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Literature Review Development Support

Guide developed to support students (mainly graduate education program students) in their research-based writing

Annotated Bibliographies--Simple Definition

Documenting & Analyzing Sources Using an Annotated Bibliography

What is an annotation?

What is an annotated bibliography?

  • Instructors of courses in which students are required to do literature-based research often assign students the task of creating an annotated bibliography.
  • An annotated bibliography is a references list in which annotations are included. Most often the annotations are in the form of paragraphs (typically seen without first-line indentation) which follow each reference list entry or source read. 
  • Two main types of annotated bibliographies
    • Descriptive/Informational -- Primarily provide a summary of source
    • Analytical/Critical/Evaluative -- Offer researcher's perception of the work and how/why it will or will not be useful to the present study
  • For more information and examples, visit

 

Purposes for Annotated Bibs

Why Do an Annotated Bibliography? What's the Purpose or Goal?

  • Annotated bibliographies often serve as a stepping stone assignment or activity in the process of completing a larger research-based paper or project.
  • When done well, annotated bibliographies, especially those that are analytical/critical, can help the researcher begin to determine the organizational structure of a literature review and identify potential gaps or needs for more information on a topic.
  • Instructors may assign annotated bibliographies for any/all of the following purposes: Creating an annotated bibliography allows the developing researcher to...
    • demonstrate the literature research conducted on a topic
    • present an informal or draft literature review
    • develop a thesis or direction for more advanced research
    • identify and share important information sources and ideas on a topic

Annotated Bib Examples

APA Style Annotated Bibliography Examples

Example 1:

Zawacki-Richter, O., Marin, V. I., Bond, M., & Gouverneur, F. (2019). Systematic review of research on artificial intelligence applications in

higher education—Where are the educators? International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 16(1), n.p. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0171-0

This systematic review includes a review and main idea synthesis of 146 articles on artificial intelligence applications (AI) in higher education published between 2007 and 2018. These articles focused on the integration of AI into two main areas: academic support and institutional/administrative support services. Within the two overarching areas, Zawacki-Richter et al. (2019) classified the AI applications into four functional categories: 1) profiling and prediction; 2) assessment and evaluation; 3) adaptive systems and personalization; and 4) intelligent tutoring systems. The article is additionally useful in its inclusion of important timeline markers in the development of AI and definitions of key ideas. Findings of interest include AI’s use to assist enrollment and retention efforts, mixed results related to intelligent tutoring systems and student learning, consideration of AI as a tool for career services, and perceived lack of concern related to ethical issues in AI use. Because it is a systematic review, this article's references list will be especially useful for finding articles, such as those addressing ethical issues, a topic which will be the center focus of my research.

 

Example authored by Kimberly S. Grotewold, Education Librarian

Progression

Progressing Toward a Literature Review

  • An annotated bibliography can help you understand your information sources and how they relate to each other.
  • A literature review is not just stringing together a series of annotated bibliographies. Usually, you will want to organize your ideas according to main ideas, themes, etc.

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Annotated Bibliographies Quiz

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Annotated Bibliographies Quiz