Annotated
Bibliographies
Definitions:
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Bibliography: a list of sources (books,
journals, websites, periodicals, etc.) one
has used for researching a topic. Also
known as “References” (APA) or “Works
Cited” (MLA).
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Annotation: is a summary and/or
evaluation.
So….
An Annotated Bibliography is an organized
list of sources which is followed by an
annotation or description/evaluation of each
item.
Why do an Annotated Bibliography?
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To prepare for a research project
It forces you to not just collect your sources
but to read each source carefully.
At a professional level, it allows you to see
what has been done in the literature.
Why?
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To help you formulate a thesis since it
helps you gain a good perspective about
your topic.
To prove that you have done some valid
research to back up your argument.
It makes your work CREDIBLE.
The Format:
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The bibliographic information such as the
title, author, publisher, date, etc. written in
either MLA or APA format.
The annotations are written in paragraph
form. The lengths can vary from a couple of
sentences to a couple of pages.
The Format (MLA):
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Title your annotated bibliography “Annotated
Bibliography” or “Annotated List of Works Cited.”
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Arrange the citations in alphabetical order by the
first element of the citation, usually the author’s last
name.
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Following MLA format, use a hanging indent for your
bibliographic information. (This means the first line is
NOT indented and all the other lines are indented four
spaces).
The Format (MLA) cont’d:
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Begin your annotation immediately after the
bibliographic information of the source ends; don’t skip a
line down UNLESS you have been told to do so by your
teacher.
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As with every other part of an MLA formatted essay, the
bibliography is double spaced, both within the citation and
between them. Do not add an extra line between the
citations.
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To view these annotations with correct formatting, set your
preferences so that the font size is 12 or medium
The Format (APA):

See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for basic APA
bibliography formatting and rules.

Annotated bibliographies for APA format do not require
a special title. Use the usual "References" designation.
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Like MLA, APA uses a hanging indent: the first line is
set flush with the left margin, and all other lines are
indented four spaces (you may ask your instructor if it's
okay to tab over instead of using four spaces).
The Format (APA) cont’d:
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Double space the entire page including between citations and
annotations
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After the bibliographic citation, drop down to the next line to begin
the annotation, but don't skip an extra line.
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The entire annotation is indented an additional two spaces, so that
means each of its lines will be six spaces from the margin (if your
instructor has said that it's okay to tab over instead of using the four
spaces rule, indent the annotation two more spaces in from that
point).
An example in MLA and APA format:
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How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography
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Annotated Bibliographies: Annotated
Bibliography Samples - The OWL at
Purdue
Where to I start?
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Locate and record citations to books, periodicals,
and documents that may contain useful
information on your topic.
Briefly examine and review the actual items.
Choose those works that provide a variety of
views on your topic and are from a variety of
sources.
Cite the book, article, or document using the
appropriate style (MLA, APA etc.)
Write a concise annotation that summarizes the
general theme and scope of the book or article.
What do I do in the annotation?
1.
Summarize:
What are the main arguments? What is
the point of this book or article (thesis)?
What topics are covered? How and where
did you find it? If someone asked what
this article/book is about, what would you
say? Paraphrase.
2. Assess:
After summarizing, you need to evaluate it.
Is it a useful source? How does it compare
with other sources in your bibliography? Is
it current? Is the information reliable?
Evaluate the methods (research) used.Is
this source biased or objective? What is the
goal of the source? Is the author credible?
3. Reflect:
Also 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?
Does it support or refute your question? Are
there any relevant links to other work done in
this area? Describe other items on a topic
that may be of interest to the reader.
Use the handout as a checklist!
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Skim the document “Critically Analyzing
Information Sources” for more details. The
questions will prompt you to think about
other points not mentioned in this
presentation today. ( Uploaded to the
library conference on your desktop)
Other points:
Evaluate all websites carefully:
 How do you know an author is credible?
 Where do you find out about how current
the article may be?
 Which organization created the website?
 Is there bias? Is there a balanced point of
view?
Crash course in Evaluating the Web:
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Google the author or organization.
Scan the perimeter of the page. Read the
“About us” or “Contact” tabs.
Find out who else is linked to the page by
typing, Link: the URL, into Google.
Is it peer-reviewed?
Is there documentation of sources?
More tips:
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What is the purpose? Tone?
What can the URL tell us? What is the
domain? (.org, .biz, . Com); Is there a
personal name (~%); Who is the server?
Use the handout “Evaluating Websites” as
a guide.