Create an Annotated Bibliography

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Using an Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography provides a concise summary of each source and some assessment of its value and relevance. You, the researcher, have to justify the choice of one source over another by answering questions like these:

What was in the source?
How was the source useful?
[and sometimes] How has the source changed your thinking?

It is excellent preparation for carrying out independent research.This page has information on using an annotated bibliography for your Extended Essay:

For other resources, see:

How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography - Cornell University Library

An explanation of the annotated bibliography, a description of the process involved in creating one, and some sample annotated bibliography entries. Provided by Olin Library Reference, Research & Learning Services, Cornell University Library.
Annotated Bibliographies - Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL)

Definitions of bibliography, annotation, and annotated bibliography, and an explanation of why an annotated bibliography should be written and the correct format to be used with MLA and APA citation methods. Also includes links to annotated bibliography samples. Provided by the Purdue Online Writing Lab at Purdue University.
Creating an annotated bibliography

Discusses the purpose and function of an annotated bibliography and provides instruction on compiling one, and gives examples of annotated bibliographic entries. Adapted from 'Extended Essay Guide', International Baccalaureate Organization, 2016.

What Is an Annotated Bibliography - and Why Use One?

An annotated bibliography is a bibliography that includes a summary and/or evaluation of each of the sources. Each citation is followed by a brief note – or annotation – that describes various aspects of the sourse such as a summary, an evaluation of the content, and applicability to your topic.

Why use an annotated bibliography? An author uses an annotated bibliography to show that they have understood the sources cited in the paper, and to give enough information for the reader to decide whether or not to read a specific work listed.

How Can a Good Annotated Bibliography Help Me With My EE?

The process is not just a matter of listing possible sources. It also requires you to think critically. Consider your sources in terms of:

What has already been written about their chosen topic and
How your own research will fit into this.

As you examine each source, you will need to identify the issues and different perspectives of others. This will help you to develop a reasoned argument.

A good annotated bibliography will:

Allow you to keep track of your reading
Encourage you to think critically about the sources you are using in relation to your research area
Allow you, quite early on in the process, to become aware of possible concerns about using certain sources
Help you determine whether a source is of use to you in your research
Help you to justify your use of particular sources, both to your supervisor and to the IB examiner who will be reading your essay
Help you with the planning of your research, and ultimately save you time
Enable you to develop critical-thinking skills in selecting and evaluating source material.

TIP: The annotated bibliography is a planning tool to help you manage your research and time. It must not be included in the EE as an appendix.

What Should an Annotation Include?

An annotated bibliography consists of:

The bibliographic information
The annotations (a concise summary of the source).

The annotations will vary in length depending on whether you are writing a summary of the source or analyzing it.

A summary should include:

A concise summary of the content and theme(s) of the source
A comment on the authority of the author
A comment on the purpose of the source
A comment on how this source might be useful.

What Do Sample Annotations Look Like?

The following are examples of annotations in several IB disciplines.

What Should the Annotation Include?

This video tutorial from Champlain College Library explains what an annotated bibliography is and what each annotation should include. The short paragraphs describing each source on the list should summarize the source, evaluate it, and discuss how it would fit into your topic.

How Do I Write an Annotation?

The Cornell University Library has defined an annotated bibliography as: a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph. This means you are creating a paragraph that others may read to get a general idea of what your sources are about. The hardest part is being concise with your information. Annotations take practice but once you get the hang of it they are easy. Here are the steps to follow:

Step 1: Talk about the author. (1 sentence)
Is this a professor? Maybe this is a professional in the field? Or is this person a hobbyist? Tell the audience about the author in the first part of the annotation.

Step 2: Explain what the article is about. (1-3 sentences)
Tell the audience what is in the article. This is the most difficult part of the annotation because it requires you to be very succinct. Don’t rewrite the article; just write the base facts and important notes about the article here.

Step 3: Explain how this article illuminates your bibliography topic. (1-2 sentences)
What about this article makes it relevant to your topic? Why did you select it? What pertinent bit of information makes this article stand out among the others?

Step 4: Compare or contrast this work with another you have cited. (1-2 sentences)