Subject Guides: Annotated Bibliographies: Writing Annotated Bibliographies

Writing Annotated Bibliograhpies

If you are writing annotations on a research article (for example), look at the article's introduction or abstract to determine what question the author is trying to answer. Also:

Look at the article's discussion, comments, or conclusion section (usually included near the end) for the findings of the research
In your own words, write a summary of the main ideas in the text. Two questions to ask are:
- "What is (are) the main idea(s) being presented?" and
- "What ideas and evidence are used to support the findings?"
Avoid the first person singular ("I")
Do not begin each annotation with "This book..." or "This article..."
Try not to generalize with comments like "This book is excellent" or "This book is good"

Depending on your assignment, your annotations will generally require you to do the following:

Writing Process

Summarize the information given in the source and note the intended audience. Ask questions such as:

What are the main arguments?
What is the point of this book or article?
Which topics are covered?
What this article/book about?

Evaluate and assess the information. Ask questions like:

Is this source credible (trustworthy)?
Who wrote it? What do you know about the author's background and credentials?
Who is the publisher?
Is the information reliable? Does it seem objective or biased?
Is the source useful and how does it compare with others in your bibliography?

Reflect and react once you've summarized and assessed a source. Ask yourself how it fits into your research. State your reaction and any additional questions you have about the information in your source, such as:

Was this source helpful?
How did it help me to shape my argument?
How can I use this source for my paper or project?
Has it changed how I think about my topic?

Compare the sources in your annotated bibliography in terms of usefulness and thoroughness in helping to answer your research question.