What Is an Annotated Bibliography?
Annotated bibliography refers to a list of references to books, journals, documents and articles. Each of the citation is then trailed by a short (about 150 words) description of the citation. The aim of the description is to provide information to reader about the accuracy, relevance and the value of the citations.
Annotations vs. Abstracts
Abstracts differ from annotated bibliography in that abstracts are often summaries of scholarly works. They are mostly placed at the beginning of the scholarly journals, articles and periodicals. Annotations on the other hand are critical and evaluative in nature. The annotations evaluates the authors’ point of view their level of expressions, and relevance to the objectives as well as clarity.
The Process
In order to create an annotated bibliography, one has to start by locating the citations of books, documents and texts that may have the relevant information that the author is interested in. Then one has to briefly examine and review the actual items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic. Cite the book, article, or document using the appropriate style.
Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.
Sample Annotated Bibliography Entries
The following example uses APA style (Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th edition, 2019) for the journal citation:
Waite, L., Goldschneider, F., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American Sociological Review, 51(4), 541-554.
The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.
