What is an Annotated Bibliography?
An annotated bibliography provides a brief account of the available research on a given topic. It gives an overview of each source and includes basic bibliographic information such as author, title, publication details. Beyond just listing the sources, an annotated bibliography provides a commentary and evaluation of each source. This helps readers get a sense of the source’s content and quality.
The aim of an annotated bibliography is to help inform the research process by guiding readers to the most relevant and reliable sources. It also serves as evidence of research in relation to a topic and demonstrates understanding of the sources. Annotations allow researchers to identify how each source relates to their topic and evaluate if it will be useful in their own research and writing.
Format and Structure
The Modern Language Association (MLA) has established standards for formatting an annotated bibliography. Most annotated bibliographies follow consistent formatting standards, including structuring information like author names, titles, publishing details, etc. in a consistent way.
Each source citation is indented below the first line of the citation, with one blank line separating each new entry. MLA style uses parenthetical citations immediately following any quoted or paraphrased information that includes the author’s last name and page number. This ties each source back to the bibliography at the end.
The annotation follows the bibliographic entry and is written in paragraph form, indented 0.5 inches from the left margin. There are no blank lines between the citation and annotation. While citation information follows standard MLA formats, the annotation does not need to be formatted any specific way as long as they are written clearly and objectively.
The key elements to include in any MLA style annotated bibliography are:
Bibliographic information for the source: Author(s), Title, Publication details
Concise but informative summary identifying the central theme and purpose of the source.
Evaluation of the source’s value or relevance in relation to the research topic.
Indication of how the source relates to and complements other sources cited.
Example Entry
An example entry in an MLA annotated bibliography would follow this format:
LastName, FirstName. “Article Title.” Journal Title, vol. #, no. # (Date Published): page numbers.
Annotation:
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This concise paragraph summarizes the source, commenting on its key points and scope. It analyzes the source’s value and relationship to the research topic. This may include an assessment of the source’s approach, methodology, conclusions, relevance and how it compares to other literature. A statement of how this source will be used in the research concludes the annotation.
Creating Effective Annotations
Well-written annotations evaluate sources critically and help provide context around current scholarly conversations. Here are some tips for writing effective annotations:
Focus the summary on the source’s relevance to the research topic and key arguments or conclusions.
Describe the source’s central thesis or purpose along with methodology. How was the research/information gathered and analyzed?
Identify the intended audience and publication or disciplinary context.
Note any biases or limitations that may impact credibility or reliability.
Make clear how this source relates to others, fills gaps or supports related research or differing opinions.
Consideration of date and place of publication to understand context. Is it current research?
Indicate whether the source supports or contradicts the research question or hypothesis.
Suggest how this source will be used or its potential influence. Will it support an argument? Provide background?
Use objective, clear language avoiding personal judgments or opinions.
Length usually ranges between 100-200 words. Keep them concise but informative.
Creating an annotated bibliography takes time but provides considerable value in researching a topic thoroughly. It helps organize sources, identify gaps and informs how research fits within the larger scholarly context. With practice, annotating sources becomes easier and a valuable skill.