WHY MAKE AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY?
The act of research involves taking a very close look at a topic of interest.
Creating an annotated bibliography involves gathering the most important sources of information about one's topic. These sources can be used later as evidence to support an argument or analysis in a larger research project, like a research essay.
SO, WHAT IS AN ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY?
An annotated bibliography is a list of high-quality sources that you have found about your topic. The list contains sources such as books, articles, and documents that you have found about your research topic.
- Each source is cited using a citation style (for example MLA, APA, Chicago, etc), and these
- Each cited source in the list is followed by a brief "annotation" (usually about 150 words) that is a descriptive and evaluative paragraph.
- Write annotations with your audience in mind; remember, the purpose of the annotation is partly to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited. Another purpose is to remind the researcher (you) how you might use the source to support your thesis in a larger, related research project.
ANNOTATIONS are not ABSTRACTS
Annotations are descriptive and critical; they expose the author's point of view, clarity and appropriateness of expression, and authority. Abstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes.
THE PROCESS in a few easy steps
Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research.
- Understand the rules that your instructor has provided.
- 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.
SOURCE: Adapted from Research & Learning Services, Olin Library, Cornell University Library, Ithaca, NY, USA.