Making an Annotated Bibliography
An annotated bibliography contains descriptive or evaluative comments on the sources included in a bibliography. Each entry consists of two parts: the citation and the annotation.
Annotationsare usuallybrief and limited to approximately 100 to 300words. However, always be sure to check with your instructorto see what the required word countis for yourspecificassignment.
Annotations come in various forms. Depending on assignment requirements, they can be merelydescriptive, summarizing the authors' qualifications, research methods, and arguments, or containevaluative information about the quality of scholarship in a resource.Such evaluative information may consider the logic of authors' argumentsand the quality of their evidence.
For more information,see the Camosun guide,Annotated Bibliography: How to Create One.
EXAMPLE
Allen, Donald M., ed.The New AmericanPoetry. New York: Grove Press,1960.
Concentrates on the postwar period from 1945 to 1960 and presents the work of poets whoidentifiedthemselves with anti-formalist movements or waves, often associated with fugitive publicationsand littlemagazines.
EXAMPLE
Battle, Ken. "Child Poverty: The Evolution and Impact of Child Benefits." InA Question of Commitment:Children's Rights in Canada, edited by Katherine Covell and Howe, R. Brian, 21-44. Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2007.
Ken Battle draws on a close study of government documents, as well as his own research as an extensively-published policy analyst, to explain Canadian child benefit programs.He outlines some fundamental assumptions supporting the belief that all society members should contribute to the upbringing of children.His comparison of child poverty rates in a number of countries is a useful wake-up to anyone assuming Canadian society is doing a good job of protecting children.Battle pays particular attention to the National Child Benefit (NCB), arguing that it did not deserve to be criticized by politicians and journalists.He outlines the NCB’s development, costs, and benefits, and laments that the Conservative government scaled it back in favour of the inferior Universal Child Care Benefit (UCCB).However, he relies too heavily on his own work; he is the sole or primary author of almost half the sources in his bibliography.He could make this work stronger by drawing from others' perspectives and analyses.However,Battle does offer avaluable source for this essay, because the chapter provides a concise overview of government-funded assistance currently available to parents.This offers context for analyzing the scope and financial reality of child poverty in Canada.
