Annotated Bibliographies

Annotated Bibliographies
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. Creating an annotated bibliography calls for a concise explanation
and evaluation of the source that would help you in your research.
A list of citations of sources that you used in your essay and those that are not in the essay but
that you did look at or reference.
The Process
1. Locate and record citations to the secondary source 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.
2. Cite the book, article, or document in bibliographic format.
a. Pay very careful attention to the accurate use of MLA or APA format
3. Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the source.
Include one or more sentences that
a. Summarize the source
b. Evaluate the background of the author and their authority
c. Critique or assess different aspects that are of importance to the source
d. Compare or contrast this work with another you have cited
e. Explain and/or reflect on how this work illuminates your topic
* Keep in mind that the annotations can be written as one paragraph or divided as in the
following examples. Also, the length may vary depending on the purpose and the person who
asks you to write it.
SAMPLE MLA ANNOTATION
Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life. Anchor Books, 1995.
Lamott's book offers honest advice on the nature of a writing life, complete with its
insecurities and failures. Taking a humorous approach to the realities of being a writer, the
chapters in Lamott's book are wry and anecdotal and offer advice on everything from plot
development to jealousy, from perfectionism to struggling with one's own internal critic. In the
process, Lamott includes writing exercises designed to be both productive and fun.
Lamott offers advice for those struggling with the anxieties of writing, but her main
project seems to be offering the reader a reality check regarding writing, publishing, and
struggling with one's own imperfect humanity in the process. Rather than a practical handbook to
producing and/or publishing, this text is indispensable because of its honest perspective, its
down-to-earth humor, and its encouraging approach.
Chapters in this text could easily be included in the curriculum for a writing class.
Several of the chapters in Part 1 address the writing process and would serve to generate
discussion on students' own drafting and revising processes. Some of the writing exercises would
also be appropriate for generating classroom-writing exercises. Students should find Lamott's
style both engaging and enjoyable.
*In the sample annotation above, the writer includes three paragraphs: a summary, an evaluation
of the text, and a reflection on its applicability to his/her own research, respectively.
SAMPLE APA ANNOTATION
Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America. New York: Henry Holt
and Company.
In this book of nonfiction based on the journalist's experiential research, Ehrenreich
attempts to ascertain whether it is currently possible for an individual to live on a minimum wage
in America. Taking jobs as a waitress, a maid in a cleaning service, and a Walmart sales
employee, the author summarizes and reflects on her work, her relationships with fellow
workers, and her financial struggles in each situation.
An experienced journalist, Ehrenreich is aware of the limitations of her experiment and
the ethical implications of her experiential research tactics and reflects on these issues in the text.
The author is forthcoming about her methods and supplements her experiences with scholarly
research on her places of employment, the economy, and the rising cost of living in America.
Ehrenreich’s project is timely, descriptive, and well researched.
The annotation above both summarizes and assesses the book in the citation. The first
paragraph provides a brief summary of the author's project in the book, covering the main points
of the work. The second paragraph points out the project’s strengths and evaluates its methods
and presentation. This particular annotation does not reflect on the source’s potential importance
or usefulness for this person’s own research.
These examples are from:

"Annotated Bibliography Samples." Purdue OWL. 2016. Web. 21 Sept. 2016.
<https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/03/>.
After a brief summary, it would be appropriate to assess this source and offer some criticisms of
it. Here are some questions you can ask yourself when creating your annotation (Not all may
apply)
• Summarize: Some annotations merely summarize the source.

o What are the main arguments?
o What is the point of this book or article?
o What topics are covered?
o If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say?
• Authority and background:
o Who is the author?
o Are they associated with anything reliable?
o Is she qualified in this subject?
o Is their research biased or objective?
o Do they have references?
o Who is the audience they have in mind?
• Assess: After summarizing a source, it may be helpful to evaluate it.
o Is it a useful source?
o How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography?
o Is the information reliable? Why?
o Is this source biased or objective?
o What is the goal of this source?
o Are the facts well documented?
o Is this source scholarly, popular, some of both?
o What are the strength or weaknesses that it has
• Reflect: Once you've summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into
your research.
o Was this source helpful to you?
o How does it help you shape/ narrow your argument?
o How can you use this source in your research project?
o Has it changed how you think about your topic?
o How does it fit into your research?
o Too scholarly? Not scholarly enough?
o Too general/specific?
o How does it compare to other sources you have found on the subject?
o Is it relevant to your work?

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Annotated Bibliographies

What Is An Annotated Bibliography?

works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.

2. Cite the book, article, or document in bibliographic format.

Include one or more sentences that

a. Summarize the source

b. Evaluate the background of the author and their authority

c. Critique or assess different aspects that are of importance to the source

d. Compare or contrast this work with another you have cited

e. Explain and/or reflect on how this work illuminates your topic

down-to-earth humor, and its encouraging approach.

style both engaging and enjoyable.

In this book of nonfiction based on the journalist's experiential research, Ehrenreich

workers, and her financial struggles in each situation.

An experienced journalist, Ehrenreich is aware of the limitations of her experiment and

Ehrenreich’s project is timely, descriptive, and well researched.

or usefulness for this person’s own research.

These examples are from:

• Summarize: Some annotations merely summarize the source.

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