Rhetoric and Composition/Annotated Bibliography

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Contents

[edit] What is an Annotated Bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of books or resources that one creates and consults when preparing a research paper or project. An annotated bibliography includes both a Works Cited entry (also known as a Bibliography Entry) and a summary or critique of the source. The information given in the annotation will (1) summarize the information source and (2) Explain why this source is included in the bibliography.


Imagine you are writing a paper that is similar in subject to a paper you wrote a few years ago. You want to locate a specific article, but you can't remember which article from that paper is the one you are looking for. You have all the information to locate the article, but now you have to search through ten articles to find the correct one. By including an annotation in your bibliography, you won't have to locate every article again. Your annotation, which is a review, becomes a guide to help you locate the specific article or book you used before.

Also, you might be reading a paper and notice a quote that interests you, or that would help you in your own research. If the author of that paper has attached an Annotated Bibliography, you would be able to read information about the source, and to find out how this source could be of use to you in your own work.

[edit] What is Included in the Annotation?

Start your bibliography entry just like a normal works cited entry. At the end of the normal citation include:

  • Between 2 to 4 sentences that summarize the sources main idea.
  • Between 1 or 2 sentences that relate the article to your paper either indicating how that information is useful to your research or how the information will be used.

The information within your annotation may include:

  • A brief description of content.
  • The main purpose of the source.
  • The intended audience: Who the information seems to be targeting.
  • The relevance of the information provided to your paper's subject matter.
  • If the source includes anything special (Diagrams, Charts, Quotes, Good Pictures).
  • A warning. You may want to mention if the source you are looking at is weakly written, biased to a point of view, or if it is lacking in any way.

[edit] Annotation Style

There are several styles of annotation, including MLA style and APA style; your professor may require you to use one of them. MLA stands for the Modern Language Association,and APA stands for the American Psychological Association. Both are used to emphasize different information. For instance, in the APA, psychology is the major interest so they emphasize dates since recent research tends to make older research obsolete. In contrast, MLA emphasizes page numbers because specific articles use the exact wordings of texts, which articles in psychology journals rarely do. No matter what style your teacher requires, be sure to follow the guidelines for documenting your research.

[edit] MLA Annotation Style

Below is a sample MLA style annotation. Remember that the first line of the annotation begins to the far left. Each line after that within the bibliography is indented 4 spaces.

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Williams, Robin. The Non-Designers Design Book: Design and Typographic Principles
for the Visual Novice. 2nd ed. U.S.A.: PeachPit Press, 2003.
The Non-Designers Design Book offers visual examples of how to use the four basic principles of design:
Proximity, Alignment, Repetition, and Contrast. By showing how these principles work, Robin Williams attempts
to give an understanding of how people read a text. The techniques offered allow a writer to create an easily understood
visual platform. This platform translates into an easier comprehension of information. These four
principles are the cornerstone of visual presentation. These principles relate to how and what a person
chooses to read in a hyper-textual world. They may not just simplify a text. They may be deciding
factors to if a text is even read for evaluation.
MLA Style Sample

Notice how the bibliographic information begins on the same line as the basic citation. "PeachPit Press, 2003. The Non-Desig..." You don't have to begin on the next line. This allows the reader of your bibliography to understand how all of the information relates.

[edit] APA Annotation Style

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The following is an APA style documentation for a different source:

Eagleton, M. (2000). “Adrienne Rich, location and the body.” Journal of Gender Studies
9(3): 299–312.
Eagleton’s article looks Adrienne Rich’s essay, “Notes toward a Politics
of Location,” and how feminist discussions of location and problems with pronouns “I”
and “we” apply to Rich’s exploration of the body throughout her works. The article
begins with a quote by Rich, saying how “even ordinary pronouns become a political
problem,” especially in relation to the feminist discussion of ‘location’ (299). This
discussion is then elaborated on, explaining how political problems arise when Western
(and particularly white)feminists over-generalize about the position of women, claiming
similar experience for all without taking race or cultural differences into account.
Although the article ends up linking this discussion to Rich’s examination of the body,
which is not necessarily needed, both the politics of location and the problems with
pronouns seem relevant and important for further study.
APA Style Sample

[edit] Formatting an Annotated Bibliography Paper

You may have a professor ask for an Annotated Bibliography paper. The rules on an Annotated Bibliography layout are not set in stone. So make sure to ask your professor if they have any specific preferences. For instance: You may be asked to include an introduction explaining your research. Also, you may begin your first annotation on a new page. This again is a teacher preference. If you do this, then include a second title.

If you follow the layout below, you will be on your way. But make sure to ask your teacher to take a look before turning it in.

Your Name
Teachers Name
Class section
Calendar Date

Title of Your Annotated Bibliography (This should be centered on the paper)

Introduction (If required)
Beginning of your first Bibliographic entry

[edit] Layout Checklist

Does your Annotated Bibliography follow these style cues?

  • Are all lines of your bibliography double spaced?
  • Have you included any extra line spacing? You shouldn't!
  • Is your class information at the beginning of the paper and aligned left?
  • Is your title centered?
  • Does the first line of of each works cited entry begin to the far left?
  • Are all following lines (the second, third, fourth...) indented 4 spaces?
  • Do you have page numbers? You should. They should be located at the top of the page in the right hand corner.
  • Is your name on every page? It should be located within a header located on the top of the page in the right hand corner.
  • Is your bibliography alphabetized?
  • Have you used the correct format (APA, MLA)?

[edit] Further Reading

[edit] External Links

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