An annotated bibliography is a type of bibliography that includes a concise summary or evaluation (an annotation) of each source listed. Each annotation typically consists of a brief paragraph, usually around 100-200 words, that provides a summary of the source's content, its relevance to the research topic, and an evaluation of its quality, accuracy, and significance.
Here's what each component of an annotated bibliography typically includes:
Citation: Each entry in an annotated bibliography begins with a bibliographic citation in a specific citation style (such as APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.). This citation provides all the necessary information to identify and locate the source, including the author's name, title of the work, publication date, publisher, and any other relevant details.
Summary: Following the citation, the annotation provides a brief summary of the source's content. This summary should give the reader a clear idea of what the source is about, including its main arguments, key findings, and/or major themes.
Evaluation: After summarizing the content, the annotation includes an evaluation of the source. This evaluation may assess the source's reliability, credibility, and authority, as well as its relevance and usefulness to the research topic. It may also discuss the source's strengths and weaknesses, its methodology, and its contribution to the scholarly conversation on the topic.
Reflection (optional): A reflection section where the researcher discusses their own thoughts, opinions, and reactions to the source. This reflection can provide additional context and insight into why the source is included in the bibliography and how it contributes to the author's research.
Like literature reviews, annotated bibliographies are used in academic research to provide an overview of the literature on a particular topic to demonstrate the discourse and the research of the author. Annotated bibliographies can be stand alone research documents or part of a larger research project.
Below is an example of a published Annotated Bibliography. The green highlight shows the citation portion, the red section demonstrates a summary, and the blue sections are the evaluation of the sources by the author.
Like other published works, Annotated Bibliographies are written with introductions and abstracts. For this full Annotated Bibliography, visit:
