Writing Project 7.4

An annotated bibliography includes the writer’s “annotation” or commentary on each source. These annotations can be either summary-only or evaluative.

Summary-only Annotations: Provides a capsule of the source’s contents without any additional comments from the bibliography’s author.

Evaluative Annotations: Adds the author’s critique or assessment of the work, including comments about the source’s rhetorical context, its particular strengths or weaknesses, and its usefulness or value.

Annotations can vary in length. Short annotations that are only a few sentences long are most common when there are multiple entries. Long annotations can be up to 150 words and are more detailed analyses or fuller summaries. Long annotations can make an annotated bibliography too long if there are numerous entries. Reading articles rhetorically and writing annotated bibliographies helps us become more engaged in the research and really prompt us to think in exploratory ways.

Each entry of an annotated bibliography has 2 parts, a bibliographic citation and an evaluative annotation. A bibliographic citation should cite the source in either MLA or APA format. An evaluative annotation usually includes 3 parts:

• Rhetorical information-includes the source’s rhetorical context (genre,purpose, and audience). Are there any biases to be noted?
• A summary of the source’s content.-Summarize the source’s actual argument whenever possible.
• The writer’s evaluation of the source-what are the source’s particular strengths and weaknesses? How useful is the source for specific purposes? How might the writer use the source in a research project?

A critical preface explains the scope and purpose of the bibliography. Highlight your critical thinking and show the way that you conducted your research. Include:

• A contextual overview that shows the purpose of the annotated bibliography and suggests its value and significance for the reader.
• The research question posed by the author.
• The dates during which the bibliography was compiled.
• An overview of the number of items in the bibliography and the kinds of material included.

The key to producing a good annotated bibliography is to take good research notes as you read.