About Annotated Bibliographies
What is an Annotated Bibliography?
- Annotation: Evaluation or summary
- Bibliography: A list of sources used in researching a topic; sometimes called References or Works Cited
- Annotated Bibliography: Includes a source citation with summary, evaluation, analysis, or description (or a combination of these) of each source listed; contains information beyond basic citation.
What is the Purpose of an Annotated Bibliography?
- To learn more about or better understand a topic
- To help other researchers or students
What is the Organization of an Annotated Bibliography Document?
- Title page: Annotated Bibliography or Annotated List of Works Cited
- Bibliographic entries arranged alphabetically by the first author’s last name or institutional author
What are the Elements of an Annotated Citation?
- Citation of Source: First line flush left; second line (if needed) indented 0.5”. Begin annotation immediately after the bibliographic information of the source ends using a 1” hanging indent.
- Summary: Description of the content, scope, and main arguments or information in the source.
- Evaluation: Assessment of the credibility of the author/institution and the quality of the information.
- Relevance: Explanation of how this source contributes to the research theme and why it is valuable for understanding the chosen topic.
To learn more, view this brief video tutorial, Annotated Bibliographies Explained:
