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Writing Assignments Guide

A guide for students to provide some basic information and explanations on the different writing assignments they may encounter within their courses.

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An Annotated Bibliography is an overview or brief account of research on a given topic. Often presented as a list of citations with a brief paragraph summary and evaluation of each source.

Let's break it down a bit!

  • A bibliography is simply a list of sources used one a research project. It can also be called "References" or "Works Cited" and contains the bibliographic information about the individual sources in the format of a citation. this includes information such as title, author, journal title, publication date, page numbers, source URL and so on.
  • An annotation is a summary and/or evaluation of a source. 

Now, putting it all together, an annotated bibliography contains the citation for an individual source, followed by a brief summary that describes and evaluates the source. Each source is listed out on the same document and follows the formatting of whichever citation style is required by the assignment.

Annotated Bibliography Writing Tips & Resources

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources used in your research, each with a detailed note, or annotation. To begin writing one, you must first summarize the information found within each source you intend on using for your research. To do that follow these points:

  • Main Arguments: Identify the key points or claims made by the author.
  • Purpose: Understand why the resource was created. What does it aim to achieve?
  • Covered Topics: List the specific subjects or areas the resource talks about.

Once you have the information to summarize your source, you will then need to evaluate it.

To evaluate the source, you should consider the following:

  • Usefulness: Think about how helpful this source was for your research. Did it give you important information or new insights?
  • Comparison: Compare this source to others you have read. How is it different or better? Does it offer a unique perspective?
  • Reliability: Consider if the information is trustworthy. Look at the author's background, where it was published, and the accuracy of the information.
  • Biases and Objectives: Notice if the author has any particular viewpoints or goals. Are they trying to convince you of something specific?
  • Goal: Determine the main goal of the source. Is it meant to inform, persuade, entertain, or something else?

Next, take some time to reflect on all the gathered information. Afterwards, you can then write out your annotation for the source at hand.

One of the biggest parts of the annotation is using it to inform your readers on the impact the source had on your research. Think about the following when refelcting on the source:

  • Relevance to Your Research: Think about how this source fits into your project. Does it help you understand something better or support your argument?
  • Impact: Reflect on how this source changed your thinking. Did it give you a new perspective or lead you to change your approach to the topic?

Here are two examples of what an annotated bibliography should look like, using both APA and MLA formating.

APA Formating

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.

MLA Formating

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."

Resources Consulted