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Annotated Bibliography : Writing Annotations

The purpose of this guide is to introduce students to the process of writing an annotated bibliography.

Annotations

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations for all of your sources on a topic (articles, books, and more). The annotated bibliography looks like a reference or works cited page, but underneath each reference list entry is an annotation on that source. An annotation ranges from a paragraph to a handful of paragraphs and contains a short summary and/or a critical evaluation of the source. 

Types of annotations

  • A summary annotation describes the source by summarizing information about the authors, the information provided in the source, the purpose of the document, and any other relevant background information on the source. 
  • An evaluative annotation includes a summary, but also critically assesses the work for accuracy, relevance, and quality. These types of annotations can help you decide how the source will be useful for your project or assignment, and if there is enough information on your topic to be able to complete your assignment. 

Questions to Consider When Writing an Annotation

These questions are intended to get you started on writing an annotation, and do not completely represent all of the considerations you could make in your annotation. Thinking about these questions and taking notes while you are reading your sources can help you create your annotations. 

Summary annotation

  • Who wrote the document?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • What does the document discuss?
  • What are the main take-aways? What did the authors find?
  • When and where was the document written? 
  • Where did you find the source?
  • How old is the document?
  • Who was the research funded by?
  • How is the document made available to the public? 

Evaluative annotation

  • Are there any conflicts of interest that may affect the validity or quality of the information?
  • Do the authors have any expertise in the subject area that would lend to the quality or validity of the information?
  • How does this source relate to others in your bibliography?
  • Is there any bias in the source?
  • Is there any unique information presented by this source?
  • Is there any information missing from this source? (Gaps in information?)
  • Does this source support or change your research focus?
  • Why are you including this source in your assignment project? How does it help you?