Rules for writers, Tenth edition - Diana Hacker, Nancy Sommers 2021

Construct an annotated bibliography
Evaluating sources
Research

Constructing an annotated bibliography allows you to summarize, evaluate, and record publication information for your sources before drafting your research paper. You summarize each source to understand its main ideas; you evaluate each source to assess how it contributes to your research project; and you record bibliographic information to keep track of publication details for each source.

VIDEO

Watch "What is an annotated bibliography?" for more information on annotated bibliographies.

Constructing an annotated bibliography focuses your attention on the most promising sources you’ve located, providing you with an opportunity to assess the usefulness of these sources as you reflect on how and why they will help you answer your research question. Take the following steps for each source in your annotated bibliography.

[View a complete annotated bibliography (PDF)]

VIDEO

For more advice on writing annotations, watch "How to write an annotation."

WRITING GUIDE

How to write an annotated bibliography

Creating an annotated bibliography gives you an opportunity to summarize, evaluate, and record publication information for your sources before drafting your research paper. You summarize each source to understand its main ideas, and you evaluate each source for accuracy, quality, and relevance. Finally, you reflect, asking yourself how the source will contribute to your research project.

Key features

✵ The list of sources, arranged in alphabetical order by author, includes complete bibliographic information for each source.

✵ A brief annotation or note for each source, typically no longer than one paragraph, contains a summary and an evaluation. The annotation may be written in full sentences or as brief notes; check with your instructor for preferences.

✵ The summary of each source states the work’s main ideas and key points briefly and accurately. The summary is written in the present tense, third person, directly and concisely. Summarizing helps you test your understanding of a source and restate its meaning responsibly.

✵ The evaluation of the source’s role and usefulness in your project includes an assessment of the source’s strengths and limitations, the author’s qualifications and expertise, and the function of the source in your project. Evaluating a source helps you analyze how the source fits into your project and separate the source’s ideas from your own.

Thinking ahead: Presenting or publishing

You may be asked to submit your annotated bibliography electronically. If this is the case, be sure that any entry for a web source includes a functioning link to the source so that your reader can easily access it, if necessary.

Writing your annotated bibliography

1 Explore

For each source, begin by brainstorming responses to questions such as the following.

✵ What is the purpose of the source? Who is the author’s intended audience?

✵ What is the author’s thesis? What evidence supports the thesis?

✵ What qualifications and expertise does the author bring? Does the author have any biases or make any questionable assumptions?

✵ Why do you think this source is useful for your project?

✵ How does this source relate to the other sources in your bibliography?

2 Draft

The following tips can help you draft one or more entries in your annotated bibliography.

✵ Arrange the sources in alphabetical order by author (or by title for works with no author).

✵ Provide consistent bibliographic information for each source. For the exact bibliographic format, see 57b for MLA style or 62b for APA style.

✵ Start your summary by identifying the thesis and purpose of the source as well as the credentials of the source’s author.

✵ Keep your research question in mind. How does this source contribute to your project? How does it help you take your place in the conversation?

3 Revise

Ask reviewers for specific feedback. Here are some questions to guide their comments.

✵ Is each source summarized clearly? Have you identified the author’s main idea?

✵ For each source, have you made a clear judgment about how and why the source is useful for your project?