal expectations, male psychology, and equity policy.

(Kerka & Imel, 2004)

Beach, R., Bigelow, M., Dillon, D., Dockter, J., Galda, L., Helman, L., . . . Janssen, T. (2009). Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.  Research in the Teaching of English,   44 (2), 210-241. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27784357

Kerka, S., & Imel, S. (2004). Annotated bibliography: Women and literacy.  Women's Studies Quarterly,  32 (1), 258-271. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/233645656?accountid=2909

Papadantonakis, K. (1996). Selected Annotated Bibliography for Economists and Other Social Scientists.  Women's Studies Quarterly,   24 (3/4), 233-238. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40004384

Renfrow, T.G., & Teuton, L.M. (2008). Schoolyard bullying: Peer victimization an annotated bibliography. Community & Junior College Libraries, 14(4), 251-­275. doi:10.1080/02763910802336407

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The Chicago Manual of Style,  17 th  ed. , is used by some fields in the humanities, mainly history and some sciences. The Turabian style is a shortened version of Chicago.

The Chicago style has two different techniques for formatting citations: Notes-Bibliography (N/B) and Author-Date (A/D).

Notes-Bibliography is usually used in history, arts, and humanities. This format uses a superscript numeral in the text after the item cited, and then either a footnote at the end of the page or an endnote at the end of the essay. These end/footnotes contain full bibliographic information about the source. This format requires a complete Bibliography at the end of the paper.

Author-Date is usually used for the social sciences and sciences. This format uses an in-text parenthetical author-date method. Papers using this method will include Reference List.

Be sure to check with your professor as to which method to use.

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CNW:3633 Personal Writing - Bonner, Spring 2024: Annotated Bibliography

Annotated bibliography.

What is an Annotated Bibliography? 

A bibliography, as you know, is a list of sources that you’ve used when researching your topic (vs works cited, which will include only the sources cited in the essay). An annotated bibliography includes a brief summary and evaluation of the usefulness of each source. Like the mind maps and outlines we used for the first essay, annotated bibliographies are a valuable way to organize your ideas for a research paper; they give you an overview of what has already been said and areas you could contribute.

Annotations are written in paragraph form. Each annotation should include the following information:

1. Medium (book, movie, article, etc.)

2. Purpose of the source (what did the creator of the source want you to take away?)

3. Summary of the key features or arguments in the source

4. Information on the author/creator and related credentials. Is it in a peer-reviewed journal? Is it a fan on YouTube? (Both of these are valuable, but would be used differently in your essay)

5. Failures or shortcomings of the source. Did it overlook something major?

6. The value of this source to your essay. How does it help you?

For the first assignment, you will create an annotated bibliography with 3 sources ; each annotation will be about one paragraph (150 words), so your final annotated bib will be about 450 words. These annotations will be in MLA format. You must include two web sources and one book. 

If you are looking for information on annotated bibliographies, these resources provide an overview and examples:

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Writing an Annotated Bibliography for a Paper

Providing an Overview of Research Published on a Given Topic

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An annotated bibliography  is an expanded version of a regular  bibliography —those lists of sources you find at the end of a research paper or book. The difference is that an annotated bibliography contains an added feature: a paragraph or annotation under each bibliographical entry.

The purpose of the annotated bibliography is to provide the reader with a complete overview of the articles and books that have been written about a certain subject. Learning some background about annotated bibliographies—as well as a few key steps to writing one—will help you to quickly create an effective annotated bibliography for your assignment or research paper.

Annotated Bibliography Features

The annotated bibliography gives your readers a glimpse of the work a professional researcher would do. Every published article provides statements about prior research on the topic at hand.

A teacher may require that you write an annotated bibliography as the first step of a big research assignment. You would most likely write an annotated bibliography first and then follow with a research paper using the sources you've found.

But you may find that your annotated bibliography is an assignment on its own: It can also stand alone as a research project, and some annotated bibliographies are published. A stand-alone annotated bibliography (one that is not followed by a research paper assignment) would most likely be longer than a first-step version.

How It Should Look

Write the annotated bibliography just like a normal bibliography, but add between one and five concise sentences under each bibliographical entry. Your sentences should summarize the source content and explain how or why the source is important. Things you might mention include whether the:

  • Thesis  of the source is one you support or don't support
  • Author has a unique experience or point of view related to your topic
  • Source provides a sound basis for a paper you intend to write, leaves some questions unanswered, or has a political bias

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

Find a few good sources for your research, and then expand by consulting the bibliographies of those sources. They will lead you to additional sources. The number of sources will depend on the depth of your research.

Determine how deeply you need to read each of these sources. Sometime you'll be expected to read each source carefully before putting it into your annotated bibliography; in other cases, skimming the source will be sufficient.

When you are doing an initial investigation of all of the sources available, your teacher may not expect you to read each source thoroughly. Instead, you likely will be expected to read parts of the sources to learn the essence of the content. Before beginning, check with your teacher to determine whether you have to read every word of every source that you plan to include.

Alphabetize your entries, just as you would in a normal bibliography.

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Annotated Bibliographies

Note:   The guidelines below are general suggestions to help you write an annotated bibliography for a history class.  Your professor might give specific guidelines that provide more detail than the information here.  Always follow your professor’s instructions.

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a description of a set of related sources that address a common topic.  It is a very useful tool in helping you analyze sources and organize your research.  Professors will often assign annotated bibliographies when they want to help you figure out which sources will be most important to your project and in what ways you will make use of the sources.  At other times, professors assign them as an exercise in and of themselves, to help you take the first steps toward mastering a body of historical literature.  Depending on the guidelines from your professor, a source entry in an annotated bibliography will be anywhere from a short paragraph to a page long.

What are the components of an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography usually contains three parts:

Source Citation : Like a regular bibliography, an annotated bibliography provides proper citation information for each source.  Remember that historians usually use Chicago style.  Visit our citation section for information about formatting your citations.  Your professor may allow other styles, such as MLA;  check which style your professor recommends.

Source Summary : The first part of your entry will summarize the source concisely.  Aim not to dazzle your professor with extensive detail, but to state briefly the topic and main argument of your source.  If you are annotating a secondary source, in addition to summarizing the main idea, you will want to give information about how the source is organized, the main types of evidence the author relies on, and how the author makes his or her argument.  If you are annotating a primary source, in addition to the main idea, explain the type of source (e.g. a letter, newspaper, census report, etc.), identify the author (include the author’s position and other information to help the reader understand the writer’s perspective and why s/he was in a position to create the source), and state the author’s intended audience.

Source Evaluation : Your source evaluation explains how the source contributes to a particular topic.  If you are producing an annotated bibliography in anticipation of writing a research paper, your professor might ask you to consider exactly how you will use the source in your paper.  What does the source do for your argument?  Is it one of the key pieces of evidence supporting your case?  Does it offer crucial background information?  Does it present a counterpoint to your argument that you need to address?  Other professors might want you to focus more on an evaluation of the source itself.  In this case, be sure to discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the source.  Did you find the argument persuasive?  If so, explain what made the argument work well.  Were you unconvinced by some of the author’s claims?  If so, explain why.  You will also want to put the source into the context of the field as a whole.  What does this source teach us that we did not know before?  Is it filling a particular gap in the field?  Is it refuting a long-held assumption?  Authors will often explain how they understand the contribution of their work, so begin by looking in the introduction for such information.

While the  source citation ,  summary , and  evaluation  are the key components of an annotated bibliography entry, your professor might also ask you to include other information, such as:

A list of related sources:  The purpose of listing related sources is to position the source you have annotated in its appropriate historiographical field.  Note the work’s place in dialogue with other sources.  Is your source responding to a specific article or book?  Is your source considered the foundational work in a field?  Where does the author of your source position him or herself in relation to other scholarship on the subject?  A good way to figure out what related sources to list is to look at the author’s footnotes.  What studies does the author rely on the most?  Note that you do not need to annotate these related sources.  Your job is to describe in a sentence or two what the source is about and how it relates to the main source you have just annotated.

What are the steps for writing an annotated bibliography?

  • The first step  is to decide which sources will be most critical for your topic.  Often, your professor will assign an annotated bibliography relatively early on in the writing process, so perhaps you do not yet know exactly which sources will be the most important or how exactly you will use them.  To help you figure that out, think about the research questions that led you to your topic in the first place and then think about which sources would best help you answer those questions.  A major benefit of writing an annotated bibliography is that, by the end of it, you will have a far better idea of what your project looks like, what you are arguing, and what evidence you have to support your argument.
  • Once you have identified your key sources,  the second step  is to put into writing the main argument of each source.  To help you glean the author’s argument, take a step back and look at the big picture.  What problem is this author trying to address?  What holes in our knowledge does the writer intend to fill?  If you are having trouble capturing the main idea, reread the author’s introduction and conclusion.  In those sections, the author is likely to lay out in detail the larger argument.
  • Now that you know the main argument of the source,  the third step  is to figure out how successfully the author supported the argument.  Look back through the source and see exactly what evidence the author used to make his or her case.  Is there enough evidence?  Do you agree with how the author interpreted the evidence?  In this step, you will also want to put this source into conversation with other sources.  Ask how this source fits in with the other ones you have read.  Does it agree with them?  Disagree?  Did you find some sources more convincing than others?  If so, why?
  • The fourth step  is figuring out how this source will be most helpful to you when writing your paper.  Once again, return to your original research questions.  If you have a working thesis statement, revisit that as well.  Ask yourself:  What did I learn from this source?  What gaps in my knowledge did this source help me fill?  Now that I have read this source, has my thinking about my topic changed?  Think about the actual structure or outline of your paper.  At what point in your paper do you think you will draw on this source?  Why will it be particularly useful to you at that point?
  • The fifth step  is to put it all together.  At the top of each entry, write down the citation information.  Then delve into your summary.  In an annotated bibliography, every sentence counts, so make sure your writing is direct and that you articulate the main points you want to make efficiently.  Once you have summarized the source, move on to your evaluation, discussing whether or not you found the source convincing and/or how you will use it in your project.  Be sure to provide any other information your professor has asked you to include.

Sample Entries From an Annotated Bibliography

Blanchard, Paula.   Sarah Orne Jewett: Her World and Her Work .  New York: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, 1994.

Part of the Radcliffe Biography Series, which publishes the life stories of prominent American women, Blanchard’s book is the definitive biography on Jewett.  As her subtitle implies, she not only seeks to illuminate the events of Jewett’s life, but also to contextualize her writings and provide a critical reading of her most famous works.  Many of the chapters in Blanchard’s biography are devoted specifically to major texts, such as  Deephaven, The Country of the Pointed Firs , and  The Tory Lover .  Blanchard provides background on Jewett’s writing process (such as where she wrote and the degree of revisions she made) as well as brief literary analyses.  Most of Blanchard’s chapters are centered on key relationships and themes in Jewett’s own life.  Blanchard argues that it is only by thoroughly situating Jewett in her historical moment that we can understand her literary work, thereby issuing a critique of scholars who claim we can study Jewett’s canon in isolation.

Particularly useful for my project are the chapters that discuss Jewett’s coterie of literary friends in New England and her close relationship with Annie Fields.  In a chapter entitled “Neither Marrying Nor Giving in Marriage,” Blanchard seeks to uncover Jewett’s own motivations for remaining single, as well as place Jewett’s single status within the scholarly conversation about nineteenth-century unmarried women.  She aligns herself with both Carroll Smith-Rosenberg and Lillian Faderman in saying that Jewett’s personal friendships and relationships with women (as well as male family members) were sufficiently fulfilling for her and therefore precluded a desire to marry.  I will use Blanchard’s text in my paper to support my argument that unmarried women were deeply enmeshed in their communities, rather than being social pariahs stigmatized as “old maids.”  I will also use some aspects of Blanchard’s argument as a point of departure, however, as I disagree with her claim that women’s close female friendships precluded marriage.  Rather, I see Jewett’s friendships as helping her craft a meaningful life as a single woman instead of inhibiting her desire or ability to marry.

Glickman, Lawrence B.   A Living Wage: American Workers and the Making of Consumer Society.   Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1997.

Glickman traces the history of the idea of a living wage from the end of the Civil War to the 1930s.  He argues that American workers moved from seeing themselves as producers to seeing themselves as consumers, which in turn altered American attitudes toward wage labor and the role of government in the workplace.  Relying mainly on discourse analysis, Glickman divides his book into four parts that track the changing rhetoric of wage labor in different sectors of American society.  Situated in two different historiographies, Glickman’s book brings together scholarship on labor history and consumer history.  His contributions mainly center on identifying the agency of workers in labor reform and New Deal policies, as well as in showing that consumerism engaged workers more fully in the civic sphere rather than depoliticizing them.  He also demonstrates that wage labor was heavily racialized and gendered.  The book’s main weakness is Glickman’s heavy reliance on discourse analysis as a methodology.  By placing so much emphasis on rhetoric, Glickman does not give the reader a sense of the details of labor reform, nor does he connect idealized rhetoric with the actual lived experience of American workers.

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Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography

Most research essays involve two particular documents that help guide, manage, and report on the on-going research process. Those two documents are the research proposal and the annotated bibliography , detailed below.

Research Proposal

A research proposal is a brief document—only one typed page—that summarizes the preliminary ideas and current progress regarding your research essay. Your purpose is to formalize your plan for research and present it to your instructor for feedback. Your research proposal should be in complete sentences and paragraphs (and lists of information where appropriate), and should use MLA format.

A research proposal should address all of the following (the order of this information is allowed to change):

  • Briefly summarize the subject and its issues, controversies, or context.
  • Briefly explain of the significance or relevance of researching this subject.
  • State your main research question about the subject.
  • List any sub-questions related to your main research question (consider who, what, when, where, why, and how).
  • State your working thesis.
  • State the kinds of sources you plan to seek, or the types you have found, and/or your plan for finding sources.

Remember that your working thesis is not set in stone. You can and should change your working thesis throughout the research writing process if the information you find does not support your original thesis. Never try to force information into fitting your argument. For example, suppose your working thesis is this: “Mars cannot support life-forms.” Yet a week into researching your subject, suppose you find an article in the New York Times detailing new findings of bacteria under the Martian surface. Instead of trying to force that information into fitting your argument, such as arguing that bacteria are not life forms, you might instead alter your thesis to something like, “Mars cannot support complex life-forms.”

Below is an example of a research proposal from a student, which addresses all of the above:

Jorge Ramirez Prof. Habib Healthcare 101 March 25, 2015

In recent years, subjects related to diet, nutrition, and weight loss have been covered extensively in the mainstream media. Different experts recommend various, often conflicting strategies for maintaining a healthy weight. One highly recommended approach, which forms the basis of many popular diet plans, is to limit the consumption of carbohydrates. Yet experts disagree on the effectiveness and health benefits of this approach. What information should consumers consider when evaluating diet plans?

In my research, I will explore the claims made by proponents of the “low-carb lifestyle.” My primary research question is this: Are low-carbohydrate diets as effective for maintaining a healthy weight as they are portrayed to be?

My secondary research questions are these:

Who can benefit from following a low-carb diet?

What are the supposed advantages of following a low-carb diet?

When did low-carb diets become a hot topic in the media?

Where do average consumers get information about diet and nutrition?

Why has the low-carb approach received so much media attention?

How do low-carb diets work?

My working thesis is this: Low-carb diets are not as effective as the mass media attention suggests. In order to do this research, I will review mass media articles as well as scholarly articles that discuss the relationship between low-carb diets, weight loss, and long-term health. I will use general Google searches as well as Google Scholar, JSTOR, and other databases available through the campus library Website.

Write a research proposal. Make sure to address all of the following in complete sentences:

  • brief summary of the subject and its issues or context
  • brief explanation of the significance of researching this subject
  • your main research question about the subject
  • any sub-questions related to your main research question
  • your working thesis
  • the kinds of sources you plan to seek or have found, or your plan for finding sources

Annotated Bibliography

A bibliography is a list of all your sources and along with their citation information (in MLA format, the Works Cited page is a type of bibliography). An annotation is a note, description, and/or commentary on an item. So an annotated bibliography is a list of sources with notes, descriptions, and/or commentary on each source.

When engaging in a research writing project, creating and updating an annotated bibliography is extremely useful. It can function as your hub for collecting sources (so that you don’t lose or forget about them), as your reminder of what the source is about (so that you don’t have to re-read the whole piece), and as your aid in the writing process when selecting which sources are best to include where (so that you don’t have to memorize all of them while drafting and revising). An annotated bibliography can also help you avoid accidental plagiarism, which sometimes happens when students forget the sources of ideas or sentences they use in their essays.

Annotated bibliographies are thus a common assignment in courses that use research writing, even in alternate forms, such as the common high-school assignment of “note cards” (which are essentially annotated bibliographies on separate cards).

Whether or not you are assigned to create an annotated bibliography along with your research essay, you are wise to start one as soon as you read your first useful source. And you should keep adding to it and updating it as your research continues.

Take a look at an example entry for an annotated bibliography:

Pollan, Michael. “The New Science of Psychedelics.” The Wall Street Journal , May 3, 2018. Michael Pollan, https://michaelpollan.com/articles-archive/the-new-science-of-psychedelics .

This article is the author’s summary of his book How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression and Transcendence . It was first published in a reliable source, then republished on the author’s website. It is about the newly legal studies by major medical research institutions of the beneficial medical effects of psychedelics. Results for treating addiction and depression have been particularly positive. Pollan is a professional writer, not a medical professional. The primary subject in his career has been the modern food system. This article’s purpose is to reveal what’s new and possible with psychedelics, and to encourage further study. It is written in a calm, neutral, rational style, but one that stays vivid and interesting. It seems to be for an educated audience, but a broad one (not specialists).

Here are more details on the parts of an annotated bibliography and how to create them (along with the example pieces from the above entry):

I. Cite the source. Create the full Works Cited entry in MLA format that you would use as the citation in your essay. For online sources, including the full URL here can save a lot of time when returning to the source during drafting, revising, and editing.

II. Start a short paragraph below the citation for the annotation, and address the following:

1. Describe the source and its publication. Also mention its context, such as what it is a part of or is connected to, or how recent or relevant it is.

2. Summarize what the source is about. Include a brief mention of a detail or two that might be useful to your research project.

3. Discuss relevant information about the author, such as credentials, experience, reputation, or other publications.

4. Discuss the source’s purpose, bias, style, and/or intended audience.

5. Adjust the information you discuss in this paragraph as needed for the source, the research project, and/or the annotated bibliography assignment. For instance, you might wish to include a note to yourself about how you plan to use this source in your essay. Or the source might lack a stated author, which requires you to discuss the institution that produced the source instead. Also note that the above information does not have to remain in this order strictly.

To format your entire annotated bibliography with all of your entries, use standard MLA page layout. This means to include the standard first-page identifying information in the upper left (name, professor, course, date), a title (typically the words Annotated Bibliography), and alphabetical order for the entries. One common exception to this format is to use single-spaced entries, and leaving double-spacing between them. Find out from your instructor whether either is spacing style is preferred, or whether both are acceptable.

Create an annotated bibliography entry for an article as assigned by your instructor. Make sure to include all of the following:

Part I: Citation entry

Part II: Annotation paragraph

  •  Describe the source and publication.
  • Summarize the source.
  • Discuss the author.
  • Discuss the purpose, bias, style, and/or audience.
  • Include any other relevant information.

Create an annotated bibliography for five sources that you might use for an upcoming research essay. Make sure use correct format and to include all of the following for each for the five entries:

  • Describe the source and publication.

The Writing Textbook Copyright © 2021 by Josh Woods, editor and contributor, as well as an unnamed author (by request from the original publisher), and other authors named separately is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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annotated bibliography for a paper

  • Writing Guide
  • Writing Preparations
  • Narrow Your Topic
  • Research Planning
  • Grammar & Writing
  • Evaluating Sources
  • Abstract & Annotated Bibliography
  • Paper Properties
  • Revision Checklist
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APA Formatting

Abstract apa formatting , abstract .

Begin the abstract on a new page 

Identify it with the running head and page number 2

Label "Abstract" should appear in upper and lower case letters 

  • Centered 
  • At top of the abstract 

Abstract itself is double spaced paragraph without paragraph indentation 

Times Roman typeface 

1-inch margins 

You may also want to list keywords from your paper in your abstract. To do this, indent as you would if you were starting a new paragraph, type  Keywords:  (italicized), and then list your keywords. Listing your keywords will help researchers find your work in databases.

Annotated Bibliography APA Formatting 

Annotated  Bibliography includes: 

The bibliographic information of the source 

  • APA Format 

The annotation follows the citation on the next line. 

The annotation

  • The length can vary from a couple of sentences to a page.
  • The length will depend on the purpose. 

Double-space

What is an Abstract & an Annotated Bibliography?

A brief summary of the research contents  Provides quick information about the topic including problem, methodology, participants (if any),  findings, and conclusion.   Qualities of a good abstract:

  • Accurate 
  • Non-evaluative 
  • Active Voice 
  • Present verb tense to describe conclusions 
  • Past verb tense to describe specific variables manipulates or outcomes measures
  • Concise 

Annotated Bibliography 

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (books, journals, websites, periodicals, etc.). An annotated bibliography includes a summary and/ or evaluation of each other sources. Depending on the assignment, your annotation may do one or more of the following:

  • Assess 

Annotated bibliographies are useful when organizing sources for research projects. 

annotated bibliography for a paper

Additional Resources 

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ENGL 1158--Sullivan Spring 2024: Annotated Bibliographies

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Latin American and Latino/a Studies

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Creating an Annotated Bibliography

What is an annotated bibliography:.

Annotated bibliographies are lists of sources, with a brief description of the source below each item. Basically, it is a references list with a descriptive paragraph below each citation

What Components are necessary to create an annotation?

Citation: This should be the full APA citation for the resource. It should look identical to citations found in a references list at the end of a paper. Each citation should be alphabetical order.

Annotation: This is a short paragraph (or two), describing, analyzing, and critiquing each resource. The annotation goes directly below the citation. The annotation should be more in-depth than just a summary. There should be an analysis of the resource that goes along with the description. The annotations shouldn't just describe what the source is about, but also how it adds evidence to your specific research question. What is unique about the information presented in this source that will help build an argument? There should also be an evaluative description of the resource that discusses the appropriateness of the resource. It should answer questions like currency, author credibility, suitability of source type, types of evidence presented, and source objectivity.

Other Annotated Bibliography Resources:

  • How to Write an Annotated Bibliography (University of Maryland Library)
  • The Annotated Bibliography (Cornell University Library)

Example Annotations

  • Purdue OWL -- Annotated Bibliography Samples Scroll down to find the example in APA format.
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Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography Topics

Caleb S.

200+ Annotated Bibliography Topics for Different Categories

21 min read

Published on: Sep 11, 2018

Last updated on: Nov 29, 2023

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Searching for a good topic to write your essay or research paper and create your annotated bibliography? 

Creating and writing an annotated bibliography is different from writing a list of references or an abstract. The list of references includes an alphabetical list of the works used in the paper while the abstract is a short and brief summary of the paper. 

However, writing it becomes more difficult when you don’t know which topic you should write about.

But don’t worry! Read the blog to know how to find a good paper topic that could also be used for writing an extensive and detailed annotated bibliography.

Let's begin!

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A Brief Introduction to Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a detailed and extensive list of references. It includes the analysis and explanation of the given citations and references. The format includes the citation, its explanation, analysis, and personal opinion.

By giving a personal opinion, the student explains the reasons why he has chosen the given references and how they influence the research. It is different from writing a simple list of references and it is definitely different from writing an abstract.

Check out the video below to get a better understanding of annotated bibliography:

Finding good annotated bibliography ideas could be hard, but we are here to help you out. Continue reading to find a list of annotated bibliography topics. 

Sports Annotated Bibliography Topics

Sports have always been a hot topic for both high school and college students. Since circumstances related to games and sports keep on changing, the student must choose a trending topic. Here are some examples of annotated bibliography topics for sports:.

  • What are the different types and elements of coaching?
  • What are the effects of gender inequality in sports?
  • How do politics affect the quality of sports?
  • What kinds of issues sports management can have as a result of undue interference?
  • Explain sports fixing. How does it affect the overall sports scenario?
  • What are athletes doping? How can it be controlled and managed?
  • Why is banning athletes using steroids necessary?
  • What are the benefits of promoting sports in developing countries?
  • Should sports be compulsory in schools, high schools, and colleges? Explain.
  • Businesses dealing in sports should be under the state’s law. Explain its pros and cons.

Good Annotated Bibliography Topics For Social Work

Annotated bibliography topics for sociology are incredibly varied, but here are a few to get you started: 

  • The Impact of Social Work on Mental Health: A Systematic Review
  • How Poverty Impacts Education Outcomes Among Young Children
  • The Role of Community Parks in Promoting Health 
  • An Exploration of Homelessness Prevention in Urban Environments 
  • The Impact of Social Work on Health Disparities
  • Exploring Resilience and Coping Strategies of Refugees 
  • The Role of Social Media in Influencing Political Attitudes and Behaviors 
  • An Analysis of Bullying Prevention Programs in Schools
  • Understanding the Challenges Faced by Adolescents with Disabilities 
  • Exploring the Impact of Social Work on Health

Annotated Bibliography Topics In Healthcare

Healthcare is one of the main subjects for students who are studying to become a doctor or enter the medical field in any other role.  Here are some topic ideas:

  • Explain human cloning and its pros and cons.
  • What is the paleo diet lifestyle? Explain the health benefits of the paleo diet.
  • Humans are frugivores as well as omnivores. Explain the claim with evidence.
  • Explain the beginnings and origins of biology as a separate subject. How did it get its present structure?
  • Explain biophysics. How is this newly found study discipline changing the face of health technology?
  • What is food intolerance? What are the main causes of it and how to prevent it?
  • What are the causes of allergic reactions like an anaphylactic shock? Explain the reasons and the ways to prevent it.
  • How does telemedicine impact the accessibility and quality of healthcare services?
  • What are the psychological effects of long-term hospitalization on pediatric patients?
  • How can healthcare disparities in underserved communities be effectively addressed and reduced?

Annotated Bibliography Topics for Mental Health

Mental health is a critical theme which offers opportunities for in-depth research.  Here are some topics:

  • The Impact of Social Media on Mental Health: A Comprehensive Review
  • The Relationship Between Childhood Trauma and Adult Mental Health Outcomes
  • Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety Disorders
  • The Role of Nutrition and Diet in Promoting Positive Mental Health
  • Exploring the Stigma Surrounding Mental Health and Its Impact on Help-Seeking Behaviors
  • The Intersection of Mental Health and Substance Abuse: A Literature Review
  • Mental Health in the Workplace: Strategies for Employee Well-being
  • The Influence of Family Dynamics on Adolescent Mental Health
  • Comparative Analysis of Mental Health Policies and Services Across Countries
  • The Connection Between Exercise and Positive Mental Health Outcomes: An Annotated Review

Annotated Bibliography Topics for Psychology

Psychology explores various aspects of human behavior and mental health. It is very common for students of psychology to write detailed annotated bibliographies during their research.

Here are some of the topics related to psychology that can help you out:

  • Analyze the efficacy of group therapy vs. individual therapy for autistic children.
  • How does having a child with autism affect a parents’ lifestyle?
  • How to increase knowledge among teenagers about drug and substance abuse?
  • Explain the negative effects of depression on young adults and adults. How is depression an unanswered issue in our society?
  • Explain the biological reasons for condemning stereotypes and depression related to it.
  • How to identify people with suicidal tendencies and help them with it?
  • How do veterans go through PTSD and what can we do to prevent it?
  • The influence of parenting styles on child behavior and mental health
  • Psychological effects of social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic
  • The role of emotional intelligence in leadership and workplace success

Communication Annotated Bibliography

Great communication is essential for a great and successful business and personal relationships. Here are a few topics to help you get the conversation started:

  • Explain how advertising works as a mode of communication.
  • How does advertising influence the consumption of a product in the marketplace?
  • How does cross-cultural advertising work and what impact does it have on overall advertising efforts?
  • How does technology influence advertising and communications?
  • Explain the concept of location-based advertising in communications.
  • How to use mobile phones in uplifting the promotional efforts of the businesses?
  • How to measure the level of involvement of the audience in the advertising efforts?
  • The role of social media in modern communication strategies
  • Crisis communication: Strategies and outcomes
  • Interpersonal communication in workplace relationships

Feminism Annotated Bibliography Topics

Feminism is a broad topic and preparing an annotated bibliography about it could be time-consuming. Here some good annotated bibliography topics below:

  • Explain how women are making their place in the business world. What challenges do they have to face and how do they manage them?
  • How is the role of a woman revolutionized in our society? How are women filling into more non-mainstream roles?
  • How does sports management discriminate against women? Besides, also discuss how women are not given leading reporting roles in sports reporting.
  • What is the role of governments in perpetuating patriarchal structures towards women?
  • What are the pros and cons of the defunding of Planned Parenthood in America? How has the bill affected women’s lives in the country?
  • Should women be allowed to compete against men in some sports? Explain the pros and cons.
  • Women are still kept away from core sports. Why is the decision unfair?
  • How do feminist movements address economic disparities among women?
  • What is the role of the media in perpetuating or challenging traditional gender roles in society?
  • Are there gender biases in the healthcare industry, and how do they affect women's well-being?

Animal Testing Annotated Bibliography Topics

Animal testing is a common and well-known phenomenon in the research world. Medical fields use animals for various testing purposes. However, whether animal testing is legal and ethical or not is still a point of debate for many.

Some of the interesting topics related to animal testing are given below:

  • How can stem cell research end the need for animal testing?
  • How do animal testing and trials affect the reputation of beauty brands?
  • Explain the pros and cons of medicine trials on rats and rabbits.
  • How do the acquired results compare to the human findings?
  • Explain some significant benefits and disadvantages of animal testing.
  • Analyze human testing against animal testing.
  • What are the origins of animal testing?
  • Is there a viable alternative to animal testing in pharmaceutical research?
  • What ethical considerations surround the use of primates in biomedical research?
  • How do regulatory frameworks differ in various countries regarding animal testing for cosmetics?

Annotated Bibliography Topics For Education

Education is important for kids but like any other field, the educational field also needs advancement.

Below are some easy annotated bibliography topics on education:

  • What are the effects of the teacher’s teaching methods on the student’s performance?
  • Benefits of instilling ethics in kids from an early age.
  • How does racial discrimination affect the educational system in the US?
  • Common curriculum vs. individual curriculum: Which is more effective and why?
  • Racial diversity in schools: what are the pros and cons?
  • What kind of educational practices are more effective for preschool children?
  • How does education counseling help in better life decisions?
  • Schooling Vs. Homeschooling: Which is better?
  • What is the role of mothers in kids’ education?
  • Prestigious educational institutes help in shaping students’ character. Discuss.

Engineering Topics for Annotated Bibliography

Engineering, a dynamic and ever-evolving field at the forefront of innovation and technology, is ripe for exploration through annotated bibliographies.

Here are diverse engineering topics for your annotated bibliography:

  • Sustainable Infrastructure Development: Innovations in Green Engineering
  • The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Robotics and Automation
  • Emerging Trends in Renewable Energy Technologies
  • Engineering Solutions for Urban Mobility and Traffic Management
  • The Role of Biomechanics in Prosthetics and Orthopedic Devices
  • Advancements in Materials Engineering for Aerospace Applications
  • Environmental Engineering: Strategies for Clean Water and Air Quality
  • The Intersection of Engineering and Medicine: Breakthroughs in Biomedical Devices
  • Cybersecurity in Critical Infrastructure: Challenges and Solutions
  • Engineering Ethics and Its Role in Technological Decision-Making

World History Annotated Bibliography Topics

World history explores past events and societies from around the globe. The subject is as vast and deep as the past, where many aspects can be explored and discussed.

Here are a few annotated bibliography topics to help you out:

  • The History of the American Revolution: An examination of the events, individuals, and organizations that shaped the struggle for independence.
  • Native American History: A look at how indigenous peoples have been affected by colonization and modern development in North America.
  • The African Diaspora: Exploring the history and culture of people of African descent who have settled in other parts of the world.
  • The Cold War: An exploration into the ideological and geopolitical tensions between the United States and the Soviet Union during the 20th century.
  • Women's Suffrage Movement: Examining how women around the world fought for their right to vote and the impact it had on society.
  • The History of Immigration: Understanding how different waves of immigrants have contributed to the culture and economy in their new homeland.
  • Slavery in America: Exploring the history, economics, and effects of this dark period in American history.
  • The Civil Rights Movement: Examining the individuals and organizations that fought for civil rights in America during the 1950s and 1960s.
  • The Industrial Revolution: Investigating how technological advances changed society around the world during this era.

Annotated Bibliography Topics for Criminal Justice

  • Criminal justice, a dynamic field that explores law enforcement, legal systems, and corrections, offers a rich landscape for research. 

Here are some criminal justice annotated bibliography topics:

  • Police Use of Force: A Comprehensive Analysis of Policies and Outcomes
  • The Impact of Body-Worn Cameras on Police Accountability and Community Relations
  • Juvenile Justice Reforms: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Alternative Sentencing Programs
  • Mental Health and the Criminal Justice System: Diversion Programs and Their Outcomes
  • Mass Incarceration and Its Socioeconomic Implications: A Critical Review
  • The Role of Forensic Science in Solving Cold Cases
  • Reforming the Bail System: Implications for Pretrial Detention and Equity
  • Community Policing Strategies and Their Influence on Crime Reduction
  • Intersectionality in the Criminal Justice System: Examining Disparities
  • Recidivism Reduction: Assessing Rehabilitation Programs and Their Impact on Offenders

Annotated Bibliography Topics Business

Business is the practice of creating and exchanging goods and services to meet individual or organizational needs. Creating an annotated bibliography for business research can be a challenging task, but here are some topics to get you started:

  • The History of Entrepreneurship: Tracing the development of entrepreneurship from its early days to modern times.
  • The Rise of E-Commerce: Examining how digital technologies have changed the way business is conducted today.
  • Globalization and Trade: Understanding how global economic forces have created opportunities for international businesses.
  • Innovation in Business: Investigating how business leaders have generated creative solutions to challenges in the marketplace.
  • The History of Business Management: Analyzing the evolution of management theory and practice over time.
  • The Impact of Technology on Business: Exploring how digital tools and platforms are transforming the way businesses operate today.
  • Business Ethics: Examining ethical considerations in various aspects of business operations.
  • Organizational Culture: Investigating how corporate culture shapes the behavior of employees and their attitudes towards work.
  • The History of Accounting: Examining how accounting has developed over time and its role in informing business decisions.
  • Marketing Strategies: Exploring different marketing techniques used to reach customers and build brand loyalty.

Religion Topics for Annotated Bibliography

Religion is a complex and often contentious topic. Here are some religion-related topics you might use for an annotated bibliography:

  • Theology: Investigating the ways in which different religions approach matters of faith, belief, and morality.
  • Sacred Texts: Examining how sacred texts have been used to shape religious and social norms.
  • Religious Cults: Analyzing the rise of religious cults in modern societies and their potential effects.
  • Evangelism: Investigating different strategies used by evangelists to spread their message.
  • Prayer: Examining how prayer has been used to heal, comfort, and console people throughout history.
  • Atheism: Exploring the arguments for and against atheism.
  • Religious Art: Understanding how religious art has been used to express faith through visual imagery.
  • Interfaith Dialogue: Examining the ways in which different religions can engage in meaningful dialogue.
  • Religious Conversion: Investigating the reasons why people choose to convert to a different religion.
  • Religious Education: Analyzing the impact of religious education on children and young adults.

Annotated Bibliography for Ethics and Morals

Studying ethics and morals involves examining and understanding the principles and beliefs that shape our choices and behavior. Here are some topics for ethics and morals:

  • What are the ethical implications of artificial intelligence and machine learning?
  • How does morality influence environmental conservation and sustainability efforts?
  • What are the key elements of ethical frameworks in healthcare decision-making?
  • What ethical considerations surround genetic engineering and human enhancement?
  • What are the moral dilemmas involved in end-of-life care?
  • How can ethics balance the principles of free speech and responsibility in journalism?
  • What are the intersections and conflicts between religion and morality?
  • How does business ethics factor into the era of corporate social responsibility?
  • How does moral philosophy impact political ideals and decision-making?
  • What role does ethics play in emerging technologies, from biotechnology to AI ethics?

Annotated Bibliography Topics for Nursing

Nursing is a profession that focuses on caring for individuals, families, and communities to promote health and well-being. Here are some topics related to nursing that you can use when creating an annotated bibliography:

  • The History of Nursing: Tracing the development and evolution of nursing as a profession over time.
  • Nursing Education: Examining how education and training have changed to meet the needs of modern healthcare.
  • Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing: Understanding how to use research to inform clinical decision making and improve patient outcomes.
  • Informatics in Nursing: Exploring how technology is being used to improve nursing practice and healthcare delivery.
  • The Legal and Ethical Implications of Nursing: Examining the implications of laws, regulations, and ethical considerations for nurses.
  • Nursing Leadership: Investigating how nurse leaders can create a supportive environment for staff and promote quality patient care.
  • Health Promotion and Disease Prevention: Examining how nurses can use health education and prevention strategies to improve public health.
  • Mental Health Nursing: An exploration of the psychological, social, and spiritual needs of patients in a mental health setting.
  • Cultural Competence in Nursing: Understanding the importance of cultural awareness when caring for patients from different backgrounds.
  • Pain Management in Nursing: Investigating the use of pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies to manage pain.

Annotated Bibliography Topics for Technology

Technology has become essential to the functioning of the modern world. Technology means the application of scientific knowledge to develop tools, machines, and systems to meet human needs.

Check out some topics related to technology you can use for creating an annotated bibliography:

  • Artificial Intelligence: Investigating how AI is being used in different industries, from finance to healthcare.
  • Data Science: Exploring the use of data for predictive analytics, machine learning, and other applications.
  • Cloud Computing: Understanding the impact of cloud computing on businesses, from scalability to security.
  • Internet of Things: Examining how physical objects are connected to the internet and how this affects everyday life.
  • Virtual Reality: Investigating the potential applications and implications of virtual reality technology.
  • Cyber Security: Analyzing strategies for preventing cyber attacks and protecting data.
  • Robotics and Automation: Examining the use of robots and automation in manufacturing, logistics, and other industries.
  • 3D Printing: Exploring the uses of 3D printing in science, engineering, healthcare, and beyond.
  • Blockchain Technology: Investigating how blockchain technology is used to secure digital transactions.
  • Augmented Reality: Examining the potential applications of augmented reality in gaming, entertainment, and more.
  • Quantum Computing: Understanding how this emerging technology is changing computing power and speed. 

Annotated Bibliography Topics For English

English literature is diverse and includes works from many different eras and cultures. Here are some topics related to English literature that you can use when creating an annotated bibliography

Here are some topics related to English literature:

  • Romanticism in Literature: Exploring how writers used themes of love, nature, and emotion to create their works.
  • The Gothic Novel: Analyzing how authors used fear and the supernatural to create an atmosphere of suspense.
  • Realism in Literature: Examining how writers used everyday life and its difficulties as a source of inspiration.
  • Modernist Literature: Understanding how different authors employed innovative techniques to break free from traditional conventions.
  • Postmodern Literature: Examining how writers use playfulness and irony to explore themes of identity, culture, and technology.
  • Poetry: Investigating different forms of poetry, from sonnets to free verse.
  • Drama: Exploring the works of playwrights such as Ibsen, Chekhov, and Miller.
  • Fantasy Literature: Examining how authors use the genre to explore themes of power, identity, and morality.
  • Science Fiction: Investigating how this genre has explored technology, alienation, and other topics.
  • Children’s Literature: Understanding how stories provide children with knowledge and understanding of the world. 

Critical Annotated Bibliography Topics

A critical annotated bibliography combines the usual elements of an annotation with a critical analysis. Here are some topics you can use when creating a critical annotated bibliography

  • Gender Equality in Literature: Examining how female writers have been overlooked and underrepresented throughout history.
  • Race and Representation in Literature: Investigating how different
  • Feminist Theory: Examining how different feminist theories have shaped our understanding of gender and power.
  • Marxism: Investigating Karl Marx’s theories of class struggle and the importance of labor in a capitalist society.
  • Poststructuralism: Understanding how this theory challenges the idea that language is transparent, fixed, and stable.
  • Structuralism: Exploring how this theory attempts to explain the relationship between human behavior and the underlying structures of society.
  • Postcolonial Theory: Analyzing the impact of colonialism on non-Western countries and cultures.
  • Psychoanalytic Theory: Examining Sigmund Freud’s theories about the unconscious mind and its influence on behavior.
  • Philosophy of Language: Understanding the ways in which language is used to express thoughts, emotions, and ideas.
  • Cultural Studies: Investigating the ways in which culture, identity, and power interact to shape society.
  • Environmentalism: Examining how environmental factors affect our lives and how we can work towards sustainability.

Fun Annotated Bibliography Topics

  • Comic Books: Examining how different authors have used superheroes and other characters to explore cultural issues.
  • Video Games: Analyzing the storylines, mechanics, and visuals of popular video games.
  • Anime: Exploring the symbolism, themes, and characters in this popular form of Japanese animation.
  • Mythology: Investigating the ways in which stories from different cultures have been used to explain natural phenomena. 
  • Urban Legends: Analyzing how these stories have been used to explore themes of fear and societal taboos.
  • Horror Films: Understanding how different filmmakers have used visual elements, sound, and suspense to create fear.
  • Musicals: Examining how song and dance can be used to explore themes of love, joy, and tragedy.
  • Fashion: Investigating the changing trends in clothing styles over time and their representation of identity.
  • Art: Understanding the ways in which different forms of art have been used to explore social issues.
  • Food Culture: Exploring how food has been used as a form of expression and communication throughout history.

Persuasive Annotated Bibliography Topics

  • Gun Control: Examining the arguments for and against stricter gun control measures.
  • Climate Change: Analyzing the need for immediate action to address global warming.
  • Free Speech: Debating whether or not governments should limit freedom of speech in certain contexts.
  • Income Inequality: Investigating how income inequality has changed over time and what can be done to reduce the gap.
  • Death Penalty: Examining the arguments for and against capital punishment.
  • Affirmative Action: Analyzing how affirmative action policies have impacted education, employment, and other sectors of society.
  • Animal Rights: Investigating whether or not animals should be granted certain rights.
  • Immigration: Debating whether or not immigration policies should be reformed.
  • Vaccination: Analyzing the evidence for and against mandatory vaccination programs.
  • Technology Addiction: Examining how technology has impacted our lives and what can be done to reduce its negative effects.

Annotated Bibliography Essay Topics for Music

Music is a diverse theme to explore. Here are some music related topic for annotated bibliography that explore different types of music, historical times, and cultural influences:

  • Jazz's Impact on Social Change
  • EDM Evolution: Comprehensive Bibliographic Review
  • Women in Music: Gender Representation 
  • Classical Music Influence on Modern Compositions
  • Hip-Hop: Lyrics and Activism 
  • Music and Technology Intersection
  • Folk Music Across Cultures
  • Music in Film: Comprehensive Soundtracks Analysis
  • Rock and Roll Revolution: Origins, Pioneers, and Impact
  • Globalization of World Music: Cross-Cultural Influences 

What Makes a Good Annotated Bibliography Topic?

When choosing a topic for an annotated bibliography, it's important to consider the scope of the assignment.

A good topic should be narrow enough that you can provide a focused analysis but broad enough that there is ample material available to draw from. It should also be interesting and relevant to your course or field of study. 

Additionally, it should be a topic that you are passionate about so that your research is engaging and enjoyable. 

Finally, it should be manageable in size. If the task feels too daunting or overwhelming, break it down into smaller components to make it more manageable.

Ultimately, the best topics are ones that will spark your curiosity and motivate you to explore the subject in-depth.

How to Choose the Right Topic for an Annotated Bibliography?

Are you wondering how to choose a good topic to write an annotated bibliography on? When choosing a topic for an annotated bibliography, there are several factors to consider.

  • Think about the scope of your assignment and what type of information or evidence you want to include in your research. This will help you narrow down your topic and make it more manageable.
  • Next, evaluate the quality and amount of information available on the topic. You want to make sure that you have access to reliable sources and ample material to draw from.
  • Finally, consider your interests and passions . A topic that resonates with you will be more likely to result in high-quality research and a successful project.

By considering all these factors, you can find the perfect topic for your annotated bibliography.

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography?

Writing an annotated bibliography can be a challenging and time-consuming task. However, it is also an incredibly valuable tool for expanding your knowledge on a topic. Follow these steps to get started:

1. Select Your Topic: Choose a specific topic that is interesting and relevant to your course or field of study.

2. Research Sources: Gather materials from reliable sources such as books, journal articles, websites, and more.

3. Read & Summarize: Carefully read each source and summarize the key points it makes in your own words.

4. Evaluate Sources: Assess the credibility of each source by evaluating its accuracy, objectivity, and authority.

5. Cite Sources: Properly cite each source using the appropriate citation style guidelines.

6. Compile Annotations: Combine all your summaries and evaluations into a comprehensive annotated bibliography.

7. Proofread & Revise: Take time to proofread your work and make sure everything is accurate and consistent.

By following these steps, you can create an annotated bibliography that is both accurate and informative. 

Read some annotated bibliography examples to see how it is done in practice.

To conclude,

Working on these topics, you will be able to compose a winning essay for your class and a possibly interesting annotated bibliography. Still, if you find it difficult, MyPerfectWords.com is here to help you.

Our pro essay writing service has highly trained writers who specialize in creating quality papers that meet even the most stringent academic requirements. 

With their experience, our writers have perfected their craft and know exactly how to create an outstanding paper.

So get your ' write my annotated bibliography ' request fulfilled today at the best prices!

Caleb S. (Literature, Marketing)

Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.

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COMMENTS

  1. What Is an Annotated Bibliography?

    An annotated bibliography is a list of source references that includes a short descriptive text (an annotation) for each source. It may be assigned as part of the research process for a paper, or as an individual assignment to gather and read relevant sources on a topic.

  2. How to Write a Research Paper: Annotated Bibliography

    The annotated bibliography looks like a works cited page but includes an annotation after each source cited. Types of Annotations: Descriptive Annotations: Focuses on description. Describes the source by answering the following questions. Who wrote the document? What does the document discuss? When and where was the document written?

  3. 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.

  4. The Annotated Bibliography

    Fair Use of this Guide Explanation, Process, Directions, and Examples What Is an Annotated Bibliography? 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.

  5. How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

    An annotated bibliography is an organized list of sources (like a reference list). It differs from a straightforward bibliography in that each reference is followed by a paragraph length annotation, usually 100-200 words in length. Depending on the assignment, an annotated bibliography might have different purposes:

  6. Annotated Bibliographies

    Definitions A bibliography is a list of sources (books, journals, Web sites, periodicals, etc.) one has used for researching a topic. Bibliographies are sometimes called "References" or "Works Cited" depending on the style format you are using.

  7. MLA Style Annotated Bibliography

    An annotated bibliography is a special assignment that lists sources in a way similar to the MLA Works Cited list, but providing an annotation for each source giving extra information. You might be assigned an annotated bibliography as part of the research process for a paper, or as an individual assignment.

  8. Annotated Bibliographies

    Introduction Welcome to the wonderful world of annotated bibliographies! You're probably already familiar with the need to provide bibliographies, reference pages, and works cited lists to credit your sources when you do a research paper.

  9. Annotated Bibliography

    An annotated bibliography is an organized list of sources with accompanying paragraphs, called annotations. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the source, and to state how this source will be used in the paper or project. An annotated bibliography entry has two main parts: A ...

  10. RasGuides: APA 7th Edition Guide: Annotated Bibliographies

    An annotated bibliography is an APA reference list that includes a brief summary and analysis -- the annotation -- under the reference entry. An annotated bibliography includes:

  11. How to Write an Annotated Bibliography, With Examples

    An annotated bibliography is a type of bibliography that includes a comment by the author about the source in addition to the source's publishing information. The author's notes, or annotations, can discuss anything relevant to the topic, such as the source's accuracy, the context in which it was written, or even your personal views on the source.

  12. Annotated Bibliography Examples for MLA & APA

    Step 1: Analyze your sources Step 2: Write the descriptions Step 3a: Formatting an MLA style annotated bibliography Step 3b: Formatting an APA style annotated bibliography Annotated Bibliography Templates Using the EasyBib Annotation Tool What is an annotated bibliography?

  13. APA Annotated Bibliography Format

    Use 1-inch page margins on all sides. The entire page should be double-spaced. Title your page, "Annotated Bibliography". Center and bold it. Left-align references. If a reference runs over more than one line, any line (s) that comes after the first should be indented a ½ inch from the left margin.

  14. LibGuides: Research Strategies: Annotated Bibliography

    An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (books, articles, websites, etc.) with short paragraph about each source. An annotated bibliography is sometimes a useful step before drafting a research paper, or it can stand alone as an overview of the research available on a topic.

  15. Writing Annotations

    An annotation is a brief note following each citation listed on an annotated bibliography. The goal is to briefly summarize the source and/or explain why it is important for a topic. They are typically a single concise paragraph, but might be longer if you are summarizing and evaluating.

  16. More Help with Chicago/Turabian

    This format requires a complete Bibliography at the end of the paper. Author-Date is usually used for the social sciences and sciences. This format uses an in-text parenthetical author-date method. Papers using this method will include Reference List. Be sure to check with your professor as to which method to use.

  17. Annotated Bibliography

    An annotated bibliography includes a brief summary and evaluation of the usefulness of each source. Like the mind maps and outlines we used for the first essay, annotated bibliographies are a valuable way to organize your ideas for a research paper; they give you an overview of what has already been said and areas you could contribute. ...

  18. Sample Annotated Student Paper

    Sample Annotated Student Paper; Annotated Bibliography; ... Sample Annotated Paper - APA Style 7th Edition. Annotated Student Sample Paper. Annotated Professional Sample Paper. Sample Student Paper (no annotations) << Previous: Statutes; Next: Annotated Bibliography >> Last Updated: Feb 20, 2024 5:21 PM; URL: https://libguides.eku.edu ...

  19. APA Annotated Bibliography Guide With Examples

    Creating an annotated bibliography in APA format is as simple as 1, 2, 3. Well maybe not that simple, but it's not as hard as you think. Learn the ins and outs of creating an APA 7 annotated bibliography from the citation to the annotation. APA Annotated Bibliography Overview

  20. Writing an Annotated Bibliography for a Paper

    An annotated bibliography is an expanded version of a regular bibliography—those lists of sources you find at the end of a research paper or book. The difference is that an annotated bibliography contains an added feature: a paragraph or annotation under each bibliographical entry. The purpose of the annotated bibliography is to provide the reader with a complete overview of the articles and ...

  21. Annotated Bibliography Examples & Step-by-Step Writing Guide

    Step 3: Annotated Bibliography Format. 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. Annotated Bibliography Examples

  22. PDF How to Write a Chicago System Annotated Bibliography (Page 1 of 5) By

    The annotated bibliography should include correct documentation information, such as what would appear on an Endnotes page. The sources need to be placed in alphabetical order. ... and Mays 2006, 10). This book has examples of student papers, chapters about how to write about literature, a glossary, information about the research process, a ...

  23. Annotated Bibliographies

    An annotated bibliography is a description of a set of related sources that address a common topic. It is a very useful tool in helping you analyze sources and organize your research. Professors will often assign annotated bibliographies when they want to help you figure out which sources will be most important to your project and in what ways ...

  24. Research Proposal and Annotated Bibliography

    Annotated Bibliography. A bibliography is a list of all your sources and along with their citation information (in MLA format, the Works Cited page is a type of bibliography).An annotation is a note, description, and/or commentary on an item. So an annotated bibliography is a list of sources with notes, descriptions, and/or commentary on each source. ...

  25. LibGuides: Writing: Abstract & Annotated Bibliography

    An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (books, journals, websites, periodicals, etc.). An annotated bibliography includes a summary and/ or evaluation of each other sources. Depending on the assignment, your annotation may do one or more of the following: Summarize; Assess ; Reflect; Annotated bibliographies are useful when organizing ...

  26. ENGL 1158--Sullivan Spring 2024: Annotated Bibliographies

    A bibliography is a listing of sources on a specific subject, eg. fly fishing, the best Mexican cookbooks of all time, etc.An annotated bibliography is a list of sources with notes ('annotations') indicating why this source is useful, or interesting, or an important source of quality information on a selected topic.. Depending on your assignment, you will be asked to identify and evaluate ...

  27. Annotated Bibliography

    What is an annotated bibliography?: Annotated bibliographies are lists of sources, with a brief description of the source below each item. Basically, it is a references list with a descriptive paragraph below each citation ... It should look identical to citations found in a references list at the end of a paper. Each citation should be ...

  28. 200+ Annotated Bibliography Topics for Your Research Paper

    Persuasive Annotated Bibliography Topics. Gun Control: Examining the arguments for and against stricter gun control measures. Climate Change: Analyzing the need for immediate action to address global warming. Free Speech: Debating whether or not governments should limit freedom of speech in certain contexts.

  29. Course Paper Thesis, Outline, and Annotated Bibliography_Neff and

    GRST 501 Neff and McMinn Review Assignment Thesis Statement, Outline, and Annotated Bibliography Rachel Hill Page 1 of 6 GRST 501 Thesis Statement: In exploring the first three chapters of 'Embodying Integration: A Fresh Look at Christianity in the Thera