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Annotated bibliography
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Annotated Bibliography Explanation and Assignment
Assignment:
For this assignment, you will select 3 reliable, relevant, and current articles, books,
interviews, or government documents that you will definitely cite in your research
paper and type an annotated bibliography. You may not use any Internet sources on
this assignment, unless the source was originally published in print form.
What is an annotated bibliography?
To understand what an annotated bibliography is, let’s start by defining both
words. An annotation, put simply, is a brief explanation. A bibliography is a list of
works (books, articles, documents, etc.) on a particular subject. Therefore, an
annotated bibliography is a list of works on a subject with a brief explanation of each
work.
How do I format my annotated bibliography?
Formatting an annotated bibliography is easy. Start by typing a Works Cited page in
MLA format; unlike the citations on a Works Cited page, type these in
bold. Remember to alphabetize the citations according to the authors’ last
names. Then, after each citation on the Works Cited page, type a 2-3 paragraph
annotation of each source. Rather than typing “Works Cited” at the top of the page,
type “Annotated Bibliography.”
What should I include in the annotations of my sources?
The first paragraph should be a brief but thorough summary of the source. Be sure to
include the author’s claim or purpose in writing the source. In the second and third
paragraphs, offer analysis of the source. What evidence does the author use to support
his or her main idea? Does he or she identify all sources? Does the information seem
reliable? What assertions does the author make but not support, if any? What
intriguing facts catch your attention? Essentially, after summarizing the source in the
first paragraph, you will analyze the source to deem whether or not it is worthy of
being quoted and cited in your essay.
What should I exclude from the annotations?
Since this is the most academic and formal of the assigned essays, your bibliography
should be just this – academic and formal. Leave out your personal opinion, sarcasm,
or frivolous detail. In doing so, your bibliography will look professional and scholarly.
What is a reliable source?
Whether or not a source is reliable depends upon the topic. For this reason, you must
use judgment when selecting sources. Look at factors such as date of publication, the
reputation of the publication, the type of publication, the credibility of the author, the
believability of the information presented, etc. Also, sources that are peer reviewed are
usually reliable, though not every topic lends itself to sources from journals. Whatever
you do, stay away from online encyclopedias like Wikipedia and dictionaries like
Dictionary.com; these are quick and easy sources that waste the reader’s time. Also,
stay away from pop culture magazines like People or Entertainment Weekly, as they
carry no ethos on important matters.
Annotated Bibliography Example
Joe Student
Professor Doe
ENGL 1113
Date
Annotated Bibliography
Harrelson, Daniel. “Stem Cells: Time to Reenter the Legal Minefield” Time 25 Oct. 2004: 25-
32. Print.
In this article, ethics professor Daniel Harrelson examines the moral, ethical, and legal
issues surrounding stem cell research. Harrelson discusses the challenges President Bush faced
when making a decision regarding federally-funded research, and asserts that Bush’s solution
can only be, at best, temporary. Sooner or later, Harrelson believes, the government will have to
revisit the issue and take a more definitive stance on stem cell research.
Harrelson also cites a new Pew Research polls that indicates that 52% of Americans are
in favor of federally-funded stem cell research. This percentage is higher than past figures; only
41% of Americans were in favor of such funding in 2002. Harrelson contributes this rising
percentage to the recent discoveries in stem cell research, which indicate that cells taken from
umbilical cord blood – as opposed to fetuses – also hold remarkable potential to cure a variety of
ailments and diseases. It is because of such recent discoveries that Harrelson believes the
government should reconsider the issue of federally-funded stem cell research.
