English 100: Freshman Composition

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations followed by a descriptive summary and/or evaluation.

The purpose of this type of bibliography is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

An annotation may include some or all of these parts: 

• a citation to the work of the author(s)
• purpose or scope of the work
• topics covered
• summary of findings or conclusions
• audience or reading level
• bias or standpoint of author(s)
• relationship to works in the field
• format/special features
• relevance to your own research

Below are the most common types of annotated bibliographies:

• Indicative:  Provides general information about the scope of the work and topics covered.
• Informative: Provides a summary of the work.
• Evaluative / Critical: Critcally evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of the source and/or its author. Explains how the source may be useful to a particular field of study or personal research.
• Combination: Uses a combination of some or all of the types mentioned above.

Formatting example for an MLA style annotated bibliography:

Please check with your instructor for their preferred style.

“MLA Annotated Bibliography Format.” EasyBib, Chegg, 1 Jan. 2021, www.easybib.com/guides/citation-guides/mla-format/annotated-bibliography-format-mla/.