# Annotated Bibliography Examples and Guide

## What You Need to Know About Annotated Bibliographies

### An Introduction to Annotated Bibliographies

What is an annotated bibliography? Annotated bibliographies are aggregated lists of resources that correlate with a research topic. Students and researchers actively seek out exceptional resources about a specific research topic and develop a list of the best resources they’ve found. In addition to information about the source (such as the title, author’s name, publication information, and other identifiable information), writers also include a brief synopsis of each source to provide readers with information about its contents.

Follow the directions below to form a bibliography with annotations.

### How to Do an Annotated Bibliography

The act of compiling a bibliography of this type involves:

- Choosing an annotated bibliography topic. Choose a topic which interests you to make the assignment more enjoyable to organize and complete.
- Seeking out relevant resources that directly correlate with a research topic.
- Creating a citation for each resource, including the title, author’s name, date of publication, and other identifiable information.
- Writing a very brief analysis or summary of each source.

### Why Are Annotated Bibliographies Created?

These specific bibliographies are created for numerous reasons, including:

- To encourage students and researchers to become experts on a topic or area of study.
- To demonstrate and advance information literacy skills necessary in the 21st century.
- To provide helpful sources to others researching the same or similar topics.

### What Elements Are Included in An Annotated Bibliography?

Follow these recommended guidelines:

1. **An introduction:** Include the research topic, the types of sources included, the process used to locate the sources, and any other relevant information.
2. **A list of the sources and their annotations:** Each source should have a full reference citation followed by a brief annotation summarizing the source.

### Annotated Bibliography Examples

Below are examples of annotated bibliographies:

#### Annotated Bibliography Example #1: A MLA style bibliography with summary annotations

**Topic: Research Habits of Young Children**

Karalar, Halit, and Sabri Sidekli. “How Do Second Grade Students in Primary Schools Use and Perceive Tablets?” _Universal Journal of Educational Research_, vol. 5, no. 6, 2017, pp. 965-71. _ERIC_, doi: 10.13189/ujer.2017.050609.

This case study examined how digital natives use tablets and found varied usage patterns.

Knight, Simon, and Neil Mercer. “Collaborative Epistemic Discourse in Classroom Information-Seeking Tasks.” _Technology, Pedagogy and Education_, vol. 26, no. 1, 2017, pp. 33-50. ERIC, doi: 10.1080/1475939X.2016.1159978.

Focused on student discussions during information-seeking tasks and identified positive learning outcomes.

#### Annotated Bibliography Example #2: An APA style bibliography with critique annotations

**Topic: Research Habits of Young Children**

Knight, S., & Mercer, N. (2017). “Collaborative epistemic discourse in classroom information-seeking tasks.” _Technology, Pedagogy and Education_, 26(1), 33-50. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/1475939X.2016.1159978

Concluded that student discussion aids research understanding, although results may not be widely applicable due to sample size.

Karalar, H., & Sidekli, S. (2017). “How do second grade students in primary schools use and perceive tablets?” _Universal Journal of Educational Research_, 5(6), 965-971. http://dx.doi.org/10.13189/ujer.2017.050609

Explored 2nd graders' usage of tablets and highlighted how they engage with technology in varying contexts.