Write an Annotated Bibliography

What are Annotated Bibliographies?

Usually, annotated bibliographies provide a short explanation of any existing research sources on a particular topic. Essentially, they are lists of sources with a brief evaluation and description of each one.

An annotation is actually a brief description that summarises a source’s content and provides a short evaluation or analysis of that source. A writer can be asked to analyse, summarise, evaluate, or reflect on a particular source.Often, annotated bibliographies are part of a bigger project although they can be stand-alone lists. While annotations may be as brief as a single sentence, it is usual for these to be made up of a particular citation or reference along with a concise descriptive paragraph.

NB: The guidance provided in this article is quite general. It is highly recommended you adhere to the instructions provided with each individual assignment and, if required, ask your tutor or lecturer for clarification.

What Purpose Does an Annotated Bibliography Serve?

While much depends on a particular assignment, the following are some of the purposes that annotated bibliographies serve. Essentially, they:

• Review any available literature on a specific subject;
• Show how much a writer has read and the quality of that material;
• Demonstrate the extent and/or amount of available sources, e.g., articles, books, journals, websites, etc.
• Draw attention to any sources that might be interesting or useful to other students and/or researchers;
• Examine, organise and highlight various areas for further or future research.

When given as assignments, annotated bibliographies enable the writer to get to know what material is available on a given topic.

In What Formatting Style Should Your Annotations be Written?

• It is important that every annotation is concise and not too wordy. Keep in mind that you are summarising sources and not writing an essay. Stick to one paragraph at most unless you have been instructed otherwise. Confine yourself to those details that are relevant and important.
• You do not need to include any information that is already mentioned or obvious in a source’s title.
• There is no need to include any background information or any references to other work by a particular author. Cross-referencing and/or in-text citations explaining an annotation are not necessary since one text is being addressed at a time.
• Use full sentences and scholarly vocabulary unless you have been instructed to do otherwise.

What is an Annotated Bibliography Like in Appearance?

An entry in an annotated bibliography begins with information about a citation or source. After this, you should write a short annotation.

As is the case with any bibliography or list of references, annotated bibliographies should be presented in alphabetic order under author surname. Each entry should be around 100 words to 200 words in length, but double-check with your tutor since length can vary from one assignment and/or institution to another. Your tutor will also clarify what should be included in your annotations. 

Say how a source relates to any concepts or themes of the course the assignment is being written for.

Tips for Writing an Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is often included as a part of an academic paper (an essay, a research paper, a term paper or a dissertation) and it comprises of a detailed description of sources used in the paper. To put it simple, an annotated bibliography reminds a simple reference list with the only difference that each bibliographical entry is briefly summarized. One of the basic annotated bibliography tips is that each source entry should consist of a concise discussion including a summary, analysis, and evaluation part.

A common misconception is that an annotated bibliography is easy to write in comparison with the main body of the paper. However, it often comes as a surprise that the annotated bibliography may sometimes require even more time, especially if there is a long list of sources. Therefore, do not underestimate the task and be diligent and attentive when searching for the sources and choosing the right ones.

First of all, spend sufficient amount of time to choose credible and updated sources (preferable taken from scholarly resources). Second, make sure that the sources are relevant to the topic and that they contain valuable ideas for topic analysis and discussion. All in all, to choose proper sources, you need to skim read all of them and decide which of them are the best for your work. After you have decided on the sources and their number, it is significant to come up with proper bibliography formatting (MLA, APA, Chicago or Harvard among others). It is crucial to clarify with your professor or academic supervisor which style should be used.

Look at Our Free Annotated Bibliography Sample

Download PDF Sample

Get Annotated Bibliography Tips from Online Writing Company PrimeEssay.org

If it is hard to cope with an annotated bibliography on your own, or if you do not have enough time to work on it thoroughly, feel free to seek professional assistance from custom writing services. Particularly, PrimeEssay.org will provide you a quality annotated bibliography at a reasonable price.

Our company’s professionals fully realize that it is not simple or possible at all to cope with all college or university assignments while maintaining to strike a healthy balance between studying and personal life. As such, it is a great option to purchase papers online. PrimeEssay.org occupies one of the top positions in the field of custom writing, so we can provide our customers with virtually any type of paper.

Steps to Gain the Annotated Bibliography

1st step

Fill out the order form.

2st step

Make a payment in a suitable way.

3st step

Communicate with writer.

4st step

Get your annotated bibliography completed.

Benefits You Will Get When Buying Papers at PrimeEssay.org

If you have always underestimated the importance of writing annotated bibliographies, now it is time to reevaluate your thinking. Despite the fact that it merely requires discussion and critical analysis of sources without any grind of creativity, it is still crucial for pinpointing that the sources you have used are suitable for your topic. Therefore, if the annotated bibliography tips found on the Internet do not help you and you would like some more effective expert assistance, contact PrimeEssay.org and you will be able to order a perfect annotated bibliography from the most experienced writers.

On our behalf, we offer you the following advantages of using our service:

• The bibliography will be perfectly formatted and organized. All of our writers are aware of the latest changes and updates in academic citation styles. Therefore, you can be sure that the paper will be formatted in correspondence with the required format. All of our writers have in-depth knowledge in writing and organization of academic papers, so be calm when delegating your task to us.
• Only the most credible and trustworthy sources will be provided for your annotated bibliography. Our writers deal with academic writing on a daily basis, so they know how and where to find credible academic sources. When ordering from us, be sure that the sources included in your research will be recent, updated, and taken from scholarly sources or databases. 
• When ordering from PrimeEssay.org, you will be able to familiarize yourself with samples provided by our writers. If you feel anxious and worried about trusting your academic assignment to online writers, be sure that on our website you can look through the sample essays and research provided by our writers previously. Besides, these samples provided on the website can be used as examples for proper structure and organization of annotated bibliographies.
• You will get background for your extensive research

Annotated bibliographies are sometimes submitted as separate tasks but frequently they are parts of a more extensive research. When you order an annotated bibliography, you will also be able to derive useful and valuable ideas for your larger paper.

Our features

300 words/page

Discount System

Vip Services

Free Revision (on demand)

Affiliate Program

Plagiarism Free Papers

Why You Should Choose Us

1. There is no automatic software that helps you create a bibliography. The most you can derive from such apps is the proper citation of sources. So, if you want to submit a top-quality paper, you had better delegated this task to PrimeEssay.org specialists.
2. PrimeEssay.org hires only the most experienced writers specializing in a variety of research fields. So, whatever the topic of your paper is, you can trust it to our writers. 
3. The process of order placement is easy. You just need to register, fill out your contact information, and then fill in the most detailed information about yourself. 
4. You can track the progress of your order and easily get in touch with your assigned writer. 
5. You receive papers free from plagiarism (original content).
6. You can apply for a free revision option within two days after the order completion. 
7. Our client support team is available 24/7.

All in all, when you order an annotated bibliography from PrimeEssay.org, you will free yourself from worries and will grab the opportunity to save time and focus on more important matters.

Get 10% OFF your first order!

Make your academic life easy!

Place an order

Read more here: Questions-Answers Service Arranging an Annotated Bibliography