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What Is an Annotated Bibliography? | Examples & Format

Published on March 9, 2021 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 23, 2022.

An annotated bibliography is a list of source references that includes a short descriptive text (an annotation) for each source. It may be assigned as part of the research process for a paper , or as an individual assignment to gather and read relevant sources on a topic.

Scribbr’s free Citation Generator allows you to easily create and manage your annotated bibliography in APA or MLA style. To generate a perfectly formatted annotated bibliography, select the source type, fill out the relevant fields, and add your annotation.

An example of an annotated source is shown below:

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Table of contents

Annotated bibliography format: apa, mla, chicago, how to write an annotated bibliography, descriptive annotation example, evaluative annotation example, reflective annotation example, finding sources for your annotated bibliography, frequently asked questions about annotated bibliographies.

Make sure your annotated bibliography is formatted according to the guidelines of the style guide you’re working with. Three common styles are covered below:

In APA Style , both the reference entry and the annotation should be double-spaced and left-aligned.

The reference entry itself should have a hanging indent . The annotation follows on the next line, and the whole annotation should be indented to match the hanging indent. The first line of any additional paragraphs should be indented an additional time.

In an MLA style annotated bibliography , the Works Cited entry and the annotation are both double-spaced and left-aligned.

The Works Cited entry has a hanging indent. The annotation itself is indented 1 inch (twice as far as the hanging indent). If there are two or more paragraphs in the annotation, the first line of each paragraph is indented an additional half-inch, but not if there is only one paragraph.

Chicago style

In a  Chicago style annotated bibliography , the bibliography entry itself should be single-spaced and feature a hanging indent.

The annotation should be indented, double-spaced, and left-aligned. The first line of any additional paragraphs should be indented an additional time.

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For each source, start by writing (or generating ) a full reference entry that gives the author, title, date, and other information. The annotated bibliography format varies based on the citation style you’re using.

The annotations themselves are usually between 50 and 200 words in length, typically formatted as a single paragraph. This can vary depending on the word count of the assignment, the relative length and importance of different sources, and the number of sources you include.

Consider the instructions you’ve been given or consult your instructor to determine what kind of annotations they’re looking for:

• Descriptive annotations : When the assignment is just about gathering and summarizing information, focus on the key arguments and methods of each source.
• Evaluative annotations : When the assignment is about evaluating the sources , you should also assess the validity and effectiveness of these arguments and methods.
• Reflective annotations : When the assignment is part of a larger research process, you need to consider the relevance and usefulness of the sources to your own research.

These specific terms won’t necessarily be used. The important thing is to understand the purpose of your assignment and pick the approach that matches it best. Interactive examples of the different styles of annotation are shown below.

A descriptive annotation summarizes the approach and arguments of a source in an objective way, without attempting to assess their validity.

In this way, it resembles an abstract , but you should never just copy text from a source’s abstract, as this would be considered plagiarism . You’ll naturally cover similar ground, but you should also consider whether the abstract omits any important points from the full text.

The interactive example shown below describes an article about the relationship between business regulations and CO 2 emissions.

Rieger, A. (2019). Doing business and increasing emissions? An exploratory analysis of the impact of business regulation on CO 2 emissions. Human Ecology Review , 25 (1), 69–86. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26964340

An evaluative annotation also describes the content of a source, but it goes on to evaluate elements like the validity of the source’s arguments and the appropriateness of its methods .

For example, the following annotation describes, and evaluates the effectiveness of, a book about the history of Western philosophy.

Kenny, A. (2010). A new history of Western philosophy: In four parts . Oxford University Press.

A reflective annotation is similar to an evaluative one, but it focuses on the source’s usefulness or relevance to your own research.

Reflective annotations are often required when the point is to gather sources for a future research project, or to assess how they were used in a project you already completed.

The annotation below assesses the usefulness of a particular article for the author’s own research in the field of media studies.

Manovich, Lev. (2009). The practice of everyday (media) life: From mass consumption to mass cultural production? Critical Inquiry , 35 (2), 319–331. https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.1086/596645

Manovich’s article assesses the shift from a consumption-based media culture (in which media content is produced by a small number of professionals and consumed by a mass audience) to a production-based media culture (in which this mass audience is just as active in producing content as in consuming it). He is skeptical of some of the claims made about this cultural shift; specifically, he argues that the shift towards user-made content must be regarded as more reliant upon commercial media production than it is typically acknowledged to be. However, he regards web 2.0 as an exciting ongoing development for art and media production, citing its innovation and unpredictability.

The article is outdated in certain ways (it dates from 2009, before the launch of Instagram, to give just one example). Nevertheless, its critical engagement with the possibilities opened up for media production by the growth of social media is valuable in a general sense, and its conceptualization of these changes frequently applies just as well to more current social media platforms as it does to Myspace. Conceptually, I intend to draw on this article in my own analysis of the social dynamics of Twitter and Instagram.

Before you can write your annotations, you’ll need to find sources . If the annotated bibliography is part of the research process for a paper, your sources will be those you consult and cite as you prepare the paper. Otherwise, your assignment and your choice of topic will guide you in what kind of sources to look for.

Make sure that you’ve clearly defined your topic , and then consider what keywords are relevant to it, including variants of the terms. Use these keywords to search databases (e.g., Google Scholar ), using Boolean operators to refine your search.

Sources can include journal articles, books, and other source types , depending on the scope of the assignment. Read the abstracts or blurbs of the sources you find to see whether they’re relevant, and try exploring their bibliographies to discover more. If a particular source keeps showing up, it’s probably important.

Once you’ve selected an appropriate range of sources, read through them, taking notes that you can use to build up your annotations. You may even prefer to write your annotations as you go, while each source is fresh in your mind.

An annotated bibliography is an assignment where you collect sources on a specific topic and write an annotation for each source. An annotation is a short text that describes and sometimes evaluates the source.

Any credible sources on your topic can be included in an annotated bibliography . The exact sources you cover will vary depending on the assignment, but you should usually focus on collecting journal articles and scholarly books . When in doubt, utilize the CRAAP test !

Each annotation in an annotated bibliography is usually between 50 and 200 words long. Longer annotations may be divided into paragraphs .

The content of the annotation varies according to your assignment. An annotation can be descriptive, meaning it just describes the source objectively; evaluative, meaning it assesses its usefulness; or reflective, meaning it explains how the source will be used in your own research .

A source annotation in an annotated bibliography fulfills a similar purpose to an abstract : they’re both intended to summarize the approach and key points of a source.

However, an annotation may also evaluate the source , discussing the validity and effectiveness of its arguments. Even if your annotation is purely descriptive , you may have a different perspective on the source from the author and highlight different key points.

You should never just copy text from the abstract for your annotation, as doing so constitutes plagiarism .

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Caulfield, J. (2022, August 23). What Is an Annotated Bibliography? | Examples & Format. Scribbr. Retrieved August 29, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/citing-sources/annotated-bibliography/

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How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography: The Annotated Bibliography

• The Annotated Bibliography
• Fair Use of this Guide

Explanation, Process, Directions, and Examples

What is an annotated bibliography.

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Annotations vs. Abstracts

Abstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes. Annotations are descriptive and critical; they may describe the author's point of view, authority, or clarity and appropriateness of expression.

The Process

Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research.

First, locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic. Briefly examine and review the actual items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.

Cite the book, article, or document using the appropriate style.

Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.

Critically Appraising the Book, Article, or Document

For guidance in critically appraising and analyzing the sources for your bibliography, see How to Critically Analyze Information Sources . For information on the author's background and views, ask at the reference desk for help finding appropriate biographical reference materials and book review sources.

Choosing the Correct Citation Style

Check with your instructor to find out which style is preferred for your class. Online citation guides for both the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) styles are linked from the Library's Citation Management page .

Sample Annotated Bibliography Entries

The following example uses APA style ( Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th edition, 2019) for the journal citation:

Waite, L., Goldschneider, F., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American Sociological Review, 51 (4), 541-554. The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

This example uses MLA style ( MLA Handbook , 9th edition, 2021) for the journal citation. For additional annotation guidance from MLA, see 5.132: Annotated Bibliographies .

Waite, Linda J., et al. "Nonfamily Living and the Erosion of Traditional Family Orientations Among Young Adults." American Sociological Review, vol. 51, no. 4, 1986, pp. 541-554. The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography - APA Style (7th Edition)

What is an annotation, how is an annotation different from an abstract, what is an annotated bibliography, types of annotated bibliographies, descriptive or informative, analytical or critical, to get started.

An annotation is more than just a brief summary of an article, book, website, or other type of publication. An annotation should give enough information to make a reader decide whether to read the complete work. In other words, if the reader were exploring the same topic as you, is this material useful and if so, why?

While an abstract also summarizes an article, book, website, or other type of publication, it is purely descriptive. Although annotations can be descriptive, they also include distinctive features about an item. Annotations can be evaluative and critical as we will see when we look at the two major types of annotations.

An annotated bibliography is an organized list of sources (like a reference list). It differs from a straightforward bibliography in that each reference is followed by a paragraph length annotation, usually 100–200 words in length.

Depending on the assignment, an annotated bibliography might have different purposes:

• Provide a literature review on a particular subject
• Help to formulate a thesis on a subject
• Demonstrate the research you have performed on a particular subject
• Provide examples of major sources of information available on a topic
• Describe items that other researchers may find of interest on a topic

There are two major types of annotated bibliographies:

A descriptive or informative annotated bibliography describes or summarizes a source as does an abstract; it describes why the source is useful for researching a particular topic or question and its distinctive features. In addition, it describes the author's main arguments and conclusions without evaluating what the author says or concludes.

For example:

McKinnon, A. (2019). Lessons learned in year one of business.  Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting ,  30 (4), 26–28. This article describes some of the difficulties many nurses experience when transitioning from nursing to a legal nurse consulting business. Pointing out issues of work-life balance, as well as the differences of working for someone else versus working for yourself, the author offers their personal experience as a learning tool. The process of becoming an entrepreneur is not often discussed in relation to nursing, and rarely delves into only the first year of starting a new business. Time management, maintaining an existing job, decision-making, and knowing yourself in order to market yourself are discussed with some detail. The author goes on to describe how important both the nursing professional community will be to a new business, and the importance of mentorship as both the mentee and mentor in individual success that can be found through professional connections. The article’s focus on practical advice for nurses seeking to start their own business does not detract from the advice about universal struggles of entrepreneurship makes this an article of interest to a wide-ranging audience.

An analytical or critical annotation not only summarizes the material, it analyzes what is being said. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of what is presented as well as describing the applicability of the author's conclusions to the research being conducted.

Analytical or critical annotations will most likely be required when writing for a college-level course.

McKinnon, A. (2019). Lessons learned in year one of business.  Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting ,  30 (4), 26–28. This article describes some of the difficulty many nurses experience when transitioning from nursing to a nurse consulting business. While the article focuses on issues of work-life balance, the differences of working for someone else versus working for yourself, marketing, and other business issues the author’s offer of only their personal experience is brief with few or no alternative solutions provided. There is no mention throughout the article of making use of other research about starting a new business and being successful. While relying on the anecdotal advice for their list of issues, the author does reference other business resources such as the Small Business Administration to help with business planning and professional organizations that can help with mentorships. The article is a good resource for those wanting to start their own legal nurse consulting business, a good first advice article even. However, entrepreneurs should also use more business research studies focused on starting a new business, with strategies against known or expected pitfalls and issues new businesses face, and for help on topics the author did not touch in this abbreviated list of lessons learned.

Now you are ready to begin writing your own annotated bibliography.

• Choose your sources - Before writing your annotated bibliography, you must choose your sources. This involves doing research much like for any other project. Locate records to materials that may apply to your topic.
• Review the items - Then review the actual items and choose those that provide a wide variety of perspectives on your topic. Article abstracts are helpful in this process.
• The purpose of the work
• A summary of its content
• Information about the author(s)
• For what type of audience the work is written
• Its relevance to the topic
• Any special or unique features about the material
• Research methodology
• The strengths, weaknesses or biases in the material

Annotated bibliographies may be arranged alphabetically or chronologically, check with your instructor to see what he or she prefers.

Please see the  APA Examples page  for more information on citing in APA style.

• Last Updated: Aug 8, 2023 11:27 AM
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A Guide to Annotated Bibliographies

What is an annotated bibliography.

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources on a single topic, with an annotation provided for each source. An annotation is a one or two paragraph summary and/or analysis of an article, book, or other source. Generally, the first paragraph of the annotation provides a summary of the source in direct, clear terms. The second paragraph provides an analysis or evaluation of the source, taking into consideration the validity, audience, holes in the argument, etc.

The sources are typically listed in alphabetical order. They can sometimes be organized by subject, but the entries in every group should be listed in alphabetical order.

For each source, provide the bibliographic citation (the citation as it would appear in a Works Cited or References page) in your chosen citation style. 

Note: Always check with your professor to see exactly what they want included in your annotations. Also, check with your professor on the length of each annotation. Always get specific guidelines. 

Why write or use annotated bibliographies?

Writing an annotated bibliography gives a researcher a way to organize their sources as well as aiding other researchers interested in the same topic. Composing annotations also helps you look at your sources more carefully and critically. When you are researching a topic, browsing through another writer's annotated bibliography can help guide your research. Reading annotated bibliographies is a great way to see if specific sources are useful. 

What types of annotations are there?

There are three main types of annotations, and the different kinds of information can be combined, such as the summary and evaluation or evaluation and reflection, etc.

The summary—This type of annotation provides a summary of the source. The summary often begins by describing the source's purpose, then describes the method the source author(s) used in their argument or study, and ends with providing the main finding(s) or conclusion(s).

The evaluation—This type of annotation examines the source’s strengths and weaknesses. It may also state why/how the article is useful or interesting and who it would be useful for (someone new to the topic, someone knowledgeable about the topic, graduate students or professional, undergraduates, etc).

The reflection—This type of annotation states how the source informed (or did not inform) your research. It may also state how the source helped shape your argument and/or how it changed your view on the topic.

Check with your instructor on the kinds of information they want your annotations to include.

How should you write an annotation?

• Annotations should be brief.
• Use clear, direct language.
• Consider launching the annotation with a statement that describes the source author's purpose. This statement can prepare readers to interpret the source author's thesis, conclusions, or findings more easily.
• The summary of the source should not just describe what the article is about. It should provide the source's specific conclusions or findings. (Compare: "The researchers discuss the positive impact of student-teacher relationships" versus "The researchers showed that strong relationships between students and teachers were associated with better learning and behavior outcomes for students.")
• Omit references to background material and previous works by the author.
• Mention only directly significant details.

Sample Annotations

The first is an example of an annotation done in two paragraphs and written in complete sentences. This type of annotation is the most thorough. The first paragraph summarizes the source’s argument, and the second paragraph evaluates the source. The second annotation is more informal and written in phrases. It gives a basic summary and evaluation. The third is similar to the second in that it provides summary and evaluation, but it is written in full sentences. These are only three examples of the many different forms an annotation can take. Always check with your professor for guidelines on length, style, and content. Note the use of the third person and the use of the source author’s name only once in the beginning.

Bedrosian, Margaret. “Grounding the Self: The Image of the Buddha in Gary Snyder’s Myths & Texts.” South Asian Review 17.14 (1993): 57-69.

Bedrosian states that Gary Snyder has internalized both Buddhist and American Indian myth and lore as a way through which he can apply their truths to contemporary American culture and society, as he does in his collection Myths & Texts. Snyder restates the Buddhist four noble truths for modern man’s needs. This didactic element gives bare directions in poems such as “For The Children.” At other times his poetry reads like a Zen koan designed to puzzle and shock one into enlightenment. Snyder blends myth into his texts as a way to help modern American culture by infusing it with new “cultural options.”

This article is a very thoughtful examination of Snyder’s collection Myths & Texts, yet it is hard to judge the objectivity of the author since she taught at the same university in 1993 that Snyder does now. However, this article contextualizes Snyder’s work in both the Buddhist and American Indian traditions that he draws from and reinvents.

Elkin, P.K. The Augustan Defense of Satire. Oxford: Clarendon, 1973.

Excellent look at Augustan satire from many different angles. Places Augustan satire firmly in context through a thorough discussion. Focuses on the attacks upon and defenses of Augustan satire. Moves quickly and sensibly through the argument; rules the defense as inadequate based upon modern notions of satire. Provides an extensive, useful bibliography. Immensely helpful to any scholar of the Eighteenth century and/or satire.

Ronald, Kate and Hephizbah Roskelly. “Untested Feasibility: Imagining the Pragmatic Possibility of Paulo Freire.” College English 63.5 (May 2001): 612-32.

Ronald and Roskelly expand upon the possibilities that lay within Freire’s pedagogy. They make a comparison between Freire and the North American pragmatists. Discourse and action are inter-related, and process is communal, not solely individual. They expand on the idea that experience is a source of knowledge and action is a way of knowing. Freire’s four pragmatic principles of literacy and education are clearly laid out. This article fits in as a way to understand the practical applications of Freire’s pedagogy. While this article spends a lot of time on North American pragmatists, it does break down Freire’s pedagogy very well.

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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

Writing annotations.

• Introduction
• New RefWorks
• Formatting Citations
• Sample Annotated Bibliographies

An annotation is a brief note following each citation listed on an annotated bibliography.  The goal is to briefly summarize the source and/or explain why it is important for a topic.  They are typically a single concise paragraph, but might be longer if you are summarizing and evaluating.

Annotations can be written in a variety of different ways and it’s important to consider the style you are going to use.  Are you simply summarizing the sources, or evaluating them?  How does the source influence your understanding of the topic?  You can follow any style you want if you are writing for your own personal research process, but consult with your professor if this is an assignment for a class.

Annotation Styles

• Combined Informative/Evaluative Style - This style is recommended by the library as it combines all the styles to provide a more complete view of a source.  The annotation should explain the value of the source for the overall research topic by providing a summary combined with an analysis of the source.  

Aluedse, O. (2006). Bullying in schools: A form of child abuse in schools.  Educational Research Quarterly ,  30 (1), 37.

The author classifies bullying in schools as a “form of child abuse,” and goes well beyond the notion that schoolyard bullying is “just child’s play.” The article provides an in-depth definition of bullying, and explores the likelihood that school-aged bullies may also experience difficult lives as adults. The author discusses the modern prevalence of bullying in school systems, the effects of bullying, intervention strategies, and provides an extensive list of resources and references.

Statistics included provide an alarming realization that bullying is prevalent not only in the United States, but also worldwide. According to the author, “American schools harbor approximately 2.1 million bullies and 2.7 million victims.” The author references the National Association of School Psychologists and quotes, “Thus, one in seven children is a bully or a target of bullying.” A major point of emphasis centers around what has always been considered a “normal part of growing up” versus the levels of actual abuse reached in today’s society.

The author concludes with a section that addresses intervention strategies for school administrators, teachers, counselors, and school staff. The concept of school staff helping build students’ “social competence” is showcased as a prevalent means of preventing and reducing this growing social menace. Overall, the article is worthwhile for anyone interested in the subject matter, and provides a wealth of resources for researching this topic of growing concern.

(Renfrow & Teuton, 2008)

• Informative Style -  Similar to an abstract, this style focuses on the summarizing the source.  The annotation should identify the hypothesis, results, and conclusions presented by the source.

Plester, B., Wood, C, & Bell, V. (2008). Txt msg n school literacy: Does texting and knowledge of text abbreviations adversely affect children's literacy attainment? Literacy , 42(3), 137-144.

Reports on two studies that investigated the relationship between children's texting behavior, their knowledge of text abbreviations, and their school attainment in written language skills. In Study One, 11 to 12 year-old children reported their texting behavior and translated a standard English sentence into a text message and vice versa. In Study Two, children's performance on writing measures were examined more specifically, spelling proficiency was also assessed, and KS2 Writing scores were obtained. Positive correlations between spelling ability and performance on the translation exercise were found, and group-based comparisons based on the children's writing scores also showed that good writing attainment was associated with greater use of texting abbreviations (textisms), although the direction of this association is not clear. Overall, these findings suggest that children's knowledge of textisms is not associated with poor written language outcomes for children in this age range. 

(Beach et al., 2009)

• Evaluative Style - This style analyzes and critically evaluates the source.  The annotation should comment on the source's the strengths, weaknesses, and how it relates to the overall research topic.

Amott, T. (1993). Caught in the Crisis: Women in the U.S. Economy Today . New York: Monthly Review Press.

A very readable (140 pp) economic analysis and information book which I am currently considering as a required collateral assignment in Economics 201. Among its many strengths is a lucid connection of "The Crisis at Home" with the broader, macroeconomic crisis of the U.S. working class (which various other authors have described as the shrinking middle class or the crisis of de-industrialization).

(Papadantonakis, 1996)

• Indicative Style - This style of annotation identifies the main theme and lists the significant topics included in the source.  Usually no specific details are given beyond the topic list . 

Example: 

Gambell, T.J., & Hunter, D. M. (1999). Rethinking gender differences in literacy. Canadian Journal of Education , 24(1) 1-16.

Five explanations are offered for recently assessed gender differences in the literacy achievement of male and female students in Canada and other countries. The explanations revolve around evaluative bias, home socialization, role and societal expectations, male psychology, and equity policy.

(Kerka & Imel, 2004)

Beach, R., Bigelow, M., Dillon, D., Dockter, J., Galda, L., Helman, L., . . . Janssen, T. (2009). Annotated Bibliography of Research in the Teaching of English.  Research in the Teaching of English,   44 (2), 210-241. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27784357

Kerka, S., & Imel, S. (2004). Annotated bibliography: Women and literacy.  Women's Studies Quarterly,  32 (1), 258-271. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/233645656?accountid=2909

Papadantonakis, K. (1996). Selected Annotated Bibliography for Economists and Other Social Scientists.  Women's Studies Quarterly,   24 (3/4), 233-238. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/40004384

Renfrow, T.G., & Teuton, L.M. (2008). Schoolyard bullying: Peer victimization an annotated bibliography. Community & Junior College Libraries, 14(4), 251-­275. doi:10.1080/02763910802336407

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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography

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What's an annotated bibliography?

Jump to: How to write an annotated bibliography | How to format an annotated bibliography

Your sources, explained

Annotated bibliographies contain short descriptions and evaluations of the sources you find related to a particular project or paper. They help us practice critical thinking skills such as summarizing, analyzing, and evaluating information. In an annotated bibliography, you explain to your readers the sources you used to learn about a particular topic or area of research. They can be a great starting point for research because they compile and evaluate the available information on a topic, helping readers (and you!) choose information that is relevant, credible, and useful.

The point of an annotated bibliography is to tell the story of your research. It's a way to prove that you've read and thought critically about the information you've encountered, and to help your readers quickly learn about sources that are important to a particular topic. When you sit down to write a paper after completing an annotated bibliography, you'll have a strong foundation of information on your topic and a plan for how to use that information to support your writing.

How do I get started?

Step 1: Cite

• Cite each source as you normally would for a bibliography or references list.
• Make sure you're following the citation style requirements of your course, major, or program.

Step 2: Summarize

• What's its thesis? What are the major points or pieces of evidence used to support that thesis? What are the authors' main conclusions?
• For empirical studies, it might be important to include information about the study's methods and participants.
• Annotations are typically brief, so keep your summary short (2-3 sentences).
• TIP: How would you describe the source to someone who doesn't know anything about the topic? Approaching a summary in this way can help you determine what's most important to include and what details you can leave out.

Step 3: Evaluate

• The authority and credibility of the source and its author(s) 
• The intended audience of the source (experts, the general public, students, etc.)
• The quality of the source's arguments and evidence
• How is the information useful, unique, or important? If it isn't, why?
• How does the source answer your research questions? Will you use it in your project or paper? Why or why not?

How do I format an annotated bibliography?

Check your style manual.

The manual for your required citation style will likely have guidance on how to format your annotated bibliography. Formatting guidelines for common citation styles at UJ are included here.

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Writing an annotated bibliography

How to select resources and write an annotated bibliography.

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography reviews the research published on your problem of study. Unlike a literature review, articles are reviewed separately with a full citation, brief summary of their content and a statement on how or why they apply to your research. It is a list of citations, each followed by a short paragraph, of 150 – 200 words, reviewing each source. Depending on your assignment, in this paragraph you may reflect on, summarise, critique, evaluate or analyse the source.

An annotated bibliography may be a component of a larger assignment or it may be a standalone document.

Why write an annotated bibliography?

Depending on your specific assessment, you may be asked to create an annotated bibliography for the following reasons:

• To familiarise yourself with the material available on a particular topic
• To demonstrate the quality and depth of reading that you have done
• To identify range of sources available on your topic
• To highlight sources that may be of interest to other readers and researchers
• To explore and organise sources for further research, e.g. as the first step toward a literature review

What kind of resources should be studied?

Review recent academic materials such as academic books and peer reviewed journals. Textbooks and web pages are generally not appropriate as the content may be either too broad or unreliable.

The sources you choose will depend on your topic. Choose sources which most closely answer a clearly defined question or problem from a balanced range of approaches, not only those which confirm your current beliefs. Also, include any references which are considered central to your topic.

How to create an annotated bibliography

These are good places to start:

• Your lecture notes / references given in class
• The Library Guide for your subject
• The subject liaison librarian

First, read abstracts or academic book reviews to help you select studies most relevant to your problem, then select the most suitable from those to read in full.  Take notes on your selected texts as you read. Pay attention to:

• the author’s theoretical approach.
• which parts of the topic are covered in this paper.
• main points or findings on the topic.
• the author’s position or argument.

Record evaluations in your notes; your bibliography should not merely be a catalogue but present your own informed position on the texts and the topic as a whole.

• How well does this text address your topic?
• Does it cover the topic thoroughly or only one aspect of it?
• Do the research methods seem appropriate and does the argument stand up to scrutiny?
• Does it agree with or contradict other studies?
• List texts in alphabetical order using citation conventions for a reference list.
• Create an annotation under each citation: a paragraph summarising each text and explaining how the text applies to your research question or problem. e.g. What aspect of your question/ problem does it address?  How fully? Does it provide background information/ theory / useful results? How strong is the evidence?  What are its limitations in answering your research question?

Find out what citation style you need to use, such as APA, Vancouver, MLA. Department style guides or detailed assignment briefs often provide information on this. Details of how to cite are explained in re:cite.

Write in complete sentences to create a cohesive ‘snapshot’ of the text and its contribution to your research. Be brief and selective; aim to outline the text in less than 200 words.

An annotation may contain all or part of the following elements depending on the word limit and the content of the sources you are examining:

You might include:

• the background of the author(s)
• the content or scope of the text
• the main argument
• the intended audience
• the research methods (if applicable)
• any conclusions made by the author/s
• comments on the reliability of the text
• any special features of the text that were helpful (charts, graphs etc.)
• the relevance or usefulness of the text for your research
• the strengths and limitations of the text

Below is a sample annotation (APA). The superscript numbers at the end of the sentence explain the features or elements covered.

Scoffer, J., Treet, M., Nibbell, A., Tayste, C., & Snacker, A. (2017). Visual priming for chocolate increases chocolate consumption–an attention bias modification study. Journal of Healthy Eating, 38(1), 176-183. 1

The study examines the effect of attention priming on subsequent chocolate consumption within a University context 2 . 120 subjects were primed with presentations of pictures either of shoes or chocolate, then participated in a chocolate search 3 . Findings indicated that the group primed with visual stimuli of chocolate showed significantly higher persistence in the chocolate searching task, consuming on average greater amounts of chocolate 4 . The authors contend that attention to food stimuli could increase risk of weight gain for many individuals 5 . By demonstrating the role of visual attention in subsequent food seeking behaviour and quantity consumed, this study provides evidence that such visual stimuli as web-based or billboard-based advertisements containing images of food may present a health risk to many individuals 6 . Limitations of the study include the lack of a true control since no non-primed condition was included. Another limitation is the use of a highly prized foodstuff, which limits the application of the findings to more everyday foods less closely related to reward 7 . However, the positive finding on the role of visual priming in food seeking and consumption provides useful support for the argument in my research that visual advertising contributes to weight problems, particularly in an obesogenic environment 8 .

1 Full citation

2 Aim and scope of the research

3 Brief summary of methods (where appropriate)

4 Summary of findings

5 Author’s main contention/ argument

6 Usefulness for your research

7 Limitations for your study

8 Reflection on how this work informs your research and how it will be applied.

As you research, keep in mind that annotated bibliographies are often preliminary research for a single, cohesive literature review about a situation or problem. Try to choose sources which together will present a comprehensive review of the issue under study.

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How to Write a Research Paper: Annotated Bibliography

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What is an Annotated Bibliography?

UMary Writing Center

Check out the resources available from the  Writing Center . 

Write an Annotated Bibliography

What is an annotated bibliography?

It is a list of citations for various books, articles, and other sources on a topic. 

An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source.

Annotated bibliographies answer the question: "What would be the most relevant, most useful, or most up-to-date sources for this topic?"

 Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself. 

Annotation versus abstracts 

An abstract is a paragraph at the beginning of the paper that discusses the main point of the original work. They typically do not include evaluation comments. 

Annotations can either be descriptive or evaluative. The annotated bibliography looks like a works cited page but includes an annotation after each source cited. 

Types of Annotations: 

Descriptive Annotations: Focuses on description. Describes the source by answering the following questions. 

Who wrote the document?

What does the document discuss?

When and where was the document written? 

Why was the document produced?

How was it provided to the public?

Evaluative Annotations: Focuses on description and evaluation. Includes a summary and critically assess the work for accuracy, relevance, and quality. 

Evaluative annotations help you learn about your topic, develop a thesis statement, decide if a specific source will be useful for your assignment, and determine if there is enough valid information available to complete your project.

What does the annotation include?

Depending on your assignment and style guide, annotations may include some or all of the following information. 

• Should be no more than 150 words or 4 to 6 sentences long. 
• What is the main focus or purpose of the work?
• Who is the intended audience?
• ​How useful or relevant was the article to your topic?
• Was there any unique features that useful to you?
• What is the background and credibility of the author?
• What are any conclusions or observations that your reached about the article?

Which citation style to use?

There are many styles manuals with specific instructions on how to format your annotated bibliography. This largely depends on what your instructor prefers or your subject discipline. Check out our citation guides for more information. 

Additional Information

Why doesn't APA have an official APA-approved format for annotated bibliographies?

Always consult your instructor about the format of an annotated bibliography for your class assignments. These guides provide you with examples of various styles for annotated bibliographies and they may not be in the format required by your instructor. 

Citation Examples and Annotations

Book Citation with Descriptive Annotation

Liroff, R. A., & G. G. Davis. (1981). Protecting open space: Land use control in the Adirondack Park. Cambridge, MA: Ballinger.

This book describes the implementation of regional planning and land use regulation in the Adirondack Park in upstate New York. The authors provide program evaluations of the Adirondack Park Agency’s regulatory and local planning assistance programs.

Journal Article Citation with Evaluative Annotation

Gottlieb, P. D. (1995). The “golden egg” as a natural resource: Toward a normative theory of growth management. Society and Natural Resources, 8, (5): 49-56.

This article explains the dilemma faced by North American suburbs, which demand both preservation of local amenities (to protect quality of life) and physical development (to expand the tax base). Growth management has been proposed as a policy solution to this dilemma. An analogy is made between this approach and resource economics. The author concludes that the growth management debate raises legitimate issues of sustainability and efficiency.

Examples were taken from http://lib.calpoly.edu/support/how-to/write-an-annotated-bibliography/#samples

Book Citation

Lee, Seok-hoon, Yong-pil Kim, Nigel Hemmington, and Deok-kyun Yun. “Competitive Service Quality Improvement (CSQI): A Case Study in the Fast-Food Industry.” Food Service Technology 4 (2004): 75-84.

In this highly technical paper, three industrial engineering professors in Korea and one services management professor in the UK discuss the mathematical limitations of the popular SERVQUAL scales. Significantly, they also aim to measure service quality in the fast-food industry, a neglected area of study. Unfortunately, the paper’s sophisticated analytical methods make it inaccessible to all but the most expert of researchers.

Battle, Ken. “Child Poverty: The Evolution and Impact of Child Benefits.”  A Question of Commitment: Children's Rights in Canada . Ed. Katherine Covell and R.Brian Howe. Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press. 2007. 21-44.

             Ken Battle draws on a close study of government documents, as well as his own research as an extensively-published policy analyst, to explain Canadian child benefit programs.  He outlines some fundamental assumptions supporting the belief that all society members should contribute to the upbringing of children.  His comparison of child poverty rates in a number of countries is a useful wake-up to anyone assuming Canadian society is doing a good job of protecting children.  Battle pays particular attention to the National Child Benefit (NCB), arguing that it did not deserve to be criticized by politicians and journalists.  He outlines the NCB’s development, costs, and benefits, and laments that the Conservative government scaled it back in favour of the inferior Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB).  However, he relies too heavily on his own work; he is the sole or primary author of almost half the sources in his bibliography.  He could make this work stronger by drawing from others' perspectives and analyses.  However, Battle does offer a valuable source for this essay, because the chapter provides a concise overview of government-funded assistance currently available to parents.  This offers context for analyzing the scope and financial reality of child poverty in Canada.

Journal Article Example

  Kerr, Don and Roderic Beaujot. “Child Poverty and Family Structure in Canada, 1981-1997.”  Journal of Comparative Family Studies  34.3 (2003): 321-335.

             Sociology professors Kerr and Beaujot analyze the demographics of impoverished families.  Drawing on data from Canada’s annual Survey of Consumer Finances, the authors consider whether each family had one or two parents, the age of single parents, and the number of children in each household.  They analyze child poverty rates in light of both these demographic factors and larger economic issues.  Kerr and Beaujot use this data to argue that. 

Examples were taken from  http://libguides.enc.edu/writing_basics/ annotatedbib/mla

Check out these resources for more information about Annotated Bibliographies. 

• Purdue Owl- Annotated Bibliographies
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill- Annotated Bibliographies
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EXPOS 20: The Social Construction of Gender

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It's a Strategic Tool!

An annotated bibliography is one of the best tools to help you write your essay. It helps you remember the sources you have consulted and is a good starting point for organizing your argument. Annotated bibliographies can fulfill any and all of these functions:

For guidance on how to create your annotated bibliography, check out these resources:

Creating an Annotated Bibliography (Trinity University)

Writing an Annotated Bibliography (University of Toronto)

How to Prepare an Annotate Bibliography (Cornell University)

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Creating an Annotated Bibliography

• How Is an Annotated Bibliography Useful?
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Use of the Annotated Bibliography

• Writing an Annotation
• A Sample Annotated Bibliography

The annotated bibliography is useful not only to the individual researcher who creates the bibliography, but also to later researchers who might follow the same or similar paths. Since each of the identified sources has been described for both content and value, the bibliography provides shortcuts to topics for further investigation. If a researcher determines in writing an annotation that the source being examined provides ground-breaking work in an area, he or she will likely want to return to the article described and pursue its line of investigation more closely. If the researcher writes an annotated bibliography to accompany another project or as a project in itself, he or she is providing other researchers with carefully described clues for further research. In short, the bibliography ultimately can save time for the creator and for the user of the bibliography.

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Annotated Bibliography

What is an annotated bibliography.

An annotated bibliography provides an overview or a brief account of the available research on a given topic. It is a list of research sources that takes the form of a citation for each source, followed by an annotation - a short paragraph sumarising and evaluating the source. An annotated bibliography may be a stand-alone assignment or a component of a larger assignment. 

Purpose of an annotated bibliography

When set as an assignment, an annotated bibliography allows you to get acquainted with the material available on a particular topic.

Depending on your specific assignment, an annotated bibliography might:

• review the literature of a particular subject;
• demonstrate the quality and depth of reading that you have done;
• exemplify the scope of sources available—such as journals, books, web sites and magazine articles;
• highlight sources that may be of interest to other readers and researchers;
• explore and organise sources for further research.

What does an annotated bibliography look like?

Each entry in an annotated biliography has two components: 

• a bibliographic citation followed by 
• a short paragraph (an annotation) that includes concise descriptions and evaluations of each source. 

The annotation usually contains a brief summary of content and a short analysis or evaluation. Depending on your assignment you may be asked to summarise, reflect on, critique, evaluate or analyse each source. While an annotation can be as brief as one sentence, a paragraph is more usual.  An example is provided below.

As with a normal reference list or bibliography, an annotated bibliography is usually arranged alphabetically according to the author’s last name.

An annotated bibliography summary should be about 100 - 200 words per citation—check with your lecturer/tutor as this may vary between faculties and assessments. Please also check with your lecturer about the elements each annotation should include.

Steps to writing an annotated bibliography

• Choose your sources - locate and record citations to sources of research that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic.
• Review the items that you’ve collected in your search.
• Write the citation using the correct style.
• Write the annotation. 

Questions to consider when selecting sources

The sources for your annotated bibliography should be carefully selected. Start by reading abstracts or skimming to help you identify and select relevant sources. Also keep in mind that, while annotated bibliographies are often ‘stand alone’ assignments, they can also be preliminary research about a particular topic or issue, and further research or a longer literature review may follow. Try to choose sources which together will present a comprehensive review of the topic.

Keep the following questions in mind to help clarify your choices

• What topic/ problem am I investigating?
• What question(s) am I exploring? (Identify the aim of your literature research). 
• What kind of material am I looking at and why? Am I looking for journal articles, reports, policies or primary data? 
• Am I being judicious in my selection of sources? Does each one relate to my research topic and assignment requirements?
• Have I selected a range of sources? Choose those sources that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic
• What are the essential or key works about my topic? Am I finding them? Are the sources valuable or often referred to in other sources?

Surveying the sources

Take notes on your selected texts as you read. Pay attention to:

• the author’s theoretical approach.
• which parts of the topic are covered.
• main points or findings on the topic.
• the author’s position or argument. 

Evaluate and ask questions as you read

Record evaluations in your notes and consider:

• How, and how effectively, does this source address the topic?
• Does it cover the topic thoroughly or only one aspect of it?
• Do the research methods seem appropriate?
• Does the argument seem reasonable?
• Where does it stand in relation to other studies? Agree with or contradict?

How should I write the annotations?

• Each annotation should be concise. Do not write too much—annotations should not extend beyond one paragraph (unless assignment guidelines say otherwise). 
• The summary should be a brief outline of argument(s) and main ideas. Only mention details that are significant or relevant, and only when necessary. 
• Any information apparent in the title of thesourcel can be omitted from the annotation.
• Background materials and references to previous work by the same author usually are not included. As you are addressing one text at a time, there is no need to cross reference or use in-text citations to support your annotation.
• Find out what referencing style you need to use for the bibliographic citations, and use it consistently.
• In-text citations would usually only be necessary for quotations or to draw attention to information from specific pages.
• Unless otherwise stipulated, you should write in full sentences using academic vocabulary.

Contents of an annotated bibliography

An annotation may contain all or part of the following elements depending on the word limit and the content of the sources you are examining.

• Provide the full bibliographic citation.
• Indicate the background of the author(s).
• Indicate the content or scope of the text.
• Outline the main argument.
• Indicate the intended audience.
• Identify the research methods if applicable.
• Identify any conclusions made by the author/s.
• Discuss the reliability of the text.
• Highlight any special features of the text that were unique or helpful e.g. charts, graphs etc.
• Discuss the relevance or usefulness of the text for your research.
• Point out in what way the text relates to themes or concepts in your course.
• State the strengths and limitations of the text.
• Present your view or reaction to the text.

Sample annotation 

The citation goes first and is followed by the annotation. Make sure that you follow your faculty’s preferred citation style. The summary needs to be concise. Please note the following example is entirely fictitious.

In the sample annotation below, each element is numbered (see Key).

Essay and assignment writing guide

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• What is an Annotation?

Why Do an Annotated Bibliography?

• What Should be Included in the Annotation?
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• Annotated Bibliographies

Annotated Bibliographies: Why Do an Annotated Bibliography?

Here are some reasons:

• An annotated bibliography provides information about each source you have used One of the reasons behind citing sources and compiling a general bibliography is so that you can prove you have done some valid research to back up your argument and claims. Annotated bibliographies include additional details that provide an overview of the sources themselves.
• Each annotation provides essential details about a source Readers, researchers or instructors reading an annotated bibliography will get a snapshot of the important details that they need to know about each source. As a researcher, you have become an expert on your topic: you have the ability to explain the content of your sources, assess their usefulness, and share this information with others who may be less familiar with them.
• Some types of annotations provide details about what the paper's author has done with or thinks about each source Certain types of annotations (Evaluative Annotations, for example) may provide a brief analysis of the source by the paper's author, including details about what information is most important or not, how it the source fits into the broader scope of the paper and why it may or may not be useful to others.
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ESOL 1311 - Mansour

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The Annotated Bibliography

How to Make an Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a bibliography [a list of the sources- like articles & books- referred to in a scholarly work] that gives a summary of each of the entries. The purpose of annotations is to provide the reader with a summary and an evaluation of the source. Each summary should be a concise exposition of the source's central idea(s) and give the reader a general idea of the source's content.

Source: The Free Dictionary

Contents include:

• Summary : Some annotations merely summarize the source. What are the main arguments? What is the point of this book or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say? The length of your annotations will determine how detailed your summary is.  Who is the intended audience?
• Assessment : After summarizing a source, it may be helpful to evaluate it. Is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source?
• Evaluation : Once you've summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?
• Information on the author(s) : What is the author's authority? What are their qualifications?

Source: The OWL, Annotated Bibliographies.

More Annotated Bibliography Examples:

(These are links to electronic articles/annotated bibliographies found through the UTEP Library online catalog)

Conte, S. (2015). Learning Community Literature: Annotated Bibliography. New Directions For Student Services , (149), 91-100.  Retrieved from: http://0-search.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=101557586&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Cox, M. B., & Faris, M. J. (2015). An Annotated Bibliography of LGBTQ Rhetorics. Present Tense: A Journal Of Rhetoric In Society , 4 (2). Retrieved from: http://www.presenttensejournal.org/volume-4/an-annotated-bibliography-of-lgbtq-rhetorics/ 

Johnson, D. E., Schroder, S. I., Erickson, J. P., & Grimes, K. N. (2008). Annotated Bibliography on the Teaching of Psychology: 2007. Teaching Of Psychology , 35 (4), 376-384. doi:10.1080/00986280802390811 Retrieved from: http://0-search.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=a9h&AN=35052650&site=ehost-live&scope=site

Masschelein, A., Meurée, C., Martens, D., Vanasten, S., & Willem, G. (2014). The Literary Interview: An Annotated Bibliography. Poetics Today , 35 (1/2), 51-116. doi:10.1215/03335372-2646854 Retrieved from : http://0-poeticstoday.dukejournals.org.lib.utep.edu/content/35/1-2/51.full.pdf+html?sid=fe54194d-1a61-456d-8a75-1e22d6184258

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What is an Annotated Bibliography?

Writing an annotation.

• Persuasive Essay
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An annotated bibliography is the  full citation  of a source followed by  notes and commentary about a source . The word “annotate” means “critical or explanatory notes” and the word “bibliography” means “a list of sources”. 

Annotations are meant to be  critical  in addition to being  descriptive . Annotated bibliographies are useful because they present a list of resources that others can use for research, and each resource has information that describes what is in it and that evaluates it (describes what makes it unique, useful, or helpful).

This video below provides an overview of how to create an annotated bibliography including evaluating resources, writing annotations, creating APA references, and formatting the final document in the APA style. 

An annotated bibliography comprises the complete APA reference for a source followed by notes and commentary about that source. The word “annotate” means “critical or explanatory notes,” and the word “bibliography” means “a list of sources”.  Annotations are intended to be critical in addition to being descriptive.

Annotations are generally between five to seven sentences in length and appear directly under the APA reference. The entire annotation is indented 0.5 inches from the left margin and lines up with the hanging indent of the APA reference.

Use the question prompts below as a guide when writing annotations:

2 to 4 sentences to summarize the main idea(s) of the source.

• What are the main arguments?
• What is the point of this book/article?
• What topics are covered?

1 or 2 sentences to assess and evaluate the source.

• How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography?
• Is this information reliable? current?
• Is the author credible? have the background to write on this topic?
• Is the source objective or biased?

1 or 2 sentences to reflect on the source.

• Was this source helpful to you?
• How can you use this source for your research project?
• Has it changed how you think about your topic?
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Library FAQs

What is an annotated bibliography.

How can I format an annotated bibliography in SWS?

An annotated bibliography is a method to organize research and notes during the writing process. You can make one using any format, including Strayer Writing Standards (SWS).

First, build the source list.

Second, insert a short summary paragraph after each source list entry. The paragraph may include what the author shared, what you learned, and how the information relates to the writing assignment. It's a best practice to keep these paragraphs short. One rule of thumb is under 250 words. These paragraphs are also referred to as annotations.

Here's a sample source list entry and annotation.

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• What's a source list?
• Citation: Strayer Writing Standards (SWS)
• Last Updated Dec 09, 2022
• Answered By Mary Snyder (she/her)

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Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

What's the big deal.

There are fundamental differences between an annotated bibliography and a literature review that are crucial to completing the assignment correctly. The chart below is provides an overview of the biggest differences between the two types of assignments in a side-by-side comparison. However, if you need more specific information about either assignment, visit our Annotated Bibliography and/or Literature Review pages for more detailed information on how to complete them. 

Differences between an annotated bibliography and literature review

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How to write a good annotated bibliography?

Choose your format, evaluate your sources, write the annotation, proofread the annotated bibliography, view samples, how to evaluate your work.

An annotated bibliography is a piece of writing where you list sources, quotations and a short description from you. The goal of this task is to show your readers that your research is worth reading and it provides some specific value. You will also provide your readers with the information of how accurate and reliable your research is. Listing the sources is easy, but if you have over a hundred items, you will have difficulties with writing short descriptions and finding the best suiting citations. We value your time, so we can offer you our help with this task.

We’re offering you an annotated bibliography writing service where we will take a list of your books, articles and other sources and do this task for you. Here’s how we do it:

• You place an order on the site or send us a pm;
• We get the list of books from you and you give us your requirements;
• We analyze your sources, pick up the right quotes and craft short stories;
• You get the annotated bibliography essay on time.

You will save your time and you won’t need to try to fit a huge amount of information into a tiny paragraph. We guarantee a high quality of our work as we have a team of experienced writers.

How to write a bibliography essay: a step-by-step guide

There are three main approaches that you need to follow if you want to cope with the task yourself:

• A brief story;
• A thorough analysis;
• A complete library research.

Start with noting down or taking photos of the books, documents, other papers or any other resources that you have on the list. You will have plenty at the end to choose from. You will use these notes and photos to express your thoughts the right way.

There are two major types of the style that you can use in your academic papers: APA or MLA It’s good to find out which one you have to use before you start as you will spend much time trying to correct everything. The difference between the styles is in the position of the name of the author, book title, the publishing year and so on. The format for the annotation is one for both styles. The length of the annotation can be from one sentence to a few pages. The best way to find out how much you need to write is to ask you professor.

Don’t rush and think critically regarding the information that is presented in the book or the article. The process of evaluation is the following:

• You like it or not;
• You get the core message of the book or not;
• The information is related to the topic or not;
• The information is reliable or not;
• There are phrases or sentences for citations or not;
• There are any evaluation reviews for this source or not;
• You can find out the author’s credentials or not;
• The source is upt-date or not;
• Your professor approves this source or not.

Start writing your bibliography essay with a summary of the book. Think of the main ideas, arguments and topics that are described in the source. Ask yourself what this very source is about and think how would you answer to someone else. Think if it provides any value for people. Mention why you have chosen this source and if the information in it is reliable. Write how this source is related to the topic of your research and add a few words how it helped you to research the topic.

It’s an obvious step but there are many students that ignore it. The thing here is that you should be pretty much attentive to every period, coma, bracket or any other punctuation mark that you are using. The bibliography can be short and easy for revising. But if you have a list of 50 sources with long annotations, you will need a few days for proofreading.

You won’t be able to use any software. You will need to check every single detail especially if it’s your first try. Once you think that the job is done, take a nap or rest a while and come back to proofreading again. We recommend you to do at least three checks with some rest in between. This will make your brain notice even the slightest drawbacks.

It’s better to take this step before you write your own text or when you feel you’ve run out of ideas. You can see the style and you can see the way someone has crafted the annotation. Keep in mind that the bibliography for essay differs from the one in dissertation. Take a look at the structure of the annotation, what comes first and how the author expresses personal position. Of course, you can find some bad samples that will guide you to the wrong way, so don’t treat all the samples to be examples to follow.

Most of the students feel unsure about the value of their own work. Of course, you can choose the annotated bibliography writing service to assist you, but let’s talk about the evaluation of your own work. The first thing to do is reading your annotation as if you were someone else. Read aloud and record your reading. Ask anyone from your friends to listen to your reading. If you think that everything is awful, have some rest and show your annotation to your professor. And you will surely know what to do next.

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