What is an Annotated Bibliography?
An annotated bibliography provides a summary and/or evaluation of each work listed in the bibliography, in addition to providing citations (title of the work, who wrote the work, where and when it was published) for a specific topic area.
It is a research tool to assist you in synthesizing and reviewing your sources. Those reading the annotations can learn the nature of the works, as well as gain a sense of the usefulness of sources in relation to the reader's own research needs.
How Do I Write an Annotated Citation?
Elements of an Annotated Citation
The first part of an annotated citation is
- a citation written in a standard documentation style, such as APA.
The second part of the annotated citation will consist of the following elements and may vary in length from several sentences to a page. Consult your instructor for guidance.
- Description of the main points of the source, the primary purpose of the work and conclusions drawn by the author.
- Evaluation of the source discussing the authority of the author and point of view represented and the presence of any bias
- Analysis of how the material will assist in your own work.
Example from the Purdue University's OWL (Online Writing Lab)
