Annotated Bibliography Help Sheet
What is an annotation?
An annotation is a summary which captures all of the information
or message contained in an article, chapter, or monograph in a succinct manner.
What is an annotated bibliography?
An annotated bibliography includes a short summary of a publication's
content in addition to the complete citation. The summary is intended
to inform the reader of content, viewpoint, and relevance to the subject
of the bibliography. A complete citation includes the following:
author(s) or editor(s), title of book or journal, title of article, volume,
pages, publisher,
and date and place of publication. Depending on
the style of the bibliography,issue numbers may also be included.
The first step in writing an annotated bibliography:
- Read for information. Isolate or underline significant findings.
- Use an appropriate dictionary to define technical or difficult
words or phrases.
- Restate the main points aloud or to yourself-putting them into
your own words. This will make writing them easier.
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What information should annotations contain?
- Who is the author?
- What is the objective or purpose for writing the article or
conducting the research?
- What method of obtaining data or conducting research did
the author use?
- Who were the research participants or subjects?
- What were the major findings?
- What can be concluded from these findings?
Hints for writing anotations:
DO:
- Read the document purposefully for key facts.
- Tell what was found, why the work was done,
how the work was done.
- Place findings early in the topical sentence.
- Put details in succeeding sentences.
- Differentiate experiment from hypothesis.
- Be informative, exact and concise.
- Use short but complete sentences.
DON'T:
- Change the meaning of the original article.
- Interpret or comment on the conclusions or
purpose of the article unless directed to by your teacher.
- Waste words by stating the obvious.
- Use questionable jargon.
- Say the same thing two ways.
- Use a choppy or run-on style.
APA Style Guidesheets:
Electronic Reference Formats Recommended by the American
Psychological Association
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