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Annotated bibliographies

An annotated bibliography is a list of the information sources you have selected for your research topic (e.g. journal articles or book chapters) accompanied by comments (annotations) on how each item contributes to your research.

This page explains the purpose and structure of an annotated bibliography, what to include in an annotation, and provides a sample example.

Purpose of an annotated bibliography

Regardless of your unit of study, the purpose of an annotated bibliography is to:

  • develop critical thinking skills by reviewing the issues and noting the main arguments in a particular research area.
  • develop deeper research skills by engaging with individual sources.
  • find and reflect on the literature that has been published about your research topic.

Structure of an annotated bibliography

An annotated bibliography includes two main sections:

  • a reference (bibliographic information or citation).
  • an annotation (description and comments on the source).
    The annotation section contains:

    • a summary or description
    • an evaluation of each source
    • an indication of how that source contributes to your research topic.

Writing an annotation

To write an annotated bibliography first check the assignment guide instructed by your lecturer. Keep in mind that each course may have specific requirements for what annotated bibliographies contain and how they should be structured. Depending on the requirements, an annotated bibliography may include one or all the components below:

  • a summary or description of each of the information sources
  • a critical analysis of each of the information sources
  • a reflection of how each source contributes to the overall research topic.

Reference

Your annotated bibliography should begin with a reference of the text that you are annotating. Check your assignment instructions to see which referencing style you need to use. If you are unsure, ask your instructor. Refer to Referencing for more detail, examples and activities. Visit EasyCite for a guide to referencing in the most commonly used styles at RMIT.
Here's an example of a reference for a journal article using the APA 7th edition style:

Example reference

Kim, S.G., & Singh, Q.I. (2022). Working remotely: Current trends and challenges, Journal of Current Management Theory, 27(12), 83-96. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmt/2022.11.19

What to include in a summary

When writing an annotated bibliography, begin with a summary for each of the texts you have read. As you read, take notes in your own words about:

  • the main aim or argument
  • the supporting arguments
  • how the study was conducted (the methodology)
  • the main findings

This will help you write a clear 50–100-word paragraph.

Example summary

The article explores the factors that facilitate or hinder employees’ adjustment when moving from a conventional office-based environment to a virtual work environment, whether situated distantly or at home. The article suggests that structural factors (such as work independence and clear evaluation criteria) and relational factors (such as feeling of trust in colleagues and management, and a sense of connectedness to the company) are key facilitators of successful adjustment. The researchers also explore aspects such as age, gender and experience of virtual work, as moderators of the key indicators.

Visit the Summarising page for useful tips on creating a summary.

What to include in a critical analysis

If your assignment guide requires you to include a critical analysis, you will need to focus on the value of the material and sources you are looking into. Consider asking yourself:

  • What are the strengths and limitations of the text in terms of aim, methodology, and findings?
  • Are the findings logical and well researched?
  • Is the text original, important and of a high standard?
  • How does this text add to the research in the field?
  • How does it fit into and relate to the broader field of research and academic discussions?

The following example shows how a student has critically analysed an article to identify strengths, limitations and possible weaknesses.

Example critical analysis

The article provides a useful rationale explaining the basis of the study design. The results are supported statistically, and graphic representations illustrate the important findings. While the research sample is large, a representative cross-section of employees across genders, job categories and management hierarchy is used. However, it may be biased in the fact that the selection is limited to employees in the telecommunication industry. Furthermore, while all results correlate to measures of the employees’ adjustment to virtual work, the findings rest largely upon ‘self-perceived adjustment’. Whether or not this is a reliable and accurate measure of successful adjustment is not addressed.

The tutorials on developing a critical approach can help you develop your critical analysis skills.

What to include in a reflection

Writing a reflection for your annotated bibliography includes writing a few sentences explaining why or why not the source text is useful or helpful for your research and/or how it relates to the overall topic of your research.
Reflective writing involves sharing your personal thoughts and assessments, but it should still be clear and unemotional.

Reflection

Kim and Singh's theory of the interconnectedness of a reduction in physical activity and a decline in employee output is worth exploring further. However, the methodology used in the study is problematic, as some of the questions in the survey they used were ambiguous and could have caused confusion for the respondents. In short, any information from the article will need to be checked to see if it is consistent with studies from other researchers.

Tutorials on Writing an academic reflection can help you practice writing better reflections for annotated bibliographies.

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