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Literature Research: Annotated Bibliography

What's an Annotated Bibliography?

Created by Brock University Library

What's included in an Annotated Bibliography?

To create an annotated bibliography, start with the citation of a source: MLA, APA, ASA, or whatever format your instructor has assigned.

Next, write a brief description for the source. The description should include the following:

  • a brief description of the author's credentials, purpose and intended audience
  • a brief summary of the content including conclusions or observations reached by the author
  • comments about the work's usefulness or relevance to your research topic, usually including conclusions or observations reached by you.

Always check with your instructor for specific guidelines for your assignments.

Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a bibliography or works cited page that includes an annotation or a descriptive paragraph about each source. The annotation should not be merely a summary of the source, but should describe the reasons why it is included in the bibliography and should inform the reader of the source's relevance, accuracy, and quality.