If you’re not sure what kind of annotations you need, consult your assignment guidelines or ask your instructor. You’ll usually write either descriptive, evaluative, or reflective annotations. They shouldn’t go into too much depth quoting or discussing minor details from the source, but aim to write about it in broad terms. MLA states that annotations can describe or evaluate sources, or do both. Descriptive, evaluative, or reflective annotations? If in doubt, aim to keep your annotations short, but use multiple paragraphs if longer annotations are required for your assignment. However, it’s acceptable to write multiple-paragraph annotations if you need to. MLA states that annotations usually aim to be concise and thus are only one paragraph long. Kenny presents a broad history of Western philosophy from the ancient Greeks to the present day.Īlways use full sentences if your instructor requires you to do so, though.Broad history of Western philosophy from the ancient Greeks to the present day.It’s also fine to use full sentences instead, if you prefer. While you shouldn’t write this way in your main text, it’s acceptable in annotations because the subject of the phrase is clear from the context. MLA states that it’s acceptable to use concise phrases rather than grammatically complete sentences in your annotations. They cover how concise you need to be and what exactly you should write about your sources. MLA gives some guidelines for writing the annotations themselves. If there are two or more paragraphs, indent the first line of each paragraph, including the first, an additional half-inch (so those lines are indented 1.5 inches in total).ĭiscover proofreading & editing Length and content of annotations.If the annotation is only one paragraph long, there’s no additional indent for the start of the paragraph. A bibliography is a list of all your sources and along with their citation information (in MLA format, the Works Cited page is a type of bibliography).An annotation is a note, description, and/or commentary on an item.It ends with a sample passage marked up using the strategies provided. The whole annotation is indented 1 inch from the left margin to distinguish it from the 0.5 inch hanging indent of the source entry. Annotating a Text (Hunter College) This resource is designed for college students and shows how to annotate a scholarly article using highlighting, paraphrase, a descriptive outline, and a two-margin approach. The annotation follows on the next line, also double-spaced and left-aligned. The source information is presented and formatted in the same way as in a normal Works Cited entry: Sources are usually organized alphabetically, like in a normal Works Cited list, but can instead be organized chronologically or by subject depending on the purpose of the assignment. The list should be titled either “Annotated Bibliography” or “Annotated List of Works Cited.” You may be told which title to use “bibliography” is normally used for a list that also includes sources you didn’t cite in your paper or that isn’t connected to a paper at all. Frequently asked questions about annotated bibliographies.MLA format for annotated bibliographies.It should answer questions like currency, author credibility, suitability of source type, types of evidence presented, and source objectivity. What is unique about the information presented in this source that will help build an argument? There should also be an evaluative description of the resource that discusses the appropriateness of the resource. The annotations shouldn't just describe what the source is about, but also how it adds evidence to your specific research question. There should be an analysis of the resource that goes along with the description. The annotation should be more in-depth than just a summary. The annotation goes directly below the citation. Each citation should be alphabetical order.Īnnotation: This is a short paragraph (or two), describing, analyzing, and critiquing each resource. It should look identical to citations found in a references list at the end of a paper. What Components are necessary to create an annotation?Ĭitation: This should be the full APA citation for the resource. Basically, it is a references list with a descriptive paragraph below each citation The author of this newspaper article offers a balanced look at the survey results, pointing out that the organization conducting the survey is very conservative and that there is some disagreement about whether low taxes make a state business-friendly. Annotated bibliographies are lists of sources, with a brief description of the source below each item. Annotations can be just a sentence, or they can be a full page for each source.