Discussion and 3-5 page paper

Basics of Annotated Bibliographies

An annotated bibliography is a combination of the words annotation and bibliography. An annotation is a set of notes, comments, or critiques. A bibliography is list of references that helps a reader identify sources of information. An annotated bibliography is a list of references that not only identifies the sources of information but also includes information such as a summary, a critique or analysis, and an application of those sources' information.

Review our resources on the following pages for more information about each component of an annotated bibliography. As always, read the instructions and any examples in your assignment carefully; some of what follows might not be required in your particular course.

Components of an Annotated Entry

Download the following sample to see the components of an annotated bibliography. Follow the links to more information on formatting, summary, critique/analysis, application, and example in the left sidebar menu. Note that citations are not necessary in the annotations since the notes are understood to be about the listed source.

Formatting

General Format

The format of an annotated bibliography can change depending on the assignment, but the typical format is a list of reference entries (see  reference list ) with each entry followed by an annotation. However, be sure to ask your instructor for any course-specific requirements that may vary from the general format.

Your annotated bibliography as a whole should follow these guidelines in formatting:

· Alphabetized by author. Just as you would in a reference list, be sure to put your sources in alphabetical order by the authors' last names.

· No headings. Because you will be discussing one reference at a time, there is no need for headings between sources or paragraphs.

· Brief. Annotations are usually one to three paragraphs. Remember, this is an annotated bibliography, not a research paper. Try to keep your annotations concise and clear.

Annotation Format

Each reference on your list should have an annotation that includes a summary, a critique or analysis, and an application. Annotations are often formatted in three paragraphs to ensure that the writer includes all three sections.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind as you write each annotation:

· No citations. You do not need to use citations within an annotation because the source of your information is clear (and listed above your annotation). Also, because each annotation is specific to only one source, you should not refer to any other sources in the annotation.

· No direct quotations. Because annotations give your summary, analysis, and application, there is no need for you to use direct quotations. An annotation is meant to be your own interpretation of the information.

· No referrals to the first or second person. Remember to be objective and remove yourself from your annotations. Annotated bibliographies do not allow for the use of I, me, my, we, our, you, or us.

· No reference list. Because your sources are already listed in reference format, there is no need for an additional list; it would be redundant.

Like all Walden assignments, annotated bibliographies should be  doubled-spaced , in Times New Roman font, and use appropriate  reference list formatting  (including  hanging indents ) for the source information. 

Summary

For each source listed, you will begin with a summary of the information you found in that specific source. The summary section gives your reader an overview of the important information from that source.  Remember that you are focusing on a source's method and results, not paraphrasing the article's argument or evidence.

The questions below can help you produce an appropriate, scholarly summary:

· What is the topic of the source?

· What actions did the author perform within the study and why?

· What were the methods of the author?

· What was the theoretical basis for the study?

· What were the conclusions of the study?

Remember, a summary should be similar to an abstract of a source and written in past tense (e.g. "The authors found that…" or "The studies showed…"), but it should not be the source's abstract. Each summary should be written in your own words.