Skip to Main Content

* Writing & Citing: Writing

Annotated Bibliographies

Annotated bibliographies differ from abstracts or summaries of articles. Annotated bibliographies are a list of sources (journal or news articles, books, websites, datasets, etc.) on a particular topic. The list is usually in alphabetical order by author and always employs a single citation style. The propose of an annotated bibliography is:

  • To prove you have done some valid research to back up your argument and claims
  • To explain the content of your sources, assess their usefulness, and share this information with others who may be less familiar with them

Some questions to help with your analysis of a source might include:

  • What’s the main point or thesis of this source?
  • Does the author seem to have particular biases or are they trying to reach a particular audience?
  • How does this source relate to your own research and ideas?
  • How does this source relate to other sources you have read? Do they have aspects of the same argument or opposing views?

Below are a few links to help you better understand and construct an annotated bibliography.

Academic Honesty

Ask the Academic Honesty Liaison questions at honestyliaison@ur.rochester.edu or 6-8334