Annotated Bibliography Guidelines TCC D. Reiss atndpart.htm

Annotated Bibliography Guidelines

An Annotated Bibliography or Annotated List of Works Cited is a formal list of works consulted or cited for a project plus descriptive and/or critical commentary about each entry. Entries in an annotated bibliography follow the same format as those in a standard bibliography, adhering carefully to the standards of the documentation system, for example Modern Language Association (MLA), American Psychological Association (APA), or Council of Biology Editors (CBE). In addition, each entry is accompanied by an annotation. Unless otherwise designated, use the following guidelines.

For the title of this listing, use the appropriate one of the following.
- Annotated Bibliography if you are unsure whether you will use all the listings in your final project
- Annotated List of Works Cited if you are listing all (and only) the works actually mentioned within the project
For each individual listing, follow bibliography format patterns for the discipline as identified by your teacher. Most English classes use Modern Language Association (MLA) style formats. See Writing Resources and Guides for additional information about writing and documenting academic papers, in particular, the patterns at Documentation Guide: Works Cited and Acknowledgments.
Your annotation should include both a summary and a critique or evaluation.
1. At the end of each entry, write one or two sentences of summary of the primary information or ideas in the article or excerpt and identification of the type of work (journal article, book, interview, Website)
2. In addition, write one or two sentences that critique or evaluate the work for its usefulness to your specific project and, if appropriate, to research in the field. This evaluation must provide connections between specific information in the source and specific points you are planning to support with that information.

The following example illustrates an annotated bibliography entry in MLA format.

image: annotated bibliography sample

See Documentation Guide: Works Cited and Acknowledgments for MLA guidelines and see Writing Resources and Guides for additional information about writing and documenting academic papers.