Annotated Bibliographies

An annotated bibliography (sometimes called source analysis) is a critically evaluated list of books, articles, and other resources you consult in preparation for a research project. It consists of a list of citations in alphabetical order by author (the bibliography), each of which is immediately followed by an evaluation in paragraph format (the annotation). An annotated bibliography is arranged in alphabetical order by the first author of each work.

The length of each entry in an annotated bibliography may vary, but it must be long enough to answer all the required questions about the source. This requires at least one full paragraph, but more than that is often needed to thoroughly analyze each source.

Page Contents:

• Why Write an Annotated Bibliography?
• Elements of an Annotated Bibliography

Why Write an Annotated Bibliography?

Writing annotations helps you:

• Get started on a lengthy research project.
• Develop your own research question, thesis, or hypothesis. As you read, you will start to recognize trends or gaps in the literature that will help you form ideas and create original work.
• Gain a thorough understanding of your topic.
• Decide which sources will best support your project.
• Help you recognize different perspectives on the topic and address those perspectives in your own work.
• Signal where you need to revise or add to your research process.

Elements of an Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is made up of two parts.

The citation is a stylized reference to a source listing the essential components of the work including creators, titles, dates, and other details. It allows your readers to find the work themselves if they want to. For more about citing, see the library's APA Citing Sources guide.

The annotation is an original, critical evaluation of the work, usually about a paragraph or two in length. An annotation is not a restatement of the item’s title or a reworking of a published summary. It is your own evaluation of the item, contextualized within your research project. It appears directly below the corresponding citation in paragraph format.

Annotations should do the following (not necessarily in this order):

• Include a statement that accurately represents and indicates that you understand the author’s thesis, hypothesis, or research question.
• Summarize the content and conclusions.
• Describe the evidence/data used to support the thesis/research question.
• Evaluate how the source fits into the broader range of research on this topic.
• Explain how the source supports, contradicts, or questions other sources you identified in the annotated bibliography.
• Provide specific examples of ways in which the source is helpful for your own research - whether the source supports your initial ideas or provides a different/contradictory point of view.

Many databases provide abstracts (or summaries) of books and articles You may not copy those abstracts and present them as your own annotations. Doing so would constitute plagiarism!