south texas college

MLA Citation Style - 8th Edition

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Annotated Bibliography

What is an annotated bibliography?

It is the same as a “regular” bibliography (also known as a Works Cited or References list), with the addition of annotations (short paragraphs about each source). Two types of annotated bibliographies are the most common:

  • Descriptive: annotations describe the content of a source
  • Evaluative: annotations describe AND critically evaluate the source

What is an annotation? 

short paragraph (50-200 words) that describes and/or evaluates each citation (source of information listed in your bibliography). An evaluative annotation judges, in your opinion, the relevance, quality, and accuracy of each citation.

Do I have to read the entire book/article?

Not necessarily! Look for information in:

  • introductions/conclusions
  • abstracts
  • book reviews
  • websites
  • table of contents
  • first and last paragraphs

Unless otherwise advised, make sure your Annotated Bibliography is in alphabetical order. Start each annotation with a correct citation in the required citation style (e.g., APAMLAChicago).

Additional Resources

For additional information and tips for creating an annotated bibliography, see the links below: