ART 101: History of Art: Prehistoric to Gothic (Wheeler-Loudoun)

A bibliography is a list of sources (books, journals, Web sites, periodicals, etc.) one has used for researching a topic. Bibliographies are sometimes called "References" or "Works Cited" depending on the style format you are using. A bibliography usually just includes the bibliographic information (i.e., the author, title, publisher, etc.).

An annotation is a summary and/or evaluation. Therefore, an annotated bibliography includes a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources.

What Is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Annotations vs. Abstracts

Abstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes. Annotations are descriptive and critical; they may describe the author's point of view, authority, or clarity and appropriateness of expression.

The Process

Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research.

• First, locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic. Briefly examine and review the actual items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.
• Cite the book, article, or document using the appropriate citation style.
• Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.

Research & Learning Services

Olin Library

Cornell University Library

Ithaca, NY, USA

Permission to adapt content through Creative Commons License http://guides.library.cornell.edu/annotatedbibliography 

Carol Zemel is an art historian with a PhD from Columbia University and has authored many books and articles in art journals. Art History is a international peer-reviewed journal covering all aspects, areas, and periods of art history. The article is an in-depth discussion on the topic of Van Gogh's images of women and family in his paintings. It contains only black and white illustrations. Otherwise, the content is primarily text-based with footnotes and a bibliography. The author has a feminist focus, and she uses historical information to demonstrate that Van Gogh's paintings of women reflected society views on female sexuality and prostitution. She argues that he viewed prostitutes as fallen women who could be saved through a proper domestic life.  The author questions the 19th century male assumption of what all women inherently wanted. This article was published in 1987, which was after the feminist theory had been well developed so that perspective is included. The author thoroughly covers this content, although the subject is quite narrow in scope. There are a substantial number of examples and theories of Van Gogh’s view about women that support my research.

Sample annotation adapted from Otis College of Art and Design.

Davidson, Hilda Ellis. Roles of the Northern Goddess. London: Routledge, 1998.

Davidson's book provides a thorough examination of the major roles filled by the numerous pagan goddesses of Northern Europe in everyday life, including their roles in hunting, agriculture, domestic arts like weaving, the household, and death. The author discusses relevant archaeological evidence, patterns of symbol and ritual, and previous research. The book includes a number of black and white photographs of relevant artifacts.

Sample annotation provided by OWL Purdue.