What is an Annotated Bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a document that lists your full citations, along with a brief paragraph, the annotation, summarizing and/or evaluating the source. Annotations may include only a summary, or a summary and an evaluation. An evaluation, if required, should be a few sentences reviewing the source's credibility, any potential author bias, an assessment of the quality, and the relevance of the resource to your assignment. The purpose of an annotated bibliography is to inform your instructor of the usefulness and quality of your sources. Annotated bibliographies also help you to stay organized by managing your research and reflecting on those sources. Some annotated bibliographies may be longer or shorter, so always check your rubric for specific assignment content and formatting instructions.
Example of an MLA Style Book Citation with Annotation (Summary Only)
Calhoon, Kenneth Scott. Fatherland: Novalis, Freud, and the discipline of Romance. Wayne State University Press, 1992.
This book analyzes the origins of German Romanticism and the works of Novalis. The author examines how Romanticism and psychoanalysis use the idea of a shared economy of longing and disappointment and the role of mourning therein. Through a psychoanalytical approach, he argues that Romanticism challenges the primacy of reason within the Enlightenment by recovering repressed aspects of the social order.
Example of an MLA Style Journal Article Citation with Annotation (Summary & Evaluation)
Van den Broek, Claire Y. “How the Panther Stole the Poem: The Search for Alterity in Rilke’s Dinggedichte.” Monatshefte 105.2 (2013): 225-246.
This article explores Rilke’s letters and diaries of the early Paris years to explore how they reflect Rilke’s preoccupation with mankind’s ability to come to terms with the knowledge of their own mortality. Examining the influence of Rodin’s sculptural work and Lessing’s theory of art on Rilke’s poetry, the author argues that Rilke sought to develop a poetic process that models a liberation from humanity's limitations through a surrender to alterity and an artistic elevation of the reader. This is a credible source because it is published in a well-known and trusted journal, Monatshefte. The author, Van den Broek, holds a PHD in literature and has been published multiple times, making her an authority on the subject. My assignment asks me to discuss the influence of art on poems, making this article a strong match for my research topic.
How are Annotations Created?
Find and Read Selected Sources
Locate and read credible and relevant sources through course links, the Shapiro Library, and other various databases.
Create A Full MLA Citation
Do this just as you would for a Works Cited. See links below if you need additional guidance with MLA citations.
Write Annotation
The annotation may consist of:
A summary annotation: describes the resource being used, identifies the author(s), and provides a summary of the main ideas. Focus only on the most important points.
An evaluative annotation: an assessment of the source's relevance to your assignment topic, the credibility of the author(s), and the overall quality of the content (in addition to a summary).
Always check the rubric to see which type of annotation is required.
Check Formatting
Formatting information will be in the "What to Submit" section of your rubric. However, as a general rule, MLA annotated bibliographies require a .5-inch indent for the reference (with a hanging indent), a 1-inch indent on a new line for the annotation paragraph, double-spacing, and one paragraph per annotation.
Additional Information:
Check out the links below for additional information-
Annotated Bibliography with Examples
MLA Style Guide
MLA Handbook on Annotated Bibliographies
Literature Review vs. Annotated Bibliography with Example
Creating a Works Cited in MLA 9th Edition (with Video)
Need More Help?
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