SOC 120: Galta, S. (Fall 2024): Annotated bibliography
What is an annotation?
What is an Annotation?
An annotation is a brief description and/or evaluation of the content, purpose, and usefulness of a source. Annotations can be written for a variety of purposes, though generally they are written as a way to help those interested in a topic find reliable information on that topic. As a student, writing annotations can help you:
- Increase your awareness of different kinds of resources available about your topic
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Identify, describe and perhaps evaluate the content, purpose and usefulness of different kinds of sources
Your annotations should:
Describe what YOU found out about a source and what YOU think of its usefulness.
Your annotations should NOT:
Be a collection of text copied from that source. The annotation is only helpful if you are the one describing and evaluating the source in your own words.
TCC's interactive handouts for annotated bibliographies
- APA template for annotated bibliographyTCC Library template for preparing an annotated bibliography in APA style
- Writing annotations guideTCC Library tips for preparing an annotated bibliography, with a sample annotation in MLA style.
Annotated bibliography resources
Annotated Bibliography Resources
The following websites provide examples to help you with writing your annotations.
- The Purdue OWL: Annotated Bibliography examplesThis robust guide from the Online Writing Lab (OWL) at Purdue provides guidance on writing annotated bibliographies and provides examples.
- Annotated bibliographies (University of North Carolina Writing Center)Explains why annotated bibliographies are useful for researchers, provide an explanation of what constitutes an annotation, describe various types of annotations and styles for writing them, and offer multiple examples of annotated bibliographies in the MLA, APA, and CBE/CSE styles of citation.
Annotation example in APA style
Annotation Example in APA Style
Below is a sample annotation, using APA format, which also highlights the standard formatting for an entry in an annotated bibliography. Note the order and how the citation comes first, and then the annotation follows. The indents allow for easier readability.
- In APA style, each citation entry begins at the left margin, with subsequent lines indented a half-inch
- The annotation begins on a new line and is indented a half-inch
- The annotation includes a short summary, followed by a short evaluation of the source
(click on image to enlarge)
Source: Excerpt from "APA Annotated Bibliography (Haddad)" by Diana Hacker
Annotated bibliography PowerPoint
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