how to use annotated bibliography in essay

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

Make a Gift

How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography: The Annotated Bibliography

• 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. 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.

Versión española

Tambíen disponible en español: Cómo Preparar una Bibliografía Anotada

Content Permissions

If you wish to use any or all of the content of this Guide please visit our Research Guides Use Conditions page for details on our Terms of Use and our Creative Commons license.

Reference Help

• Next: Fair Use of this Guide >>
• Last Updated: Sep 29, 2022 11:09 AM
• URL: https://guides.library.cornell.edu/annotatedbibliography

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

• General Education Courses
• School of Business
• School of Design
• School of Education
• School of Health Sciences
• School of Justice Studies
• School of Nursing
• School of Technology
• CBE Student Guide
• Online Library
• Ask a Librarian
• Learning Express Library
• Interlibrary Loan Request Form
• Library Staff
• Databases A-to-Z
• Discovery Search
• Publication Finder
• Video Databases

NoodleTools

• Library Guides
• Course Guides
• Writing Lab
• Rasmussen Technical Support (PSC)
• Copyright Toolkit
• Faculty Toolkit
• Suggest a Purchase
• Refer a Student Tutor
• Live Lecture/Peer Tutor Scheduler
• Faculty Interlibrary Loan Request Form
• Professional Development Databases
• Publishing Guide
• Professional Development Guides (AAOPD)
• Rasmussen University
• Library and Learning Services Guides

APA 7th Edition Guide

• Annotated Bibliographies
• APA Paper Basics
• Preventing Plagiarism
• Academic Integrity Video
• Setting Up Your Paper
• In-Text Citations
• eTextbooks and Course Materials
• Images & Audiovisual Media
• Legal Resources
• Personal Communications & Secondary Sources
• Missing Reference Information
• Citing Sources in PowerPoint Presentations
• Finding Help
• Additional Resources from the APA

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:

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.  

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.

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. 

• << Previous: Citing Sources in PowerPoint Presentations
• Next: Finding Help >>
• Last Updated: May 7, 2024 10:19 AM
• URL: https://guides.rasmussen.edu/apa

Extended Essay: Create an Annotated Bibliography

• Extended Essay- The Basics
• Step 1. Choose a Subject
• Step 2. Educate yourself!
• Using Brainstorming and Mind Maps
• Identify Keywords
• Do Background Reading
• Define Your Topic
• Conduct Research in a Specific Discipline
• Step 5. Draft a Research Question
• Step 6. Create a Timeline
• Find Articles
• Find Primary Sources
• Get Help from Experts
• Search Engines, Repositories, & Directories
• Databases and Websites by Subject Area
• Create an Annotated Bibliography
• Advice (and Warnings) from the IB
• Chicago Citation Syle
• MLA Works Cited & In-Text Citations
• Step 9. Set Deadlines for Yourself
• Step 10. Plan a structure for your essay
• Evaluate & Select: the CRAAP Test
• Conducting Secondary Research
• Conducting Primary Research
• Formal vs. Informal Writing
• Presentation Requirements
• Evaluating Your Work

Using an Annotated Bibliography

• What was in the source?
• How was the source useful?
• [and sometimes] How has the source changed your thinking?

It is excellent preparation for carrying out independent research.This page has information on using an annotated bibliography for your Extended Essay:

What Is an Annotated Bibliography - and Why Write it at the Beginning of Your Research? How Can a Good Annotated Bibliography Help With My EE? What Should an Annotation Include? How Do I Write an Annotation? What Do Sample Annotations Look Like?

For other resources, see:

What Is an Annotated Bibliography - and Why Write it at the Beginning of Your Research?

An annotated bibliography is a bibliography that includes a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources. Each citation is followed by a brief note – or annotation – that describes various aspects of the source such as a summary, an evaluation of the content, and applicability to your topic.

Why should an annotated bibliography come at the BEGINNING of your research assignment?   A researcher can use an annotated bibliography to do a critical summary of each source: its importance, its strengths and weaknesses, and the ways in which the source will fit into your research. When doing an annotated bibliography, researchers analyze and don't summarize.

How to Write an Annotated Bibliography . Narrated by Melissa Wehler, 2020.        YouTube , youtu.be/rUax6rIiwgA. Accessed 4 Sept. 2021.

How Can a Good Annotated Bibliography Help Me With My EE?

The process is not just a matter of listing possible sources. It also requires you to think critically. Consider your sources in terms of:

• what has already been written about their chosen topic and
• how your own research will fit into this.

As you examine each source, you will need to identify the issues and different perspectives of others. This will help you to develop a reasoned argument.

• allow you to keep track of your reading
• encourage you to think critically about the sources you are using in relation to your research area
• allow you, quite early on in the process, to become aware of possible concerns about using certain sources
• help you determine whether a source is of use to you in your research
• help you to justify your use of particular sources, both to your supervisor and to the IB examiner who will be reading your essay
• help you with the planning of your research, and ultimately save you time
• enable you to develop critical-thinking skills in selecting and evaluating source material.

What Should an Annotation Include?

• the bibliographic information
• the annotations (a concise summary of the source).

The annotations will vary in length depending on whether you are writing a summary of the source or analyzing it.

A summary should include:         

• a concise summary of the content and theme(s) of the source
• a comment on the authority of the author
• a comment on the purpose of the source
• a comment on how this source might be useful.         

What Do Sample Annotations Look Like?

The following are examples of annotations in several IB disciplines.

Social and cultural anthropology

What Should the Annotation Include?

This video tutorial from Champlain College Library explains what an annotated bibliography is and what each annotation should include.  The short paragraphs describing each source on the list should summarize the source, evaluate it, and discuss how it would fit into your topic.

Champlain College Library, prod. What's an Annotated Bibliography? YouTube.       Champlain College Lib., 2 Feb. 2012. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.       <https://youtu.be/RZoIXuRyTgI>. 

How Do I Write an Annotation?

The Cornell University Library has defined an annotated bibliography as: a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief  (usually about 150 words)  descriptive and evaluative paragraph. This means you are creating a paragraph that others may read to get a general idea of what your sources are about. The hardest part is being concise with your information. Annotations take practice but once you get the hang of it they are easy. Here are the steps to follow:   Step 1: Talk about the author. (1 sentence) Is this a professor? Maybe this is a professional in the field? Or is this person a hobbyist? Tell the audience about the author in the first part of the annotation. Step 2: Explain what the article is about. (1-3 sentences) Tell the audience what is in the article. This is the most difficult part of the annotation because it requires you to be very succinct. Don’t rewrite the article; just write the base facts and important notes about the article here. Step 3: Explain how this article illuminates your bibliography topic. (1-2 sentences) What about this article makes it relevant to your topic? Why did you select it? What pertinent bit of information makes this article stand out among the others? Step 4: Compare or contrast this work with another you have cited. (1-2 sentences) How does this specific article relate to another article in your annotated bibliography? Do they agree or not? Why not? What makes them unique?  

See the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue University for Annotated Bibliography Samples.

• << Previous: Step 8. Decide on a Citation Style
• Next: Advice (and Warnings) from the IB >>
• Last Updated: May 8, 2024 3:48 PM
• URL: https://libguides.westsoundacademy.org/ee

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.

Share this:

• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)

Follow Blog via Email

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive email notifications of new posts.

Email Address

• RSS - Posts
• RSS - Comments
• COLLEGE WRITING
• USING SOURCES & APA STYLE
• EFFECTIVE WRITING PODCASTS
• LEARNING FOR SUCCESS
• PLAGIARISM INFORMATION
• FACULTY RESOURCES
• Student Webinar Calendar
• Academic Success Center
• Writing Center
• About the ASC Tutors
• DIVERSITY TRAINING
• PG Peer Tutors
• PG Student Access

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

• College Writing
• Using Sources & APA Style
• Learning for Success
• Effective Writing Podcasts
• Plagiarism Information
• Faculty Resources
• Tutor Training

Twitter feed

• Writing Home
• Writing Advice Home

Writing an Annotated Bibliography

• Printable PDF Version
• Fair-Use Policy

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography gives an account of the research that has been done on a given topic. Like any bibliography, an annotated bibliography is an alphabetical list of research sources. In addition to bibliographic data, an annotated bibliography provides a concise summary of each source and some assessment of its value or relevance. Depending on your assignment, an annotated bibliography may be one stage in a larger research project, or it may be an independent project standing on its own.

Selecting the sources:

The quality and usefulness of your bibliography will depend on your selection of sources. Define the scope of your research carefully so that you can make good judgments about what to include and exclude. Your research should attempt to be reasonably comprehensive within well-defined boundaries. Consider these questions to help you find appropriate limits for your research:

• What problem am I investigating? What question(s) am I trying to pursue? If your bibliography is part of a research project, this project will probably be governed by a research question. If your bibliography is an independent project on a general topic (e.g. aboriginal women and Canadian law), try formulating your topic as a question or a series of questions in order to define your search more precisely ( e.g. How has Canadian law affecting aboriginal women changed as a result of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms? How have these changes affected aboriginal women? How have aboriginal women influenced and responded to these legal developments?).
• What kind of material am I looking for? (academic books and journal articles? government reports or policy statements? articles from the popular press? primary historical sources? etc.)
• Am I finding essential studies on my topic? (Read footnotes in useful articles carefully to see what sources they use and why. Keep an eye out for studies that are referred to by several of your sources.)

Summarizing the argument of a source:

An annotation briefly restates the main argument of a source. An annotation of an academic source, for example, typically identifies its thesis (or research question, or hypothesis), its major methods of investigation, and its main conclusions. Keep in mind that identifying the argument of a source is a different task than describing or listing its contents. Rather than listing contents (see Example 1 below), an annotation should account for why the contents are there (see Example 2 below).

Example 1: Only lists contents:

McIvor, S. D. (1995). Aboriginal women’s rights as “existing rights.” Canadian Woman Studies/Les Cahiers de la Femme 2/3 , 34-38. This article discusses recent constitutional legislation as it affects the human rights of aboriginal women in Canada: the Constitution Act (1982), its amendment in 1983, and amendments to the Indian Act (1985). It also discusses the implications for aboriginal women of the Supreme Court of Canada’s interpretation of the Constitution Act in R. v. Sparrow (1991).

Example 2: Identifies the argument:

McIvor, S. D. (1995). Aboriginal women’s rights as “existing rights.” Canadian Woman Studies/Les Cahiers de la Femme 2/3 , 34-38. This article seeks to define the extent of the civil and political rights returned to aboriginal women in the Constitution Act (1982), in its amendment in 1983, and in amendments to the Indian Act (1985). * This legislation reverses prior laws that denied Indian status to aboriginal women who married non-aboriginal men. On the basis of the Supreme Court of Canada’s interpretation of the Constitution Act in R. v. Sparrow (1991), McIvor argues that the Act recognizes fundamental human rights and existing aboriginal rights, granting to aboriginal women full participation in the aboriginal right to self-government. ** * research question ** method & main conclusions

The following reading strategies can help you identify the argument of your source:

• Identify the author’s thesis (central claim or purpose) or research question. Both the introduction and the conclusion can help you with this task.
• Look for repetition of key terms or ideas. Follow them through the text and see what the author does with them. Note especially the key terms that occur in the thesis or research question that governs the text.
• Notice how the text is laid out and organized. What are the main divisions or sections? What is emphasized? Why? Accounting for why will help you to move beyond listing contents and toward giving an account of the argument.
• Notice whether and how a theory is used to interpret evidence or data. Identify the method used to investigate the problem/s addressed in the text.
• Pay attention to the opening sentence(s) of each paragraph, where authors often state concisely their main point in the paragraph.
• Look for paragraphs that summarize the argument. A section may sometimes begin or conclude with such a paragraph.

Assessing the relevance and value of sources:

Your annotation should now go on to briefly assess the value of the source to an investigation of your research question or problem. If your bibliography is part of a research project, briefly identify how you intend to use the source and why. If your bibliography is an independent project, try to assess the source’s contribution to the research on your topic.

• Are you interested in the way the source frames its research question or in the way it goes about answering it (its method)? Does it make new connections or open up new ways of seeing a problem? (e.g. bringing the Sparrow decision concerning aboriginal fishing rights to bear on the scope of women’s rights)
• Are you interested in the way the source uses a theoretical framework or a key concept? (e.g. analysis of existing, extinguished, and other kinds of rights)
• Does the source gather and analyze a particular body of evidence that you want to use? (e.g. the historical development of a body of legislation)
• How do the source’s conclusions bear on your own investigation?

In order to determine how you will use the source or define its contribution, you will need to assess the quality of the argument: why is it of value? what are its limitations? how well defined is its research problem? how effective is its method of investigation? how good is the evidence? would you draw the same conclusions from the evidence?

Keep the context of your project in mind. How is material assessed in your course or discipline? What models for assessing arguments are available in course materials?

Various kinds of annotated bibliographies:

Annotated bibliographies do come in many variations. Pay close attention to the requirements of your assignment. Here are some possible variations:

• Some assignments may require you to summarize only and not to evaluate.
• Some assignments may want you to notice and comment on patterns of similarity and dissimilarity between sources; other assignments may want you to treat each source independently.
• If the bibliography is long, consider organizing it in sections. Your categories of organization should help clarify your research question.
• Some assignments may require or allow you to preface the bibliography (or its sections) with a paragraph explaining the scope of your investigation and providing a rationale for your selection of sources.

Some language for talking about texts and arguments:

It is sometimes challenging to find the vocabulary in which to summarize and discuss a text. Here is a list of some verbs for referring to texts and ideas that you might find useful:

To learn more on referring to texts and ideas, visit our file on reporting verbs .

This handout and many others are available in Writing in the Health Sciences: a comprehensive guide .

Based on materials originally developed for the Equity Studies Program, New College.

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?

UMary Writing Center

Check out the resources available from the  Writing Center . 

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
• << Previous: Thesis Statement
• Next: Citing Sources >>
• Last Updated: Apr 4, 2024 5:51 PM
• URL: https://libguide.umary.edu/researchpaper

• Jump to menu
• Student Home
• Accept your offer
• How to enrol
• Student ID card
• Set up your IT
• Orientation Week
• Fees & payment
• Academic calendar
• Special consideration
• Transcripts
• The Nucleus: Student Hub
• Referencing
• Essay writing
• Learning abroad & exchange
• Professional development & UNSW Advantage
• Employability
• Financial assistance
• International students
• Equitable learning
• Postgraduate research
• Health Service
• Events & activities
• Emergencies
• Volunteering
• Clubs and societies
• Accommodation
• Health services
• Sport and gym
• Arc student organisation
• Security on campus
• Maps of campus
• Careers portal
• Change password

Annotated Bibliography

What is an annotated bibliography.

An annotated bibliography provides an overview or a brief account of the available research on a given topic. It is a list of research sources that takes the form of a citation for each source, followed by an annotation - a short paragraph sumarising and evaluating the source. An annotated bibliography may be a stand-alone assignment or a component of a larger assignment. 

Purpose of an annotated bibliography

When set as an assignment, an annotated bibliography allows you to get acquainted with the material available on a particular topic.

Depending on your specific assignment, an annotated bibliography might:

• review the literature of a particular subject;
• demonstrate the quality and depth of reading that you have done;
• exemplify the scope of sources available—such as journals, books, web sites and magazine articles;
• highlight sources that may be of interest to other readers and researchers;
• explore and organise sources for further research.

What does an annotated bibliography look like?

Each entry in an annotated biliography has two components: 

• a bibliographic citation followed by 
• a short paragraph (an annotation) that includes concise descriptions and evaluations of each source. 

The annotation usually contains a brief summary of content and a short analysis or evaluation. Depending on your assignment you may be asked to summarise, reflect on, critique, evaluate or analyse each source. While an annotation can be as brief as one sentence, a paragraph is more usual.  An example is provided below.

As with a normal reference list or bibliography, an annotated bibliography is usually arranged alphabetically according to the author’s last name.

An annotated bibliography summary should be about 100 - 200 words per citation—check with your lecturer/tutor as this may vary between faculties and assessments. Please also check with your lecturer about the elements each annotation should include.

Steps to writing an annotated bibliography

• Choose your sources - locate and record citations to sources of research that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic.
• Review the items that you’ve collected in your search.
• Write the citation using the correct style.
• Write the annotation. 

Questions to consider when selecting sources

The sources for your annotated bibliography should be carefully selected. Start by reading abstracts or skimming to help you identify and select relevant sources. Also keep in mind that, while annotated bibliographies are often ‘stand alone’ assignments, they can also be preliminary research about a particular topic or issue, and further research or a longer literature review may follow. Try to choose sources which together will present a comprehensive review of the topic.

Keep the following questions in mind to help clarify your choices

• What topic/ problem am I investigating?
• What question(s) am I exploring? (Identify the aim of your literature research). 
• What kind of material am I looking at and why? Am I looking for journal articles, reports, policies or primary data? 
• Am I being judicious in my selection of sources? Does each one relate to my research topic and assignment requirements?
• Have I selected a range of sources? Choose those sources that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic
• What are the essential or key works about my topic? Am I finding them? Are the sources valuable or often referred to in other sources?

Surveying the sources

Take notes on your selected texts as you read. Pay attention to:

• the author’s theoretical approach.
• which parts of the topic are covered.
• main points or findings on the topic.
• the author’s position or argument. 

Evaluate and ask questions as you read

Record evaluations in your notes and consider:

• How, and how effectively, does this source address the topic?
• Does it cover the topic thoroughly or only one aspect of it?
• Do the research methods seem appropriate?
• Does the argument seem reasonable?
• Where does it stand in relation to other studies? Agree with or contradict?

How should I write the annotations?

• Each annotation should be concise. Do not write too much—annotations should not extend beyond one paragraph (unless assignment guidelines say otherwise). 
• The summary should be a brief outline of argument(s) and main ideas. Only mention details that are significant or relevant, and only when necessary. 
• Any information apparent in the title of thesourcel can be omitted from the annotation.
• Background materials and references to previous work by the same author usually are not included. As you are addressing one text at a time, there is no need to cross reference or use in-text citations to support your annotation.
• Find out what referencing style you need to use for the bibliographic citations, and use it consistently.
• In-text citations would usually only be necessary for quotations or to draw attention to information from specific pages.
• Unless otherwise stipulated, you should write in full sentences using academic vocabulary.

Contents of an annotated bibliography

An annotation may contain all or part of the following elements depending on the word limit and the content of the sources you are examining.

• Provide the full bibliographic citation.
• Indicate the background of the author(s).
• Indicate the content or scope of the text.
• Outline the main argument.
• Indicate the intended audience.
• Identify the research methods if applicable.
• Identify any conclusions made by the author/s.
• Discuss the reliability of the text.
• Highlight any special features of the text that were unique or helpful e.g. charts, graphs etc.
• Discuss the relevance or usefulness of the text for your research.
• Point out in what way the text relates to themes or concepts in your course.
• State the strengths and limitations of the text.
• Present your view or reaction to the text.

Sample annotation 

The citation goes first and is followed by the annotation. Make sure that you follow your faculty’s preferred citation style. The summary needs to be concise. Please note the following example is entirely fictitious.

In the sample annotation below, each element is numbered (see Key).

Essay and assignment writing guide

• Essay writing basics
• Essay and assignment planning
• Answering assignment questions
• Editing checklist
• Writing a critical review
• Annotated bibliography
• Reflective writing
• ^ More support

News and notices

Guide to Using Microsoft Copilot with Commercial Data Protection for UNSW Students Published:  20 May 2024

Ethical and Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence at UNSW Published:  17 May 2024

Discover your Library: Main Library 23 May 2024

Writing an Annotated Bibliography for a Paper

Providing an Overview of Research Published on a Given Topic

• Writing Research Papers
• Writing Essays
• English Grammar
• M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
• B.A., History, Armstrong State University

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.

• What Is an Annotated Bibliography?
• Bibliography: Definition and Examples
• How to Develop a Research Paper Timeline
• Abstract Writing for Sociology
• Finding Trustworthy Sources
• How to Write a Research Paper That Earns an A
• What Is a Literature Review?
• What Is a Bibliography?
• What Is a Research Paper?
• Writing a Paper about an Environmental Issue
• Research Note Cards
• How to Write a Solid Thesis Statement
• How to Write a Bibliography For a Science Fair Project
• How to Find Trustworthy Sources
• How to Write an Abstract for a Scientific Paper
• Unreliable Sources for Your Research Project

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.

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!

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

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

We are sorry that this post was not useful for you!

Let us improve this post!

Tell us how we can improve this post?

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.

APA Citation Examples

Writing Tools

Citation Generators

Other Citation Styles

Plagiarism Checker

Upload a paper to check for plagiarism against billions of sources and get advanced writing suggestions for clarity and style.

Get Started

Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Annotated Bibliography Samples

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

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.

As mentioned elsewhere in this resource, depending on the purpose of your bibliography, some annotations may summarize, some may assess or evaluate a source, and some may reflect on the source’s possible uses for the project at hand. Some annotations may address all three of these steps. Consider the purpose of your annotated bibliography and/or your instructor’s directions when deciding how much information to include in your annotations.

Please keep in mind that all your text, including the write-up beneath the citation, must be indented so that the author's last name is the only text that is flush left.

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 sane 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.

For information on formatting MLA citations, see our MLA 9th Edition (2021) Formatting and Style Guide .

Sample APA Annotation

Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America . 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.

For information on formatting APA citations, see our APA Formatting and Style Guide .

Sample Chicago Manual of Style Annotation

Davidson, Hilda Ellis. Roles of the Northern Goddess . London: Routledge, 1998.

Davidson's book provides a thorough examination of the major roles filled by the numerous pagan goddesses of Northern Europe in everyday life, including their roles in hunting, agriculture, domestic arts like weaving, the household, and death. The author discusses relevant archaeological evidence, patterns of symbol and ritual, and previous research. The book includes a number of black and white photographs of relevant artifacts.

This annotation includes only one paragraph, a summary of the book. It provides a concise description of the project and the book's project and its major features.

For information on formatting Chicago Style citations, see our Chicago Manual of Style resources.

History 2 Courses: Building the Annotated Bibliography

• Intro to Annotated Bibliographies
• Search Tips
• Selecting & Citing Sources

The guide includes videos to introduce what an annotated bibliography is and how to go about building a strong one; links to resources helpful to the process; an example of an annotated bibliography; and a short quiz to give you practice selecting sources for the annotated bibliography.

To progress through this guide, please do the following:

• Watch each of the three videos .
• Take the practice quiz on selecting sources for an annotated bibliography.
• Look at the example annotated bibliographies  to familiarize with the format.
• Note the helpful links to resources for building an annotated bibliography for this class.

If you have any questions about these materials, or if you would like to consult with me as you conduct your research for the course, please feel free to connect with me by email or schedule an appointment.

Video 1: Introduction ~ Annotated Bibliographies

• Slides + Speaking Notes: Intro: Annotated Bibliographies
• Next: Search Tips >>
• Last Updated: May 13, 2024 10:04 AM
• URL: https://researchguides.loyno.edu/history2_annotated_bibliography

Weinberg and Shostakovich: Life and Relationships Annotated Bibliography

The first source that provides insight into Weinberg’s life is a book by David Fanning (2010) titled “Mieczysław Weinberg in Search of Freedom.” Fanning’s book is the first full account of Weinberg’s life and works in any language. Drawing on unpublished materials in the family archives and on the personal reminiscences of those close to Weinberg, Fanning (2010) tells the story of a composer who devoted his life to music against complicated life circumstances. For one, Mieczysław Weinberg made two narrow escapes from the Nazis: in 1939 from his native Warsaw to Minsk, then in 1941 to Tashkent. He settled in Moscow until his death and rapidly became recognized as one of the USSR’s finest composers, enjoying a relationship of enduring mutual respect with Shostakovich.

The anti-formalism efforts of the late 1940s chastened him, and in 1953 he was detained on charges of “bourgeois Jewish nationalism” (Fanning, 2010, p. 10). Although his health never fully recovered, the demise of Stalin contributed to his liberation, and he eventually resumed his prolific work. His deeply humane music, which was neglected in his adopted nation toward the end of his life, has experienced a remarkable posthumous renaissance in the West, where his operas, in particular, are being rediscovery, including The Passenger, which can claim to be the best musical work ever composed in remembrance of Auschwitz.

Another source describing the relationship between Weinberg and Shostakovich is an article by Daniel Elphick (2014) titled “Weinberg, Shostakovich and the influence of Anxiety.” In this article, the author focuses on the intricate process of how relationships are formed between composers. Following a discussion of their friendship, examples of what seems to be mutual influence will be presented, and then an evaluation of how these examples fit into Harold Bloom’s categories for the “anxiety of influence” are be made. Bloom’s theories have been both highly stimulating and problematic for musicology. Elphick (2014) states that deep friendships do not fit well with Bloom’s “anxiety” category, and Weinberg and Shostakovich are two examples of this.

In the article “What Was “Shostakovich,” and What Came Next?” the author Peter Schmelz (2007) focuses on disclosing the heritage of Shostakovich and how his life in the Soviet Union impacted his work. The author cites a 1996 study by anthropologist Katherine Verdery, which served as the basis for this inquiry. The death of Shostakovich in 1975 came to embody a variety of frequently conflicting meanings for younger Soviet composers (Schmelz, 2007). Much like the collapse of the Soviet Union forced the world to reevaluate both the meaning of socialism as well as the future course of global economic and political development.

Another source that helps understand the work of Shostakovich is an article published online titled “SONATA op.28 for Clarinet and Piano (1945).” In the autumn of 1945, shortly after the war’s end, Weinberg wrote the Sonata op. 28 for clarinet (in A) and piano. Weinberg played the piano for the first performance, which was given in Moscow in 1946. Vasiliy Getman, a clarinet professor at the Gnesin Music Academy, played the clarinet (University of the Arts Helsinki, 2022). In the Soviet Union, where it was first released in 1971, the Sonata op. 28 quickly gained popularity and was frequently performed. However, outside of the Soviet Union, this Sonata and the majority of Weinberg’s other compositions were mostly unknown.

Reference List

Elphick, Daniel. 2014. “Weinberg, Shostakovich and the influence of Anxiety.” The Musical Times 155 (1929): 49-62

Fanning, David. 2010. Mieczysław Weinberg in Search of Freedom . Berlin, Wonke.

Schmelz, Peter. 2007. “What Was “Shostakovich,” and What Came Next?” The Musical Times 155 (1929): 10-12.

University of the Arts Helsinki. (2022). Sonata op.28 for clarinet and piano (1945) (website). Web.

• Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium: The Brassica Rapa Examination
• Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium
• Clarinet Playing Basic Tutorial Review
• Romanticism: The Great Composers of the 19th Century
• Ma Rainey, Professional Blues Singer
• Eminem as a Modern Pop Culture Figure
• Amy Marcy Cheney Beach: An American Composer
• The Wind that Shakes the Barley
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, May 18). Weinberg and Shostakovich: Life and Relationships. https://ivypanda.com/essays/weinberg-and-shostakovich-life-and-relationships/

"Weinberg and Shostakovich: Life and Relationships." IvyPanda , 18 May 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/weinberg-and-shostakovich-life-and-relationships/.

IvyPanda . (2024) 'Weinberg and Shostakovich: Life and Relationships'. 18 May.

IvyPanda . 2024. "Weinberg and Shostakovich: Life and Relationships." May 18, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/weinberg-and-shostakovich-life-and-relationships/.

1. IvyPanda . "Weinberg and Shostakovich: Life and Relationships." May 18, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/weinberg-and-shostakovich-life-and-relationships/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Weinberg and Shostakovich: Life and Relationships." May 18, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/weinberg-and-shostakovich-life-and-relationships/.

Essay #3 – Annotated Bibliography

• Post author By JACOB CRUZ
• Post date May 20, 2024
• No Comments on Essay #3 – Annotated Bibliography

Hough, David A. “How SIT Students Help to Preserve an Endangered Language.” National  Diet Library Search (NDL Search) , Mar. 2003, ndlsearch.ndl.go.jp/books/R000000004-I6522459 . Accessed 19 May. 2024.

This paper highlights the work being done to help preserve the Kosraean language, spoken by around 8,000 people who live on the island of Kosrae in the Federated States of Micronesia, and around another 2,000 who live off-island. While there is a 3-year project funded by the Japan Ministry of Education and Science, this paper focuses on the cooperation of students at Shonan Institute of Technology (SIT) and students and educators in Kosrae. Collaborating, they developed a trilingual children’s picture dictionary to be used in the first and second grades in Kosrae, with the three languages being Kosraean, Japanese, and English.

This source is beneficial to me because it backs up my claims that endangered languages are an issue to turn our heads to. This paper proves that it isn’t just happening in our communities, or even just in America, but is occurring around the world. It also gives insight into how we can prevent or alleviate it, making sure our languages and cultures stay alive for the many generations after us to come.

Mühlhäusler, Peter. “Preserving Languages or Language Ecologies? A Top-down Approach to Language Survival.” Oceanic Linguistics , vol. 31, no. 2, 1992, pp. 163–80. JSTOR , https://doi.org/10.2307/3623012 . Accessed 19 May. 2024.

This paper aims to prove to us how important an ecological approach to linguistic phenomena can be in enriching our understanding of language and its structure. Advocated by Einar Haugen, this paper brings this ecological perspective to topics such as language survival, maintenance, and well-being. Peter includes multiple factors capable of manipulating the survival of languages, consisting of the number of speakers, relationships with other languages, patterns of transmission, speaker attitudes, domains of use, and institutional support. Language preservation is just but one aspect of linguistic diversity, which, in turn, is the basis for language regeneration and well-being.

This source is beneficial to me because it gives me unconventional ideas, ones that not only aim to combat the loss of language, but attack its issues at the roots. It mentions every aspect that may affect the loss of language, and how those areas can be treated to prevent catastrophes and restore language on the verge of extinction. Peter also combats a lot of universal ideas about preserving languages or how they should be dealt with and gives us insight into the mind of a linguist or professional, helping bring a new realm of thoughts to a topic that is seen as simpler than it truly is.

Cornelius, Carol. “Language As Culture: Preservation and Survival.” ProQuest , 31 Dec. 1994,  www.proquest.com/docview/224782839?fromopenview=true&pqorigsite=gscholar&sourcetype=Scholarly%20Journals . Accessed 19 May. 2024.

This paper centers around the 1970’s, when the federal government funded language renewal (bilingual education) programs for the Native Americans who were denied their languages for many years, which started at the initiation of boarding schools. Until these programs, the languages stayed oral, until they were transcribed and added into booklets. This placed emphasis on the reading and writing of the language, to make sure it survived past oral teachings. Although many schools and classes came about from these federal programs, just like many others, most of them ended as their funding dwindled.

This source is beneficial to me as, just like David’s piece, it gives more proof of endangered languages being a prominent issue, centering her piece around a targeted group in our homeland, America. Carol demonstrates the key role the older generations have in passing on their language and culture, and the effort needed from the younger generation to accept and nurture it willingly. She shows us that with enough love, care, and hard work, it is possible to bring back these languages that were on the brink of extinction, giving us hope that we too, can do the same.

Soto, Lourdes Diaz. Smrekar, Jocelynn L. Nekcovei, Deanna L. et al. “Preserving Home Languages and Cultures in the Classroom: Challenges and Opportunities.” Directions in Language and Education , 30 Nov. 1998, eric.ed.gov/?id=ED436085 . Accessed 19 May. 2024.

This paper centers around the decades of research done, proving the powerful academic and socio-affective benefits of a strong home language, and affirmation of home language and culture as a valuable resource. These authors explore the challenges, realities, opportunities, and practical implications of incorporating language and culture into classrooms, advocating for the acknowledgement of these students differences, as these differences are what bring richness, gifts, and wisdom. They provide many suggestions on what we can do to implement these changes, building more united and harmonious environments around us.

This source is beneficial to me as it documents the good in being different, and that it should be encouraged and accepted even in school settings, a place where these differences are often hidden. It helps advocate on my idea of accepting others cultures in school settings, and that it should be normalized to not let them disappear from our daily lives. This source helps demonstrate the importance of culture and language, as it is what makes up our identities, and is a common theme many of us face.

Alzayed, Norma Nawaf Yousef. “Preserving immigrants native language and cultural identity in multilingual and multicultural societies.” International Journal of Humanities and Social Science 5.2 (2015): 263-267. https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/48490154/preserving_immigrant_native_languagelibre.pdf1472754937=&responsecontentdisposition=inline%3B+filename%3DPreserving_Immigrants_Native_Language_an.pdf&Expires=1716131522&Signature=JnK8SClliJOoDp6pfk0eLpsXojOLX5yf3XZlL3gbURODB6hfpW3txrvPqf6f6B6SvX06YM0KiGCFzBO7hGdMQx0gXnkpn~SU0v8PazqHOO0uYTAoyQ7aj5clm89CQeCrz2Zp1PtJGzfs8Djr5Vrc0X1Qj2mHDKr082wNzqo45oT02detjf9aWCErrEWpAPOHksN90n042Fa3LHD16INF3xC5vbWFMfXSpKpMRa8fxunNCO3ZtkJNqoDs0B8mRB4aDm3K6QFErcWc69d~kEO~NSVodhFgAcLPqZhhHi7lVilRmQG8PhZ0S5nrsZ~5eFhqQ3PuPRSkkzUdyNN7YzA__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA . Accessed 19 May. 2024.

This paper explores the significance and certain methods of preserving immigrants native languages and cultures in a multilingual and multicultural society. As people migrate around the world, they bring with them their cultures and languages. In trying to live life in these new societies, these important things they’ve brought are often lost, especially among the younger generations, which can have negative consequences. Alzayed emphasizes the role of parents, schools, and communities in keeping and maintaining these languages and cultures, with many suggestions on how we can all integrate into these new societies healthily, while retaining our true selves. 

This source is beneficial to me as it serves as a comprehensive exploration of the importance of preserving and maintaining our languages and cultures. It offers a lot of statistics, which are backed up by professionals, further helping exemplify our arguments. Alzayed also presents practical suggestions for parents, schools, and communities, the ones who play a crucial role in making sure we keep and stay in touch with such a vital part of our identities. 

Kim, Aleksandra. “The problems of preserving the language and culture of the Selkups.”  Bicultural education in the North. Waxmann Münster/New York/München/Berlin (1998): 76-87. https://d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/70856054/bekim-libre.pdf?1633083309=&responsecontentdisposition=inline%3B+filename%3DThe_Problems_of_Preserving_the_Language.pdf&Expires=1716005322&Signature=CM7JDqfR92~AQ2N0uZ9VdJCfBIHm6aNn~EE8NSOf5S3Hu9OunTsOIPUzM80cI2g2KFMKdL3tsyvnDIfuv28RIXVFYZKXewI1Q6RLG8yWFWfFsPtPJYPqw4ETpBNvTDR3QCPzCVoPcJyHe5ZU5et8ROwP0Zz0lv8fxwMtZiCyFkUndQoeFad9hMNpIbgDn4k4gOj40UD7rgqz131sPq9zVgSZA9UZci0soZmesGmuNhvWvcO1mO7xUhU0lsmOcWgwFgTyWdP97yVyMmv~GBHJvL6yN16nRbD0zDHE7cfyDtMuUFdXemiwXoAgYBAf9VMO3dXoh4NAvIuvO9xA__&Key-Pair-Id=APKAJLOHF5GGSLRBV4ZA . Accessed 19 May. 2024.

This paper speaks on the dire language situation of the Samoyeds, a small population of people that live in the Tomsk and Tyumen regions. They face issues of administrative disconnection, urbanization, loss of traditional lifestyles, and the absence of a written language and educational resources, threatening the extinction of their language and culture. Tomsk scientists lead efforts to revive the Selkup language, being able to develop primers, dictionaries, and educational programs of the Selkup dialects. To this day, the Tomsk State Pedagogical University continues to create these educational materials, making it known that the integration of social and linguistic strategies is crucial in the journey of reviving the Selkup language and culture.

This source is beneficial to me as it provides an overview of the history and status of the Selkup culture, and what a language that is close to extinction faces on a daily basis. It describes the certain forces which led and continue to push back the Samoyeds, but with the effort of the Tomsk scientists, is slowly reviving their language and culture. By understanding these aspects of Kim’s paper, I am able to gain insight on the broader issues of language preservation that tackle our very own cultures today.

Lekatompessy, Felicia M. “Parental perspectives and practices in maintaining the heritage language (a case study of preserving Ambonese Malay).” Pattimura Excellence Journal of Language and Culture 1.1 (2021): 34-41. https://ojs3.unpatti.ac.id/index.php/pejlac/article/download/4220/3248 . Accessed 19 May. 2024.

This paper explores the influence that globalization has on the daily use and maintenance of language and culture. With the growth of foreign/national language, the use of ones own becomes diminished and disregarded. Lekatompessy’s research on this topic comprised of the study of 22 parents from Ambon, examining their attitudes on matters of preserving their native language. The study revealed that the parents did have a positive outlook on preserving Ambonese Malay, and prove it through their commitment of various practices, such as teaching their children the language, speaking it in family settings, and advocating for its use in school settings. This source highlights, yet again, the influential role that parents have in the preservation, and continuation of language and culture.

This source is beneficial to me as I get to further understand the role that parents have in language preservation in the context of globalization. Lekatompessy’s research highlights the importance of actively engaging in communication, cultural events, and educational facets, as it is what sustains linguistic diversity and cultural language in a globalizing world. Her findings are very helpful, not only to scholars or policymakers, but those who want to make a change in their households for the better.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Can AI Write An Annotated Bibliography

A.I. can write an annotated bibliography by curating and organizing relevant sources. It can generate concise summaries that outline each source's content, relevance, and significance to your research. A.I. writing assistant streamlines the process of compiling an annotated bibliography, saving time and effort while ensuring the inclusion of informative annotations for each source.

Fredrick Eghosa

May 21, 2024

Table of Contents

Key Takeaways

How to write an annotated bibliography using a.i., choose your sources, cite your sources properly using a.i., apa (american psychological association) style, mla (modern language association) style, chicago manual of style (cms or chicago style), write your annotation using a.i., descriptive annotations, analytical annotations, evaluative annotations, combination annotations, start with a citation:, write the annotation:, wrapping up.

• CoWriter can write an annotated bibliography by curating relevant sources and generating concise summaries that outline each source's content, relevance, and significance to your topic.
• There are three primary ways you can site your sources:
• Chicago Manual of Style (CMS or Chicago Style).
• There are various types of annotation you can use depending on the requirements of your field or assignment and publication standards:
• Descriptive Annotation
• Evaluative Annotation
• Analytical Annotation
• Summary Annotation
• Combination Annotation
• Decide which types of sources are most relevant to your topic (e.g., scholarly articles, books, websites, primary documents).
• Choose sources that directly relate to your research question or thesis statement.
• Evaluate the sources' credibility and verify the authors' or creators' authority and qualifications.
• Consider the reputation and reliability of the publication or platform where the source is founded, e.g., peer-reviewed journals, reputable publishers).
• Check the Currency of the Information. Determine how recent the sources are and assess whether the information is up-to-date.
• For specific topics (especially in rapidly evolving fields), prioritize recent sources to reflect current research and knowledge.
• Please review the content of potential sources to ensure they provide substantive and meaningful information.
• Seek guidance from your instructor or supervisor to ensure your selected sources are suitable for the specific research objectives.

• Uses author-date citation format (e.g., Smith, 2019) within the text.
• Includes a References list at the end of the document, alphabetically listing all sources cited.
• Specifies guidelines for formatting titles, headings, tables, figures, and in-text citations.
• Uses author-page citation format (e.g., Smith 123) within the text.
• Includes a Works Cited list at the end of the document, listing all sources cited alphabetically.
• Provides guidelines for citing sources such as books, articles, websites, and films.
• It offers two citation formats: notes and Bibliography (footnotes or endnotes with a separate bibliography) and Author-Date (similar to APA style).
• Provides detailed guidelines for formatting citations, including using footnotes, endnotes, and bibliography entries.

• Focus on summarizing the content of the source.
• Briefly overview the source's main arguments, topics, and findings.
• Describe the scope and purpose of the source without critical evaluation or analysis.
• Include a summary of the source's content.
• Critically evaluate the quality, relevance, and reliability of the source.
• Discuss the methodology, theoretical framework, or critical arguments the source presents.
• Offer insights into the source's strengths and weaknesses for potential readers.
• Summarize the content of the source.
• Assess the significance and relevance of the source to the research topic.
• Critically appraise the source's credibility, authority, and bias.
• Offer recommendations for potential readers based on the source's value and limitations.
• Summary Annotations
• Focus on summarizing the main points and arguments of the source.
• Provide a condensed version of the source's content, emphasizing key ideas and findings.
• Include both summary and critical evaluation of the source's content.
• Discuss key aspects such as methodology, theoretical framework, and relevance to the research topic.
• Offer a balanced assessment of the source's strengths, weaknesses, and overall contribution to the field.
• Begin by citing the source in the appropriate citation style (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago).
• A summary of the source
• The source's strengths and weaknesses
• Its conclusions
• Why the source is relevant in your field of study
• Its relationships to other studies in the field
• An evaluation of the research methodology (if applicable)
• Information about the author's background
• Information on any special features of the text that were unique or helpful, e.g., charts, graphs, etc
• Your conclusions about the source

Join other 3200+ writers now!

Ready to take the next big step for your writing?

Lead engineering teams at Figma, Pitch, and Protocol Labs.

Related posts

How To Write A Research Paper With AI

To write a research paper, ensure you understand the assignment, choose an engaging topic, conduct thorough research, develop a clear thesis statement, and create a structured outline. Write while integrating research findings, then revise for clarity and coherence. Finally, edit for accuracy and adhere to formatting guidelines to present a polished and professional paper. You can use an A.I. writing assistant to optimize and streamline entire writing.

Apr 16, 2024

The Best Free AI MLA Citation Generator

The best free AI MLA citation generators are CoWriter, Opendemia, Scribbr MLA Citation Generator, MyBib, Citefast, Cite This For Me's MLA Citation Generator, and QuillBot M.L.A. Citation Generator. They stay updated on the latest MLA guidelines and can handle various source types like books, articles, and websites.

The Best Free Outline Generator for Essays

The best free outline generators for essay writing are CoWriter, Ahrefs Free AI Outline Generator, ClickUp, Jenni AI Essay Outline Generator, GitMind, Rytr, and Simplified. They streamline the process by generating structured outlines based on prompts and parameters.

Apr 12, 2024

The Best Free AI APA Citation Generator

The best free AI APA citation generators are CoWriter, Grammarly, SciSpace APA Citation Generator, Scribbr AI Citation Generators, Quillbot AI Citation Generators, Junia.ai, and Simplified. These generators use intelligent algorithms to automatically create citations for different sources, saving time and ensuring formatting and APA citation style accuracy.

Apr 21, 2024

How To Write A Research Proposal With AI

To write a research paper using A.I., define your research topic and formulate straightforward, specific research questions, use A.I. to streamline the literature reviews, refine methodologies, and create a structured proposal outline, draft your proposal using the outline you created.

How is a narrative essay organized?

A narrative essay tells a story chronologically, beginning with an introduction, moving into a body where events build to a climax, and finishing with a resolution or final reflection.

Mar 16, 2024

10 Best AI Co-Writers

The best AI co-writers are CoWriter, HIX.AI, Copy.ai, Wordtune, Scalenut, Rytr, HyperWrite, Texta, TextCortex, and Writesonic. They can help generate ideas, overcome writer's block, and improve the flow of your writing.

Mar 18, 2024

How to Edit an Essay Written by AI to Perfection

To edit an AI-written essay perfectly, carefully read the text to ensure it makes sense and conveys your ideas. Please review the entire piece to grasp its tone, purpose, and quality, as AI-generated content often lacks logical progression and may have gaps, awkward transitions, or readability issues.

Mar 24, 2024

10 Steps to Writing an Informative Essay with an Outline

To write an informative essay with an outline, pick a topic, research it, and create an outline. Write an introduction with a hook and thesis, followed by body paragraphs with evidence. Conclude by summarizing the main points and restating the thesis. Finally, edit, cite sources, and submit.

Mar 25, 2024

Jenni AI Review and Best Alternatives

Jenni.AI is an AI writer designed to assist with academic research and writing. It offers a great selection of features for academic purposes, including a built-in research engine. The best alternatives for Jenni AI you can try are CoWriter, Jasper AI, Copy AI, Frase.io, and Writesonic.

Mar 27, 2024

How to Write a Biography Essay and Biography Essay Examples

To write a biography essay, choose an exciting subject, research extensively, and develop a thesis statement. Then, structure your essay chronologically or thematically, starting with a captivating introduction, exploring the subject's life in the body paragraphs, and concluding with its contemporary significance.

The Good AI Review and Best Alternatives

Good AI is a handy platform that uses smart technology to assist with writing tasks. Its AI essay writer lets users quickly create 1,500-word, well-structured, and informative essays.

How to Write a Biography Essay With Examples

30 AI Prompts to Humanize Your Essay

AI prompts to humanize your essay are invaluable tools for students who want to humanize their AI-generated essays. With prompts for different writing styles and objectives, you can add personality, storytelling, humor, and clarity to their content.

The 7 Best AI Bibliography Generator

The best AI bibliography generators are CoWriter, Zotero, EndNote, Cite This For Me, Citation Machine, CiteMaker, and KnightCite. These tools streamline the citation process by supporting various citation styles, source types, and formatting options, ensuring accuracy and adherence to academic standards.

May 20, 2024

10 Literary Analysis Essay Examples

To write a literary analysis essay always understand the assignment thoroughly and identify the key elements e.g. plot, characters, and themes. Select a central theme to focus on and put together evidence to support your analysis.

The 5 Best AI Writer for Students

The best AI writers for students are CoWriter, Jasper, AI-Writer, Rytr, and Article Forge. Choosing the best AI writer for students depends on their needs. Some prioritize grammar and clarity assistance, while others focus on paraphrasing and summarizing.

Best Free AI Paper Writer

The best free AI paper writers are CoWriter, Rytr, Simplified, CopyAI, Writesonic, Grammarly, and Paperpal. These tools can help you brainstorm or start and polish your paper.

Mar 11, 2024

5 Best AI Writer for Research Papers

The best AI writers for research papers are CoWriter, SciSpace Literature Review, Wordtune, Trinka, and Paperpal. These AI writers offer different functionalities, from grammar and citation checking to plagiarism detection and content generation.

How To Write A Historical Essay Introduction

To write a historical essay introduction, begin with an engaging hook, like a thought-provoking quote or a question. Follow this with background details about your topic and conclude with a clear thesis statement. Utilize CoWriter to assist in composing your introduction.

How To Write a 4-Paragraph Essay

To write a 4-paragraph essay effectively, start by thoroughly researching your topic. This step is crucial for gathering supporting information. Next, create a structured outline that divides your essay into four clear paragraphs. Draft your thesis statement to convey the topic of your essay. With the outline in place, draft your essay following the outlined structure. Finally, take time to edit and proofread your essay.

How To Write A Curatorial Statement With AI

To write a curatorial statement with AI, begin by conducting thorough research into the historical context of your exhibition and the backgrounds of the artworks, including their styles and mediums. Develop a clear and concise outline to structure your statement effectively. Write the content of your statement and edit it for clarity and correctness. Use CoWriter to streamline and enhance the entire writing and editing process.

How To Write A Discussion Essay

To write a discussion essay, start with a clear introduction introducing the topic and presenting your main argument. Next, develop the body paragraphs, each addressing a specific aspect or viewpoint related to the topic, supported by evidence and facts. Then address counterarguments to strengthen your argument. Conclude your discussion essay by summarizing key points and restating your main argument, leaving readers with a compelling closing thought.

Difference Between Paraphrasing And Summarizing

Paraphrasing involves restating the content of a passage in your own words, while Summarizing involves concisely stating the main points of a work or passage. Paraphrasing usually Retains more detail from the original text, while summarizing focuses on capturing the main points of the original text. Paraphrasing can be similar to or longer than the original text, while summaries are usually Significantly shorter.

10 Evaluation Essay examples

An evaluation essay can take different styles; there are argumentative evaluation essays, analytical evaluation essays,  Descriptive evaluation essays, and comparative evaluation essays. To write an evaluation essay, start by choosing a suitable topic, setting evaluation criteria, gathering evidence to back your evaluation, creating an outline to guide your evaluation essay, writing your evaluation, and editing to ensure the final draft is error-free.

10 Expository Essay Examples

There are different types of expository essays, such as descriptive essays, process essays, comparison and contrast essays, cause-and-effect essays, and problem-and-solution essays. To write an expository essay, you must start by thoroughly understanding the purpose of the essay, conducting research, writing your thesis, creating an outline for your essay, drafting your essay, and editing it.

How To Write Essays With CoWriter

To write an essay using CoWriter, sign up on CoWriter to access its writing tools. Choose a suitable for your essay and conduct research using CoWriter to gather relevant sources. Develop a thesis statement and create an outline using CoWriter. Write the essay with the help of our AI writing assistant and cite relevant sources. Lastly, edit and proofread the final draft.