|
An annotated bibliography is a list of books and/or articles with a note of guidance added to
each entry. Arranged alphabetically
by author, each item includes all standard bibliographic information (i.e.,
statements of author, title, edition, place of publication, publisher, date of
publication), and the annotation.
The
annotation is a brief description or explanation of material, intended as a
guide for the reader. It may
be descriptive, indicating the major points of the work,
or evaluative, giving
the annotator's opinion of the work. While
the annotation
may be written in conventional sentence style, it is common
practice to use an
abbreviated telegraphic style, which omits introductory words
and phrases,
articles, and unnecessary modifiers.
While
annotations vary according to the personal taste and style of the annotator,
they generally follow a format which begins with the principal point, presents
subsidiary or supporting points, and concludes. In an evaluative annotation the conclusion is often a recommendation of
some sort.
When writing
an annotation keep the following points in mind:
1. Write clearly and concisely; 30-60 words will usually suffice.
2. State the authority and qualification of the author, if pertinent.
3. Describe the subject and scope of the work.
4. Indicate any bias or limits of the work.
5. Indicate the intended audience of the work, particularly if any expertise
or lack thereof is necessary to appreciate the work.
6. Compare the work to others in the field, if relevant.
7. Point out any features of importance, e. g., index, illustrations, etc.
8. Avoid repetition of information explicit in the title.
The
following annotated bibliography lists items for further reading and
consultation. It also provides ten examples of annotation to illustrate the
various points mentioned above. The works cited illustrate principles of layout
and format as
shown in Form and Style: Theses, Reports, Term Papers.
This is the second example. Call
numbers are not included in an annotated bibliography but
are included here for
your convenience.
Berry,
Dorothea M. and Gordon P. Martin. A Guide to Writing Research
Papers. New
York: McGraw-Hill Book Company, 1972. 74, 123-129.
2 NORTH Reference LB
2369 .B36
Includes description of bibliographies which are annotated and
numerous
samples of bibliographies listed under various subjects.
Campbell,
William Giles, Stephen Vaughan Ballou, and Carole Slade. Form and
Style: Theses,
Reports, Term Papers. 8th ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
Company, 1990. 112,
140, 143.
1 NORTH Reserve Book Room LB 2369 .C3 1990
Standard style manual describes briefly what an annotation is,
explains how to cite and type an annotated entry, and includes a page
long example of an annotated bibliography.
Haines, Helen. "The Art of Annotation," in Background
Readings in Building
Library Collections.
Ed. Mary Virginia Gaver, vol. 1. Metuchen,
N.J.:
Scarecrow Press, 1969.
380-89. 4 NORTH Z 689 .G35 v. 1
Originally published in 1950 in her book Living with Books, the
author's advice to librarians is still valid.
It delineates points the annotation
should cover, and suggests how the
annotator may achieve successful
results. Includes good examples of how and how not to
write.
Harner,
James L. On Compiling an Annotated Bibliography. New
York:
Modern Language Association
of America, 2000.
4 NORTH Z 1001 .H33 2000
Includes: compiling the
entries, obtaining works, writing the entries,
final editing and
indexing. Very useful information.
Katz,
William A. "Annotations," in Encyclopedia of Library and
Information
Science. Ed. Allen Kent
and
Harold Lancour, vol. 1. New York: Marcel
Dekker, 1968.
424-429. 2 NORTH
Reference Z 1006 . E57 v.1
Briefly defines, describes, and traces the development of annotation;
suggests points to be covered; includes a reading list directed to those
writing subjective,
evaluative annotations.
Lester,
James D. and James D. Lester, Jr. The Essential Guide to Writing
Research Papers.
New York: Longman, c1999. 56-58.
2
NORTH Reference LB 2369 .L47
"Preparing an annotated bibliography" lists samples of
annotations
including an annotated bibliography of internet and pamphlet sources.
Lester,
James D. Writing Research Papers: A Complete Guide. 7th ed.
New
York: Harper Collins College Publishers, c1993. 102-104, 121.
2 NORTH Reference LB 2369 .L4
"Preparing an annotated bibliography" lists 9 examples of
annotations. For instructions on
writing the bibliography entries, see
chapter 9 for MLA style as shown on pages
102-104 or chapter 10 for
APA style.
"Using the Precis to write an annotated bibliography" gives
instructions for writing an annotation.
McCrum,
Blanche Prichard, and Helen Dudenbostel Jones. Bibliographical
Procedures and Style.
Washington, D.C.: Library of
Congress, 1954.
99-102. 4 NORTH Z 1001 .U63
This manual, originally written for bibliographies of the Library of
Congress, suggests how to plan and compile a
bibliography. It
includes
an appendix on
annotation. Written
in simple, well-organized language,
this is a fine source for both the novice and experienced
bibliographer.
Roth, Audrey J. The Research Paper: Process, Form, and Content. 7th ed.
Belmont, California:
Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1995. 226-227.
2 NORTH Reference LB 2369 .R66
"An annotation is a short statement that tells what is important or
characteristic about a source."
Included is a list of comments you could
make with samples.
Slade, Carole. Form and Style. 11th ed. New York:
Houghton Mifflin Company.
2000. 40,
132. 2 NORTH Reference LB 2369 .C3
Several extensive examples of annotations are given on p. 40 and
useful placement
instructions on p. 132.
SOME
INTERNET SITES AND RESOURCES
Ask Jeeves. http://www.ask.com/
Type "annotated bibliography" in the box next to
"Ask." This site will
give
you several suggestions for
searching topics.
Google. http://www.google.com/
Search using the phrase "how to write an annotated bibliography."
Index of
annotated bibliographies listed by subject.
http://www.nelson.usf.edu/reference/annotated_index.html
LIBRARY OF
CONGRESS SUBJECT HEADINGS
Abstracting
Bibliography
- Methodology
|
