Annotated Bibliography

A bibliography that includes a brief description and evaluation of each source (typically 100-200 words). Annotations summarize the content, assess its credibility, and explain how it relates to your research.

Why it matters

Annotated bibliographies force you to critically engage with each source rather than simply listing citations. They develop your ability to evaluate research quality, summarize complex arguments, and articulate how sources relate to your thesis. Many instructors assign annotated bibliographies as a precursor to a research paper to ensure students have read and understood their sources.

How to use

Start each entry with the full citation formatted in your required style. Below the citation, write a paragraph of 100-200 words that summarizes the source, evaluates its credibility and methodology, and explains its relevance to your research. Some instructors require descriptive annotations (summary only), while others require evaluative or reflective annotations.

In academic writing

Annotated bibliographies are commonly assigned in undergraduate research methods courses and as a preliminary step in thesis or capstone projects. They help students build a working knowledge of the literature before writing a research paper or literature review. Some disciplines use annotated bibliographies as standalone publications to survey the state of research on a topic.