Writing a Research Paper: Annotated Bibliography

What is a bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of materials (books, articles, web sites, etc.) on a particular topic, organized alphabetically, that are referred to in a scholarly work (like your paper). The standard bibliography includes the citation information of the materials: author(s), date of publication, title, and publisher's information, as well as other information depending on the type of source. Each citation style (MLA, APA, etc.) determines what information is included and in what format it should be written. 

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography takes a bibliography or citation list and adds a paragraph or more that describes, summarizes, and evaluates each work. It is designed to give an account of the research that has been done on a given topic. The purpose is to not give an abstract or summaries of materials, but to offer both descriptive and critical analysis of the source. It should expose the author's point of view, authority, clarity, and appropriateness of expression. There are 4 general types of annotated bibliographies: descriptive, evaluative, informative, and combination. 

4 Types of Annotated Bibliographies

• Descriptive
  • Descriptive - also known as indicative - gives a brief overview or summary of the source. It can include the main purpose of the resource, the authors' conclusions, the intended audience, research methods used, and other special features. 
• Evaluative
  • Evaluative - also known as critical - offers a summary but also includes an analysis of the work. It offers judgments on quality. It may include information on the work's contribution to the subject or field, the authors' authority and potential biases, the work's usefulness, and the intended audience. 
• Informative
  • Informative - also known as summative - also provides a summary, but it also gives actual information included in the work such as hypotheses, proofs, and other data. The thesis, argument, and conclusion of results are usually included. 
• Combination
  • Combination is the most common style of annotated bibliography. It includes a general overview of the work like the descriptive; a critical analysis and judgement of usefulness, qualification and biases of the author(s), and strengths/weaknesses of the work like the evaluative; and information about the research/results like the informative. All types of annotated bibliographies start with a citation of the resource formatted to specific citation style standards like MLA, APA, Chicago, etc. 

Annotated Bibliographies: Elements

All annotated bibliographies require a complete and accurate citation in your chosen or required style, such as MLA, APA, Chicago, etc.

The following elements may be required depending on the type of annotated bibliography you are writing. See the "4 Types of Annotated Bibliographies" section to determine which elements you need.

• Contents or Summary
  • A brief recap of the main idea, purpose, goals, and main arguments of a work. One or two sentences on why this resource fits with your paper.
• Author
  • Include authors' qualifications, biases, tone, and research methods. What does that tell you about the authors? Are they experts in the field or not, do they work for a company with a financial or other interest in this concept, are they preaching an opinion, etc..
• Publisher or Sponsor
  • What company published and/or funded the work? Note their connection to the topic (qualifications such as education, experience, expertise). 
• Bias or Slant
  • The word "bias" refers to showing an unjustified favoritism toward something or someone. If using a biased source, make sure to identify what the bias is.
• Intent or Purpose
  • Information can be meant to inform, persuade, state an opinion, entertain, parody, and more. What is the work you're referring to trying to do?
• Timeliness and Relevance
  • Timeliness: Try to determine if the information is current. Just because it was published recently doesn't mean the information is cutting edge. Look to see if there are multiple, updated versions and dates on the sources the work is citing. 
  • Relevance: Is the work related to your topic?
• Audience
  • Who is the source written for? Authors make decisions about tone, detail, and more depending on the audience. For example, authors may write differently for colleagues with similar educational and work experiences than for high school students or laypeople. 
• Information
  • More in depth review of the thesis, hypothesis, proofs, conclusions, and results than the summary. 
• Importance
  • The role of this work in its field or subject area compared to other works on the same topic. Is this a key work on the subject? Is the work cited a lot by others in this area of study? 
• Special Features
  • Extras such as illustrations, maps, or tables. Do they help make the point or otherwise add value?
• Limitations
  • Does the work only cover a small portion of a large topic? If so, is the author forthcoming about this? What else does the work leave out? 
• Evaluation
  • Share your opinion on the source itself and/or why you feel this work is suitable for your paper. Sources may have great information but not be the best fit for your particular project. See Relevance. 
  • Sometimes, you may be asked to include sources you reviewed but ultimately rejected and explain why.

Citation Style Sheets created by the librarians at various libraries.