An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents that includes a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph for each source. This paragraph is called an annotation. An annotated bibliography is often required in research projects, especially in the humanities and social sciences, as it helps to demonstrate the researcher's understanding of the sources they are using in their work.
In the Modern Language Association (MLA) style, an annotated bibliography is typically organized alphabetically by the author's last name. Each citation follows the same format as a regular MLA Works Cited entry, including the author's name, title of the source, publication information, and the medium of publication (such as print or online).
Here is an example of an annotated bibliography in MLA style:
Works Cited
Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. The Craft of Research. 3rd ed., University of Chicago Press, 2008.
In this book, Booth, Colomb, and Williams provide a detailed guide to the process of research, from identifying a research question to evaluating sources and drawing conclusions. The authors emphasize the importance of being clear and concise in one's research and writing, and they provide practical tips for conducting research and avoiding common pitfalls. This is a valuable resource for anyone embarking on a research project, particularly in the humanities or social sciences.
Lunsford, Andrea A. "The Stance of the Writer in the Research Paper." The St. Martin's Handbook. 8th ed., Bedford/St. Martin's, 2014, pp. 563-586.
In this chapter, Lunsford discusses the role of the writer's stance in a research paper. She argues that the writer's stance is an important factor in the credibility and effectiveness of a research paper, as it reflects the writer's level of engagement with the topic and their relationship to the audience. Lunsford provides examples of different types of stance, such as a detached stance or a committed stance, and she advises writers to consider their own stance carefully when writing a research paper. This chapter is a useful resource for anyone looking to improve their understanding of the writer's stance in academic writing.
Turabian, Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 8th ed., University of Chicago Press, 2013.
Turabian's manual is a widely used resource for formatting research papers and other academic documents in the humanities and social sciences. It covers a wide range of topics, including how to organize and structure a research paper, how to cite sources in the text and in a bibliography, and how to use style guides such as the MLA Handbook. This manual is an essential resource for anyone preparing to write a research paper or other academic document.
As you can see in this example, each annotation provides a brief summary of the source and its main points, as well as an evaluation of its usefulness or relevance to the research project. The annotation should be concise, generally no more than a few sentences, and it should provide enough information for the reader to understand the significance of the source.
An annotated bibliography can be a valuable tool for researchers, as it helps to organize and evaluate the sources they are using in their work. By providing a brief summary and evaluation of each source, an annotated bibliography can help the researcher to identify the most relevant and reliable sources for their project, and it can also help to demonstrate the depth and breadth of their research.
