What is an annotated bibliography?

Annotated bibliographies provide basic bibliographic information in a standard style of documentation, as in a traditional bibliography or “works cited” page; the only difference is that each source is “annotated” with a statement about the text. This statement can range in length from 150-250 words and should provide insight into your source.

What are the benefits of an annotated bibliography? 

There are several benefits to creating an annotated bibliography: for one, an annotated bibliography essentially functions as a “go-to” sheet of sources that you’ve used, the info that each source contains, and a ready-made bibliographic citation. Moreover, writing an annotated bibliography helps develop critical thinking and writing skills because you are distilling the source’s key points. In other words, writing an annotated bibliography requires more than just receiving information but actively analyzing the source’s argument and how the information is presented to you. Key skills such as paraphrasing are essential when writing an annotated bibliography!

What information should an annotation contain?

A basic annotation will include a bibliographic citation and an overview of the source’s contents. Provide the author’s thesis statement, main points, evidence supporting main points, and conclusion, and how this information is organized and presented to the reader. Report if the author uses any visual evidence (charts, graphs, photographs, etc.) and if those are relevant to the overall argument. When writing your annotation, avoid including direct quotes from the source; the annotation should be written in your own words and demonstrate your own understanding of the source’s information.

Some annotations are evaluative, meaning that the annotation will offer an assessment of the source’s information, argument, targeted audience, or relevance to certain topics. An evaluative annotation helps you decide which sources you will eventually include in your final project, aids in developing your own argument rather than repeating someone else’s argument, and helps prevent plagiarism.

Writing the annotation: some prompts to get you started. 

It can seem intimidating to boil down a complex article or an entire book to 250 words so here are some questions that might help you organize your thoughts. As with any research project or paper, an annotated bibliography may undergo several drafts so the best place to start is just getting started! 

Analyzing the argument

1. What does the author want you to believe? What (or who) does the author seem to be responding to?
2. What is the author’s main claim? What reasons and evidence support that claim? Can you determine the author’s methodology? Is there a theoretical approach underpinning their argument?
3. What type of evidence is used in the article (statistics, field research, quotes)? What kind of visual information is used — charts, graphs, photographs, etc.
4. Does the visual evidence add or detract to the argument?
5. Does the author’s evidence support the claim? Does the conclusion make sense given the progression of the argument?
6. Glance at the bibliography: what kinds of sources does your source use? (This is an excellent way to get an introduction/layout of a topic and its research history!)

Analyzing the source’s source: the author and the publisher

1. Who is the author? Are they well-known in their field? Have they published on this topic before?
2. If this is an article: it should be clear to your reader if the article comes from a newspaper or magazine or peer-reviewed journal; if necessary, look up the editorial guidelines for the newspaper/magazine/journal — usually found at the publisher’s website. This all helps you determine the context of your source and how the article’s argument and information fits in with the overall editorial philosophy of the source. For example, note the difference in descriptions for these two peer-reviewed journals: HAU: Journal of Ethnographic Theory and Journal of Contemporary Ethnography.
3. Similarly, If the source is a book you may want to indicate if this book is a mainstream or academic publisher, any editorial guidelines or philosophy, or if the book is part of an ongoing series.

Determining the source’s relevance to your topic

1. Who will benefit the most from this source: people looking for an introduction to the topic or specialists in the field, or somewhere in between?
2. How will the information in this source relate to your own research project? Does it provide additional evidence to support your idea(s), offer a counter-argument, point you towards additional sources, or something else?

Resources

Annotated Bibliography Sources

• Purdue OWL: Annotated Bibliography
• Williams College Library: Writing an Annotated Bibliography
• Cal Poly: How to write an annotated bibliography

Reading and Analyzing Sources

• Chapter 3, “A Tookit of Analytical Methods” from Writing Analytically, 5th edition by David Rosenwasser and Jill Stephens (PDF in Google Drive folder). This chapter contains some excellent practical tips and exercises designed to engage your critical thinking and writing skills. 
• “How to Read a Book” by Paul N. Edwards (PDF in Google Drive folder). Short and thorough guide to reading for information and includes actionable tips that can be modified to reading any type of source. 
• Brooklyn College Library: Integrating Sources In Your Writing
• The Craft of Research, 3rd ed. by Wayne Booth, an excellent source that breaks down the research process into manageable steps and helps you develop your own argument, too. The link sends you to The Craft of Research available as an electronic resource from the Brooklyn College Library’s website.