/Annotated Bibliography/

What is an Annotated Bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a Works Cited entry (also known as a Bibliography Entry) with additional information. This additional information describes the book or information source you are citing. This information will (1) summarize the information source and (2)Talk about why you are including this source.

Imagine you are writing a paper that is similar in subject to one 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 your 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 to your bibliography, you won't have to locate every article again. Your annotation, which is a review, becomes a guide to locating the specific article or book you remembered using before.

Also, You might be reading someone else's paper. They've included a quote that catches your eye. You check their Works Cited page and it is an Annotated Bibliography. Now your able to read some information about the source and find out why they used the source. From this you may decide the source is what you are looking for - or you might decide it would be a waste of time.

What is Included in the Annotation?
Start your bibliography entry just like a normal works cited entry. Then 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.

The information within your annotation may include:


 * A brief description of content.
 * Audience: Who the information seems to be targeting.
 * If the information provided has any usable relevance for your papers subject matter.
 * If the source includes anything special (Diagrams, Charts, Quotes, Good Pictures).
 * A warning. You may want to mention if the source your looking at is weakly written, biased to a point of view, or lacks.

Sample Annotation
Below is a sample 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.

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.

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 all the information goes together.

How Do I Format 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. Sometimes this is not the case, though. 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

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 on the bottom 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.