What is an annotated bibliography?
Annotated bibliographies are useful tools for reading, writing, and research. They look like a works cited page, but each source entry also includes a short annotation. Annotated bibliographies help you keep track of notes from your reading, record information you may use in a paper or project and organize sources for a larger project. Because they show where ideas, evidence, and inspiration came from, they can save you from having to reread every source when you begin writing your final project.
Components of an annotated bibliography
Each entry in an annotated bibliography has two parts: the source entry and the annotation.
| Source entry | Annotation |
| When creating the source entry, follow the formatting rules for the style guide you are using, such as APA, MLA, or Chicago. | Under each source, include a short annotation, usually 150-500 words. Always check your assignment description or instructor’s directions for the specific requirements. |
When writing your annotation, include the following:
- A short description and summary
- Include a short description or summary of the source. Like an abstract, this part should identify the type of source, describe its main content, and explain what the source is about.
- An analysis or evaluation.
- Annotations should do more than describe a source: they should help you decide how the source will support your paper or project. Include the specific information you may use, explain why it matters, and identify the role this source will play in your writing.
Example
The authors discuss therapeutic writing and its benefits, including self-empowerment, insight into one’s problems, clarification and organization of thought, and illumination of particular memories and details. The article defines the process as “self-help” and defines those who can benefit from it as “anxious or depressed patients.” The authors also argue, “The act of creating (as well as re-creating one’s life) is also therapeutic in itself” (157). All of these issues are relevant to Barnes, not because she was prescribed to do therapeutic writing but because the writing itself, I argue, is a means of self-empowerment and re-birth into a healthier state. Also, the authors touch on Eakin’s ideas that self-writing is not only recalling events from one’s life but actually creating and re-creating a life. This connection could be useful in an expanded version of my project.
How to read and take notes for your annotations
As you read your sources, read slowly and take careful notes so you can write useful annotations later. The goal is to make each annotation helpful on its own, so you do not have to return to the full source every time you need information.
- As you read, write keywords for each paragraph in the margin. When you finish reading, those keywords will help you identify themes and locate information in the article more quickly.
- Underline important concepts, methods, or themes.
- Highlight or underline quotes that you might want to use to support your own writing.
- Pay attention to the headings and subheadings.
Important skills to know
Take the time to accurately paraphrase, summarize, and quote when writing your annotations. This will save you time when you use your annotated bibliography to help you write your paper.
Paraphrase: Rewrite a passage from a source using your own words. A paraphrase should include the same basic information and important details as the original passage. Paraphrasing is useful when you do not plan to quote directly or when a passage is difficult to understand. A paraphrase is usually about the same length as the original passage.
Summary: Summarizing is similar to paraphrasing because both require you to restate information in your own words. The main difference is that you usually paraphrase a passage, but you summarize an entire work. A summary includes the main points and only a few supporting details. It is more condensed than a paraphrase.
Quoting: Most annotations use summary and paraphrase, but sometimes writers include important quotes in their annotations for easy reference later. If you use a quote, make sure it is clear where your words end and the author’s words begin. Include the context you will need to understand the quote later, as well as page numbers and any other citation information required by your style guide. Doing this work now will save you time and help you avoid citation problems later.