

Writing an Annotated Bibliography
Learn how to write and format an annotated bibliography in APA Style (7th ed.).
Conducting research and documenting your findings is an essential part of the academic writing process. There are times when you will need (or be required) to conduct initial research prior to deciding on a thesis or focus for your writing. An annotated bibliography is a helpful tool to help you track and assess your sources.
Similar to formatting a paper, an annotated bibliography is formatted with double spacing and has a title page. An annotated bibliography does not typically include a list of references, since the annotated bibliography itself is a list of references, only each entry also provides information about the source.
Components of an Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography includes a reference entry and a short annotation (paragraph) for each source. How annotations are written depends on the purpose of the research. There are two main components for each source included in an annotated bibliography:
- Bibliographic Information : This includes the same information you would provide in a reference list, formatted according to a reference entry for the particular type of source it is.
- Annotation : This is a short paragraph about the source that oftentimes summarizes the source and evaluates the usefulness of the source for your research paper or project, but what you include in the paragraph will largely depend on your particular assignment requirements.
Purposes of Writing an Annotated Bibliography
Writing an annotated bibliography is an effective way to document the research process and better prepare for a first draft. By requiring an annotated bibliography, your professor is setting you up for success. Some of the purposes and benefits of writing an annotated bibliography include the following:
- Formulate a thesis : Conducting research is a prewriting activity that can help narrow the focus of a topic that you are researching. Writing annotations for each source can help you understand the breadth and depth of a subject and determine your focus.
- Review the literature : An annotated bibliography can help you analyze the available literature on a subject. This is especially helpful for relatively new or persuasive topics where it is important to read about multiple sides of an issue.
- Illustrate the direction of your research : An employer or professor may want a preview of your research prior to the final draft of your paper. An annotated bibliography is a way to show your current research and its usefulness.
- Help other researchers : When other researchers find your paper particularly engaging, they often will examine your reference entries. However, an annotated bibliography provides more information about a source, such as a summary, which allows researchers to make an informed decision about whether to locate that source. With a references list, the reader has to guess whether a source will be useful and relevant.
Ways to Annotate Sources
There are several ways to write annotations depending on the purpose or the requirements of the assignment or research. Common approaches to writing annotations include the following:
- Summarize the source : Summarizing the source means to state briefly the main ideas of the source in relation to the current research. For instance, a medical book may have multiple chapters, but the only part to summarize for this source is the information that pertains to the research for the current paper’s topic. Please note: A summary must be written in your own words.
- Evaluate the source : To evaluate a source means you determine the strengths and weaknesses of the piece in relation to a particular research topic. When evaluating a source, the reliability and validity of the source are also determined. Reliability refers to the source’s credibility. Is it biased? Is the article from a website that is also selling a product related to the subject of the article? Is there a hidden agenda in the source? Validity indicates the accuracy or correctness of the information. Is the information gathered from experts? Is it just the opinion of the author? Is the author an authority on the topic at hand? What are their professional or academic credentials?
- Reflect on the usefulness of the source : How does this source fit in with the current research project? Is this a source you can use in your paper? Does it help define a problem or present an argument that would add depth and detail to your research? Is it better suited as a starting point to find other sources (i.e., is it useful only for background information)?
- Combination : Any combination of the above approaches to writing an annotation may be required. You may choose to write a separate short paragraph for each approach, or combine them into one annotation. As always, it is essential that you are careful to restate things in your own words to avoid plagiarizing an authors’ original words or ideas.
Sample Annotated Bibliography
Note. When formatting an Annotated Bibliography on a Word document, the bibliographic references have hanging indents .
Baker, B. (2003, November 27). Version control helps keep rework to a minimum. *EDN, 48*(26), 227-232. https://doi.org/10.9999/1.111111
This is a short article geared mostly toward digital developers who either are programming more than 10,000 lines of code or are programming within teams. It also emphasizes the importance of a VCS, but more so in the development environment. For this project, the only thing I might use this for is the simple statement that while a VCS is great for any work environment, without the discipline to use it regularly, they are worthless.
Huber, T. (2005, May). *JEDI version control system*. SourceForge. https://jedivcs.sourceforge.net
This site includes detailed instructions for operating an open source VCS. It is written for a technical audience that must have some background on this particular system. What is interesting about this site is the idea of open source. Maybe there are other version control systems available via the Internet through shareware sites. This particular site will probably not be used in writing the final project, but it is a source that can lead to further research on this idea of freeware for a VCS.
McVittie, L. (2007). Version control, with integrity. *Network Computing, 12*(21), 34-45. https://doi.org/10.9999/2.222222
This is an informative article with an overview of the details inside a VCS—branching, configuration, repository, access management, and more. What makes this article valuable though is the overview of several version control systems on the market (at least in 2001). After reading through the overview of several products, if one fits what my company is looking for, I can begin searching for that product and further information on the Internet. This article may or may not be used in the actual writing of the final proposal, but it will be useful information for further research on the project.
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Writing a Book Report

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This resource discusses book reports and how to write them.
Book reports are informative reports that discuss a book from an objective stance. They are similar to book reviews but focus more on a summary of the work than an evaluation of it. Book reports commonly describe what happens in a work; their focus is primarily on giving an account of the major plot, characters, thesis, and/or main idea of the work. Most often, book reports are a K-12 assignment and range from 250 to 500 words.
Book reviews are most often a college assignment, but they also appear in many professional works: magazines, newspapers, and academic journals. If you are looking to write a book review instead of a book report, please see the OWL resource, Writing a Book Review .
Before You Read
Before you begin to read, consider what types of things you will need to write your book report. First, you will need to get some basic information from the book:
- Publisher location, name of publisher, year published
- Number of Pages
You can either begin your report with some sort of citation, or you can incorporate some of these items into the report itself.
Next, try to answer the following questions to get you started thinking about the book:
- Author: Who is the author? Have you read any other works by this author?
- Genre: What type of book is this: fiction, nonfiction, biography, etc.? What types of people would like to read this kind of book? Do you typically read these kinds of books? Do you like them?
- Title: What does the title do for you? Does it spark your interest? Does it fit well with the text of the book?
- Pictures/Book Jacket/Cover/Printing: What does the book jacket or book cover say? Is it accurate? Were you excited to read this book because of it? Are there pictures? What kinds are there? Are they interesting?
As You Read
While reading a work of fiction, keep track of the major characters. You can also do the same with biographies. When reading nonfiction works, however, look for the main ideas and be ready to talk about them.
- Characters: Who are the main characters? What happens to them? Did you like them? Were there good and bad characters?
- Main Ideas: What is the main idea of the book? What happens? What did you learn that you did not know before?
- Quotes: What parts did you like best? Are there parts that you could quote to make your report more enjoyable?
When You Are Ready to Write
Announce the book and author. Then, summarize what you have learned from the book. Explain what happens in the book, and discuss the elements you liked, did not like, would have changed, or if you would recommend this book to others and why. Consider the following items as well:
- Principles/characters: What elements did you like best? Which characters did you like best and why? How does the author unfold the story or the main idea of the book?
- Organize: Make sure that most of your paper summarizes the work. Then you may analyze the characters or themes of the work.
- Your Evaluation: Choose one or a few points to discuss about the book. What worked well for you? How does this work compare with others by the same author or other books in the same genre? What major themes, motifs, or terms does the book introduce, and how effective are they? Did the book appeal to you on an emotional or logical way?
- Recommend: Would you recommend this book to others? Why? What would you tell them before they read it? What would you talk about after you read it?
Revising/Final Copy
Do a quick double check of your paper:
- Double-check the spelling of the author name(s), character names, special terms, and publisher.
- Check the punctuation and grammar slowly.
- Make sure you provide enough summary so that your reader or instructor can tell you read the book.
- Consider adding some interesting quotes from the reading.
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Annotated Bibliography
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An annotated bibliography is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. The annotated bibliography looks like a References page but includes an annotation after each source cited. An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source. Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself.
Basic Tips on Formatting
- Start with the same format as a regular References list.
- The first line of the citation starts at the left margin and subsequent lines are indented 0.5 inches (hanging indent).
- The annotation begins on a new line and is indented 0.5 inches from the left margin.
- Entries are double-spaced with no extra lines between entries.
- If the annotation consists of more than one paragraph, indent the first line of each successive paragraph an additional 0.5 inches.
- Use the third person (e.g., he, she, the author) instead of the first person (e.g., I, my, me).
Sample Evaluative Annotation
Maak, T. (2007). Responsible leadership, stakeholder engagement, and the emergence of social capital. Journal of Business Ethics , 74 , 329-343. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-007-9510-5
This article focuses on the role of social capital in responsible leadership. It looks at both the social networks that a leader builds within an organization, and the links that a leader creates with external stakeholders. Maak’s main aim with this article seems to be to persuade people of the importance of continued research into the abilities that a leader requires and how they can be acquired. The focus on the world of multinational business means that for readers outside this world many of the conclusions seem rather obvious (be part of the solution not part of the problem). In spite of this, the article provides useful background information on the topic of responsible leadership and definitions of social capital which are relevant to an analysis of a public servant.
Useful Links for Annotated Bibliographies
The formatting of annotated bibliographies can vary. The University Libraries recommend the format exhibited in the examples below, but if you are still unsure what format to use, ask your professor.
- Includes a sample of one APA annotation (from the Purdue OWL).
- A guide covering the basics of writing an annotated bibliography.
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Library Resources for CM220
Purdue university global library library guides library resources for cm220 developing an annotated bibliography, writing an annotated bibliography.

Managing Sources
Tools are available to help you save and organize your bibliographic citations. See below for information on possible options like My EBSCOhost accounts and Academic Writer's reference management tools.
- Library FAQ: My EBSCOhost
- Library Guide to Academic Writer: Reference Center
Additionally, there are free software tools to help you manage sources. You might consider these "power user" options, but if you like to embed plenty of citations into every paper you write, these could prove quite useful.
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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, web site, 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, web site, 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.
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MLA Citation Guide (9th Edition)
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Useful Links for Annotated Bibliographies
- Introduction to Annotated Bibliographies Overview of purpose and form of annotated bibliographies with definitions. From the Purdue OWL.
- Annotated Bibliography Samples Includes samples of MLA annotated bibliographies. From the Purdue OWL. Note: Sample annotation is cited using MLA style, 7th ed.
- Annotated Bibliography Breakdown What to consider when writing an annotated bibliography entry. From the Purdue OWL. Note: Sample annotation is cited using MLA style, 7th ed.
Annotations
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. The annotated bibliography looks like a Works Cited page but includes an annotation after each source cited. An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source. Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself. They also can serve either or both of the following purposes:
Types of Annotations
A summary annotation 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, and how was it provided to the public. The focus is on description.
An evaluative annotation includes a summary as listed above but also critically assesses the work for accuracy, relevance, and quality. Evaluative annotations can 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. The focus is on description and evaluation.
Annotated Bibliography Template
- MLA 9th ed. Annotated Bibliography Template
This template follows the guidelines of the most current edition of the MLA handbook.
Writing an Evaluative Annotation
How to write an annotation.
Cite the source using MLA or APA style.
All lines should be double-spaced. Do not add an extra line between the citations.
Start with the same format as a regular Works Cited/References list.
Each annotation should be one paragraph, between three to six sentences long (about 150- 200 words).
Describe the main ideas, arguments, themes, theses, or methodology, and identify the intended audience.
Use the third person (e.g., he, she, the author) instead of the first person (e.g., I, my, me)
Explain the author’s expertise, point of view, and any bias he/she may have.
Compare to other sources on the same topic that you have also cited to show similarities and differences.
Explain why each source is useful for your research topic and how it relates to your topic.
Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each source.
Identify the observations or conclusions of the author.
Try to be objective, and give explanations if you state any opinions.
Remember: Annotations are original descriptions that you create after reading the document. When researching, you may find journal articles that provide a short summary at the beginning of the text. This article abstract is similar to a summary annotation. You may consult the abstract when creating your evaluative annotation, but never simply copy it as that would be considered plagiarism.
Sample Evaluative Annotation
London, Herbert. “Five Myths of the Television Age.” Television Quarterly , vol. 10, no. 1, Mar. 1982, pp. 81-69. Herbert London, the Dean of Journalism at New York University and author of several books and articles, explains how television contradicts five commonly believed ideas. He uses specific examples of events seen on television, such as the assassination of John Kennedy, to illustrate his points. His examples have been selected to contradict such truisms as: “seeing is believing”; “a picture is worth a thousand words”; and “satisfaction is its own reward.” London uses logical arguments to support his ideas which are his personal opinion. He does not refer to any previous works on the topic. London’s style and vocabulary would make the article of interest to any reader. The article clearly illustrates London’s points, but does not explore their implications leaving the reader with many unanswered questions.
Adapted from:
"How to Write Annotated Bibliographies." Memorial University Libraries , www.library.mun.ca/researchtools/guides/writing/annotated_bibl/. Accessed 29 June 2016.
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This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/). When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice at bottom.
This handout provides information about annotated bibliographies in MLA, APA, and CMS.
Contributors: Dana Bisignani, Allen Brizee Last Edited: 2013-03-10 11:29:53
Elizabeth Thompson
Professor Stacks
English 102
20 August 2001
Stem Cell Research: An Annotated Bibliography
Holland, Suzanne. The Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy . Boston: MIT Press, 2001. Print.
This is the annotation of the above source, which is formatted according to MLA 2009 (7 th ed.) guidelines for the bibliographic information listed above. If one were really writing an annotation for this source, one would offer a brief summary of what this book says about stem cell research.
After a brief summary, it would be appropriate to assess this source and offer some criticisms of it. Does it seem like a reliable and current source? Why? Is the research biased or objective? Are the facts well documented? Who is the author? Is she qualified in this subject? Is this source scholarly, popular, some of both?
The length of your annotation will depend on the assignment or on the purpose of your annotated bibliography. After summarizing and assessing, you can now reflect on this source. How does it fit into your research? Is this a helpful resource? Too scholarly? Not scholarly enough? Too general/specific? Since "stem cell research" is a very broad topic, has this source helped you to narrow your topic?
Senior, K. "Extending the Ethical Boundaries of Stem Cell Research." Trends in Molecular Medicine 7 (2001): 5-6. Print.
Not all annotations have to be the same length. For example, this source is a very short scholarly article. It may only take a sentence or two to summarize. Even if you are using a book, you should only focus on the sections that relate to your topic.
Not all annotated bibliographies assess and reflect; some merely summarize. That may not be the most helpful for you, but, if this is an assignment, you should always ask your instructor for specific guidelines.
Wallace, Kelly. "Bush Stands Pat on Stem Cell Policy." CNN . 13 August 2001. 17 August 2001. Television.
Using a variety of sources can help give you a broader picture of what is being said about your topic. You may want to investigate how scholarly sources are treating this topic differently than more popular sources. But again, if your assignment is to only use scholarly sources, then you will probably want to avoid magazines and popular web sites.
The bibliographic information above is proper MLA format (use whatever style is appropriate in your field) and the annotations are in paragraph form. Note also that the entries are alphabetized by the first word in the bibliographic entry. If you are writing an annotated bibliography with many sources, it may be helpful to divide the sources into categories. For example, if putting together an extensive annotated bibliography for stem cell research, it might be best to divide the sources into categories such as ethical concerns, scholarly analyses, and political ramifications.
For more examples, a quick search at a library or even on the Internet should produce several examples of annotated bibliographies in your area.
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Purdue owl annotated bib. Annotated Bibliography 2022-10-12
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents that includes a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph for each citation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
Purdue University's Online Writing Lab (OWL) is a comprehensive resource for students, teachers, and professionals alike to learn about writing, grammar, and research. The OWL offers a wealth of information on how to create an annotated bibliography, including what to include in the annotation, how to format the bibliography, and examples of annotated bibliographies in various styles.
To create an annotated bibliography, the first step is to gather the necessary information for each source. This includes the author's name, the title of the work, the publication information, and the page numbers. Next, you will need to read and evaluate the source. Consider the following questions:
- What is the main argument or purpose of the work?
- How does it contribute to your research or understanding of the topic?
- Is the information reliable and well-researched?
Once you have evaluated the source, you can begin writing the annotation. The Purdue OWL recommends including the following elements in the annotation:
- A summary of the main points or arguments of the work
- An evaluation of the strength or relevance of the work to your research
- Any insights or observations you have gained from the work
It is important to keep the annotation concise, typically around 100-200 words. The Purdue OWL provides examples of annotated bibliographies in various citation styles, such as APA, MLA, and Chicago. These examples can serve as a guide for formatting and organizing your own annotated bibliography.
In conclusion, the Purdue OWL is a valuable resource for creating an annotated bibliography. It provides clear guidelines on what to include in the annotation and how to format the bibliography, as well as examples in various citation styles. By using this resource, you can create a well-organized and informative annotated bibliography that will help you and your readers better understand and evaluate the sources you have used in your research.
Purdue OWL: Annotated Bibliographies

The Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy. Findings: Students scored highest on the quality of sources used in both assignments, although there was a statistically significant decline in overall scores from the first assignment to the second. Is the information reliable? Writing an annotated bibliography can help you gain a good perspective on what is being said about your topic. Contemporary undergraduates in the biological sciences have unprecedented access to scientific information. For example, this source is a very short scholarly article. The length of your annotations will determine how detailed your summary is. To help other researchers : Extensive and scholarly annotated bibliographies are sometimes published.
(DOC) Annotated Bibliography Purdue OWL

The lengths of the annotations can vary significantly from a couple of sentences to a couple of pages. Using a variety of sources can help give you a broader picture of what is being said about your topic. Although many of these students may be savvy technologists, studies from the field of library and information science consistently show that undergraduates often struggle to locate, evaluate, and use high-quality, reputable sources of information. How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Does it seem like a reliable and current source? Depending on your project or the assignment, your annotations may do one or more of the following. What topics are covered? How does it help you shape your argument? Students primarily cited journal articles in their annotated bibliographies and reference sources in their final bibliographies. Is this a helpful resource? Along with pedagogical decisions based on time limitations, librarians also need to decide on assessment methods, given the importance of such data. The annotations: The annotations for each source are written in paragraph form.
Annotated Bibliography

The bibliographic information : Generally, though, the bibliographic information of the source the title, author, publisher, date, etc. Not all annotated bibliographies assess and reflect; some merely summarize. Who is the author? Is she qualified in this subject? Website use increased notably from one assignment to the other. What is the goal of this source? 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. . You may want to investigate how scholarly sources are treating this topic differently than more popular sources. Why should I write an annotated bibliography? If you are writing an annotated bibliography with many sources, it may be helpful to divide the sources into categories.
Purdue_OWL_Annotated_Bibliograpy_Format
Introduction For many students, the required first-year English composition course is often the site where they encounter and grapple with academic library research for the first time. Librarians have responded to this increased pressure in academia to demonstrate a tangible impact on student learning and success by devoting increased resources to investigating best practices for assessing curriculum-based instruction at the undergraduate level. 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. This study demonstrates the efficacy and pedagogical value of a collaborative teaching approach designed to enhance information literacy competencies among undergraduate biology majors who must write a formal scientific research paper. A bibliography usually just includes the bibliographic information i. Is it a useful source? What are the main arguments? You can focus your annotations for your own needs. After a brief summary, it would be appropriate to assess this source and offer some criticisms of it.

Students had the most difficulty with writing annotations, followed closely by citation accuracy. For more examples, a quick search at a library or even on the Internet should produce several examples of annotated bibliographies in your area. Depending on your project or the assignment, your annotations may do one or more of the following. Note also that the entries are alphabetized by the first word in the bibliographic entry. How do I format an annotated bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is it a useful source? If you're doing this for a class, you should get specific guidelines from your instructor. They provide a comprehensive overview of everything important that has been and is being said about that topic.

Is this source biased or objective? 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. How can you use this source in your research project? The length will depend on the purpose. To learn about your topic : Writing an annotated bibliography is excellent preparation for a research project. Your annotated bibliography may include some of these, all of these, or even others. How does it fit into your research? Each assignment was scored on a three-point scale, and four criteria were assessed: the quality of sources used, variety of sources used, quality of annotations for first assignment only , and citation accuracy. Boston: MIT Press, 2001.

Has it changed how you think about your topic? You begin to read more critically instead of just collecting information. It may only take a sentence or two to summarize. For example, if putting together an extensive annotated bibliography for stem cell research, it might be best to divide the sources into categories such as ethical concerns, scholarly analyses, and political ramifications. The bibliographic information above is proper MLA format use whatever style is appropriate in your field and the annotations are in paragraph form. What are the main arguments? The purpose of research is to state and support a thesis. How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? It is of interest to librarians teaching one-shot library instruction or any librarian interested in assessing the research skills of first-year students.

After enhancing library-based instruction, adding an annotated bibliography requirement, and using multiple assessment techniques, we show fundamental improvements in students' library research abilities. After summarizing and assessing, you can now reflect on this source. Is this source scholarly, popular, some of both? Was this source helpful to you? 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. To help you formulate a thesis: Every good research paper is an argument. Annotated Bibliography A bibliography is a list of sources books, journals, Websites, periodicals, etc. We rely on the triangulation of assessment data to determine the effectiveness of a substantial research paper project completed by students enrolled in an upper-level biology course. Is this source biased or.
If one were really writing an annotation for this source, one would offer a brief summary of what this book says about stem cell research. Bibliographies are sometimes called "References" or "Works Cited" depending on the style format you are using. This is the annotation of the above source, which is formatted according to MLA 2009 7 th ed. 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. Even if you are using a book, you should only focus on the sections that relate to your topic.

That may not be the most helpful for you, but, if this is an assignment, you should always ask your instructor for specific guidelines. Are the facts well documented? Librarians generally teach one or two information literacy sessions for these courses, aimed to ease students into the complexities of effectively finding " appropriate " sources. So a very important part of research is developing a thesis that is debatable, interesting, and current. What topics are covered? 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. What is the point of this book or article? But again, if your assignment is to only use scholarly sources, then you will probably want to avoid magazines and popular web sites. 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.

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APA Annotated Bibliography Guide With Examples
You just got the hand of bibliographies, but now your teacher is requesting an APA annotated bibliography. You can feel the sweat beading on your forehead and the panic starting to set in. First of all, don’t panic. 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
So, your instructor asked you to develop an annotated bibliography in APA 7 style . But what is an APA annotated bibliography? It’s a bibliography that provides annotations about your different sources. These annotations can be summative, evaluative, or reflective. This type of bibliography may be created as its own paper, rather than attached to the end of a research paper. When creating an annotated bibliography, you find a topic to research, then look for sources on that subject.
APA Annotated Bibliography Example
See an APA annotated bibliography example in action.

How to Format an APA Annotated Bibliography
Formatting your annotated bibliography is the same as formatting an APA reference list. You use the same author-date style and place the elements in the same order. Here’s a quick rundown of the guidelines:
- Right-aligned page number
- Running header (Optional)
- One-inch margins
- Double spaced
- The title “Annotated Bibliography” centered
- Hanging indent for second and subsequent lines of the citation
- Indent annotation five spaces

Creating Your Citation in APA
After your APA annotated bibliography is formatted, you create a citation for each entry. The composition of your citation varies based on the type of source you are using. For example, a book citation in APA is different than a journal citation . Therefore, when creating your citation, use the format APA has designated for that specific source.

Composing an APA Annotation
The first step to creating your APA annotations is knowing what you want to tell your instructor about the source. You can provide a summary, evaluation, or reflection of each source. Although your instructor may provide guidelines, expect to evaluate the following aspects of each source:
- Authority of the source
- Overview of information in the source
- Value to your research
The length of your bibliographic entry depends on your instructor’s guidelines but typically is about 100-300 words.
Organizing an APA Bibliography
An annotated bibliography is organized in the same manner as the reference list. Alphabetize using the letter by letter system by the author’s last name.
The Purpose of an APA Annotated Bibliography
An APA bibliography with annotations might seem useless but it has a very important purpose. It helps you to become a better researcher and focus your APA research topic.
For example, if you decide to write an APA school paper on abnormal psychology , you may find that is too broad of a subject. You can then narrow the focus until you find the exact subject matter you want to pursue in your research. For example, narrow the larger subject of abnormal psychology to the medical theory and then how Hippocrates’ ideas contributed to the development of that theory.
Where to Find APA Research Sources
When preparing an annotated bibliography, it’s good to have a variety of primary and secondary sources . It’s easy to go online and find content from websites, online newspapers, and magazines. But, you need to focus on authoritative sources, such as government or educational websites, scholarly journals, and books. Need more help? Stop by your school or local library and ask the reference librarian — they are there to help you.
Creating the Perfect Bibliography Every Time
Creating a bibliography in APA can be difficult, but when you add annotations, it’s a whole new ball game. Make sure you are ready to play the game in the academic field by having all the rules for any APA style project at your fingertips. And if you need more help creating an annotated bibliography in any style, check out how to create an annotated bibliography with examples .
APA Format and Citations
Creating a School Project in APA Style
FAQ APA Annotated Bibliography Guide With Examples
How do you write an apa annotated bibliography.
To write an APA annotated bibliography, you need to include the title "Annotated Bibliography," the citation, and the annotation. The citation varies based on the type of sources you use, such as a book, journal, or website. The annotation includes a summary, evaluation, reflection, or all three.
Is an APA annotated bibliography double spaced?
Yes, an APA annotated bibliography is double spaced. An APA annotated bibliography follows the same formatting requirements as the APA reference list.
How long should an APA annotated bibliography be?
The length of an APA annotated bibliography varies based on the number of annotations you include. However, the annotations for each source are typically between 100-300 words.
Do you indent an APA annotated bibliography?
Yes, you indent an APA annotated bibliography. The annotation in an APA annotated bibliography is indented 5 spaces to line up with the APA citation's hanging indent.
Does an annotated bibliography have to be in alphabetical order APA?
Yes, an APA annotated bibliography is listed in alphabetical order. An APA annotated bibliography follows the same formatting guidelines as the APA reference list, including the rules for headers, titles, margins, spacing, and organization in alphabetical order.
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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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What is an Annotated Bibliography?
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.
- Summarize : Some annotations merely summarize the source. What are the main arguments? What is the point of this book or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say? The length of your annotations will determine how detailed your summary is.
- Assess : After summarizing a source, it may be helpful to evaluate it. Is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source?
- 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.
How do I format an annotated bibliography?
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.
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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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.
Purdue's OWL (Online Writing Lab) provides guidance on creating an annotated bibliography. Below are a few topics covered by the OWL. Annotated Bibliographies - Definitions & Format Annotated Bibliography Breakdown Annotated Bibliography Samples Last Updated: Mar 7, 2023 2:32 PM URL: https://guides.lib.purdue.edu/EDCI_63800 Print Page
The annotations inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources; they expose the author's point of view, clarity and appropriateness of expression, and authority. The Process First, locate books, articles, reports, etc. Use library databases like ERIC, Education Source or Google Scholar.
All entries in the bibliography will include the author (or editor, compiler, translator), title, and publication information. Author Names The author's name is inverted in the bibliography, placing the last name first and separating the last name and first name with a comma; for example, John Smith becomes Smith, John. Titles
An annotated bibliography is a way to show your current research and its usefulness. Help other researchers: When other researchers find your paper particularly engaging, they often will examine your reference entries.
Annotated bibliography checklist: Your annotated bibliography should contain at least 4-6 different sources (e.g., popular articles, books, book chapters, journal articles) that you believe will be helpful in developing your research paper.; At least 1 source must be from a scholarly (chapter from academic monograph) or peer-reviewed publication.
First, you will need to get some basic information from the book: Author Title Publisher location, name of publisher, year published Number of Pages You can either begin your report with some sort of citation, or you can incorporate some of these items into the report itself.
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. The annotated bibliography looks like a References page but includes an annotation after each source cited. An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source.
Developing an Annotated Bibliography - Library Resources for CM220 - Library at Purdue University Global Writing an Annotated Bibliography View this tutorial to become familiar with annotated bibliographies and the role annotations play in research and scholarship.
Annotated Bibliography An annotated bibliography is a combination of a list of sources (books, journals, websites, periodicals, etc.) ... Purdue University, 2012. Web. 22 October 2012. "Annotated Bibliographies and Literature Reviews." The St. Martin's Guide to Writing.
1 Annotated Bibliography for the ADVANCE Purdue website American Council on Education: Office of Women in Higher Education. 2005. "Quick Facts: Traditional Path to Academic Success Unfriendly to Women, According to New
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:
What to consider when writing an annotated bibliography entry. From the Purdue OWL. Note: Sample annotation is cited using MLA style, 7th ed. Annotations An annotated bibliography is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. The annotated bibliography looks like a Works Cited page but includes an annotation ...
If you are writing an annotated bibliography with many sources, it may be helpful to divide the sources into categories. For example, if putting together an extensive annotated bibliography for stem cell research, it might be best to divide the sources into categories such as ethical concerns, scholarly analyses, and political ramifications.
Annotated Bibliography Samples Overview For a sample of an entry from an annotated bibliography entry in PDF, click on the downloadable file in the media box above. Below you will find sample annotations from annotated bibliographies, each with a different research project. Remember that the annotations you include in
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents that includes a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph for each citation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
An annotated bibliography is organized in the same manner as the reference list. Alphabetize using the letter by letter system by the author's last name. The Purpose of an APA Annotated Bibliography An APA bibliography with annotations might seem useless but it has a very important purpose.
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. ...
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.).