An annotation is a brief description of a book, article, or other publication,
including audio-visual materials. Its purpose is to characterize the publication in such a
way that the reader can decide whether or not to read the complete work. Annotations vary
according to their intended use and their content.
Descriptive Annotations describe the content of a book or article and indicate
distinctive features.
Critical Annotations, in addition to describing the contents, evaluate the usefulness
of a book or article for particular situations.
Elements of an annotation:
- 1. Begin with the complete bibliographic entry.
- 2. Include some or all of the following:
- a. Authority and qualifications of the author, unless extremely well known. e.g. "Based on twenty years of study, William A. Smith, professor of history at XYZ University..."
- b. Scope and main purpose of text. Do not try to summarize the whole work. e.g. "Discusses the positive impact of Medicare on the psychiatric profession."
- c. Any bias that you note.
- d. Audience and level of reading difficulty. Such a comment warns readers of writings that are too elementary or scholarly for their purposes. e.g. "Swift addressed himself to the scholar, but the concluding chapters will be clear to any informed lay person."
- e. The relation, if any, of other works in the field. "This corroborates the findings of George Brown's Revolution."
- f. Summary comment. e.g. "A popular account directed at educated adults."
- 3. Do not repeat the words of the title, give the same information in different phrasing, or offer information that an intelligent person could readily infer from the title.
- 4. Be concise.
SAMPLE DESCRIPTIVE ANNOTATION
- London, Herbert. "Five Myths of the Television Age." Television Quarterly 10(1) Spring 1982:81-89.
- The author explains how television contradicts five ideas commonly believed by most people, using specific examples seen on television, such as the assassination of John Kennedy, to demonstrate his points. His examples contradict such truisms as "seeing is believing", "a picture is worth a thousand words", and "satisfaction is its own reward." London uses logical arguments to support his ideas, and doesn't refer to any previous works on the topic: the article is his personal opinion.
SAMPLE CRITICAL ANNOTATION
- London, Herbert. "Five Myths of the Television Age." Television Quarterly 10(1) Spring 1982:81-89.
- Herbert London, a Dean at New York University and author of several books and articles, explains how television contradicts five ideas commonly believed by most people, using specific examples seen on television, such as the assassination of John Kennedy, to demonstrate his points. His examples contradict such truisms as "seeing is believing", "a picture is worth a thousand words", and "satisfaction is its own reward." London uses logical arguments to support his ideas, and doesn't refer to any previous works on the topic: the article is his personal opinion. His style and vocabulary would make the article of interest to any reader. The article clearly illustrates London's points, but does not explore their implications, leaving the reader with many unanswered questions.
How to Write an Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography adds a brief summary of the contents of each item on the
list. Placed just below the facts of publication, the annotation describes the essential
details of the work and its relevance to the topic. It will help future researchers
determine whether or not to consult the work. Provide enough information in about three
sentences for a reader to have a fairly clear image of the book's purpose, contents, and
special value.
SAMPLE ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ENTRY
- Gibson, Walker. Tough, Sweet, and Stuffy. Bloomington: Indiana UP, 1966.
- This essay on modern prose styles describes the three extreme styles: tough talk, sweet talk, and stuffy talk. Samples in the appendix are especially helpful.