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LEO: Literacy Education Online
Annotated Bibliography |
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LEO: Literacy Education Online
Annotated Bibliography |
A bibliography or works cited provides readers with the author, title and publication details of a source, whereas an annotated bibliography adds a brief summary, or annotation, about each source (book, magazine, journal, etc.). Placed just below the facts of the publication, the annotation describes the content of the work so that future reference to the entry by a researcher will provide essential data.
When writing the annotation, provide enough information in approximately three to five sentences for readers to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the source's purpose, content, and special value. Be sure to use complete sentences and to avoid wordiness.
Process for Writing an Annotated Bibliography
Write an Annotated Bibliography for
APA Style
For more information on APA style, see http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/research/apadocument.html#references.
Shorter Works
Annotations take different forms, depending on the type of source and on the
audience. Articles are often argumentative; in these instances, the writer should
incorporate the author's position on the particular issue being addressed. The
writer may choose to include quotes and/ or references to individuals or to
specific experiments for emphasis.
Dembart, Lee. "Fears on DNA Studies Fade, but Won't Die," Los Angeles Times,
April 12,
Dembart claims that fears of "Andromeda Strain" are unfounded. An interesting
quote by James D. Watson, codiscoverer of DNA, asserts his scientific opinion about
the genetic controversy: "I think the whole thing is lunacy. . . . I helped raise these
issues, but within six months I was acutely embarrassed. There's no evidence that anyone has gotten
sick from any of this" (3). On a more speculative note, Dembart quotes Robert Sinsheimer,
who acknowledges fears are less justified than originally thought, but also suspects that
genetic engineering could conceivably result in a new route for the transmission of cancer (5). This
article seems to provide a fairly balanced, up-to-date overview of the whole issue. Howard, Ted, and Jeremy Rifkin. Who Should Play God? New York: Dell
1977.
This book "lifts the cloak of secrecy from genetic experiments" and explores,
among other things, "who is performing the research and who profits from it" (12). It's clearly
anti-genetic engineering; its chapter titles give a good idea of the direction and flavor of the book,
for example, "Eugenics," "Eliminating 'Bad' Genes," "Bio-Futures," "Scientists and Corporation." This
book looks as if it is an appropriate source for the social arguments from the political left wing. In longer works, the material may often be more referential than argumentative
in nature. In these cases, the writer may choose to give a brief chapter-by-chapter
sketch or to focus on one or two chapters. The focus of the annotation is dependent
upon the focus of the paper.
Taylor, Monica and Mal Leicester. Ethics, Ethnicity and Education.
Bristol, PA: Taylor
This book is an important and inherently controversial collection of papers
that discusses the major moral issues in multicultural school education. Topics discussed include
the ethical aspects of the separate schools debate, strategies for establishing a democratic
school and preparing teachers to be more moral educators, and consideration of the values implicitly antiracist/
multicultural education. Pederson, Jane Marie. Between Memory and Reality: Family and Community in
Rural
Pederson examines the development of two rural Wisconsin communities during the post- frontier years. She demonstrates the effects of the cultures brought
to these communities by immigrants and migrants on the distinctive ways these towns responded
to change in the twentieth century. Franklin, P. Beyond Student Financial Aid: Issues and Options for Strengthening
Support
College Entrance Examination Board, 1980. Franklin argues that student financial aid is not enough to equalize opportunity
for post- secondary education; Federal Support Service Programs, Talent Search, Upward
Bound, and Special Services for Disadvantaged Students (Known as the "Trio"
Programs), as well as the more recent Educational Information Centers, are
critical to the achievement of this goal. The heart of this publication is Chapter 3,
which assesses issues and options that span the Title IV support service programs. These
involve (1) level of authorization, (2) inter-program overlap and duplication, (3) inter-program
integration and/or coordination, and (4) eligibility. The final chapter contains program-by-program
recommendations intended to help clarify the purpose and scope of Trio Programs
and enhance their respective operations. This publication is an illuminating
discussion of the policy options for the "other" provision of Title IV.
General Guidelines for Formatting Bibliographical Citations MLA
Author's last name, first name. Title of Book: Subtitle. City: Publisher,
Year. Annotation. Books with more than one author (First) Author's last name, first name, (Second) Author's first and last
name. Title of Book: Subtitle. City: Publisher, Year. Annotation. Author's last name, first name. "Title of Article." Journal Name Volume
number (Year): Page(s). Annotation. (First)Author's last name, Author's first initial and middle initial if given,
(Second) Author's last name, Author's first initial and middle initial if given
(Year). Title of Book: Subtitle. City: Publisher. Annotation.
Author's last name, author's first initial and middle initial if given (Year).
Title of article (no quotation marks). Journal Name, volume number, page(s). Annotation.
(First) Author's last name, author's first initial and middle if given, (Second)
Author's last name, author's second initial and middle initial if given
(Year). Title of article (no quotation marks). Journal Name, volume number (issue number),
page(s). Annotation. (First) Author's last name, Author's first initial and middle initial if
given, (Second) Author's last name, Author's first initial and middle initial if given
(Year). Title of Book: Subtitle. City: Publisher. Annotation.
Return to the Write Place Catalogue
The print handout was revised and then redesigned for the Web by Thomas Tate
for the Write Place, St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota, and
may be copied for educational purposes only. If you copy this document, please
include our copyright notice and the name of the writer; if you revise it,
please add your name to the list of writers.
Last update: 19 March 2004
URL: /research/annotated.html
1980, Part I, p. 1ff.
and Francis, 1992.
Wisconsin, 1870-1970
. Madison, WI: University of WI Press, 1992.
Service Programs Under Title IV of the Higher Education Act
. New York:
