ENG 111 & EDE 11: College Composition I (Ferrara-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.).

What Is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by an annotation, a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive paragraph that summarizes and evaluates or analyzes the source. Annotated bibliographies provide an opportunity for you to learn more about your research topic, assess and evaluate sources, and discuss the ways in which each source contributes to the larger context of your paper.

Depending on your project or the assignment, your annotations may do one or more of the following.

• Summarize the source: What are the main arguments or ideas presented in the article or book?
• Evaluate the text: What is the goal of the source? Is the information reliable? 
• Reflect on its relevance to your paper: How can this source fit into your research? Was this source helpful to you?  How can it help shape your argument? Has the source changed your perspective on your topic? 

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 

A summative annotation condenses key points or arguments in a source. Write the summative annotations as if you are summarizing the source to an audience who is unfamiliar with the work. 

1. What is the subject of the work?
2. What is the work’s purpose – to argue/evaluate, explain/ inform, or entertain?
3. What is the main point of the work (explain it as if to an audience who has not read the work)?
   • For non-fiction books, what is the thesis or main point?
   • For scientific studies, what is the problem, research question, and hypothesis? What are the methods, analyses, fndings, and conclusions?
   • For arguments, what are the major claims, objections, and rebuttals?
   • For explanatory or informative sources, what is explained?
   • If the work is written to respond to a problem, what is the problem? 

Cochran, Cynthia A., and Luke Beatty. Teaching the Annotated Bibliography : A Resource for Instructors, Librarians, and Other Academic Professionals. Routledge, 2023. https://www-taylorfrancis-com.eznvcc.vccs.edu/chapters/edit/10.4324/9781003214434-3/teaching-annotation-types-cynthia-cochran-luke-beatty?context=ubx&refId=33445559-a998-4795-aeaf-2826c7e74b62

A reflective annotation tells how and in what context one plans to use a source (or how others might use it). This refection connects one’s knowledge of a source to one’s research goals.

1. Is this source relevant to your research? Does it fit with your research plan?
2. Is the source a major or minor contributor to your research needs?
   • For argumentative works, how and where would you use the major claims, evidence, or counterclaims in your paper?
   • For informative works, how and where would the examples, explanations, facts, or definitions fit in your paper?
   • Is the method used in the work one that you might replicate, explain, or criticize in your paper?
   • If you plan to use a “bad” or “mediocre” source, explain why you are using it (e.g., as a counter-example).
   • Does this source “fit” with your other research?
   • Does this source fill a gap? If so, how?
   • Does this source agree or disagree with other sources? If so, how?
   • Do works listed in the source’s bibliography look useful to you?