Annotated Bibliography Outline: How To Write An Annotated Bibliography
Annotated Bibliography Outline
What Is An Annotated Bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a brief summary of the available research on a given topic. When writing an annotated bibliography, you are required to list relevant citations on a topic, each followed by a short paragraph, called the annotation, of about 150 words, commenting on the sources cited.
In the short paragraph that forms an annotation for each source, you need to reflect on, summarize, critique, evaluate or analyze the source.
Annotated bibliographies are either written as a component of a larger assignment such as a term paper or dissertation or they may be done as standalone assignments.
The main reasons for writing annotations are:
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- To get familiar with the material available on a particular topic
- To demonstrate the quality and depth of reading that you have done
- To show the depth of sources available on a topic—such as journals, books, web sites, and magazine articles
- To highlight sources that may be of interest to readers and researchers interested in learning about the topic
- To explore and organize sources for further research, e.g. As the first step toward a literature review
What To Include In An Annotated Bibliography
Depending on the length required of your annotation, it may contain the following elements of the sources you are examining:
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- The background of the author(s) to give their authority on the topic or subject.
- The content or scope of the text
- The main argument presented by the author
- The intended audience
- The research methods used in the study
- Any conclusions made by the author/s
- Comments on the reliability of the text
- Any special features of the text that were unique or helpful to you, such as charts, graphs etc.
- State how relevance or usefulness the text for your research
- In what way the text relates to themes or concepts in your course or topic of the paper.
- The strengths and limitations of the text
- Your view or reaction to the text.
- How you intend to use the source in your own research
