#Examples of annotations manual

Your findings can be positive, negative, or mixed. You might want to consider the logic of authors' arguments, and the quality of their evidence.

Many annotations evaluate the quality of scholarship in a book or article. Some annotations are merely descriptive, summarizing the authors' qualifications, research methods, and arguments. This example is based on the APA style guide, but your instructor might give you other formatting instructions.

#Examples of annotations manual

The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association 6th edition (APA Manual) is kept behind the iDesk on the First Floor. Compare or contrast this work with another you have cited: does the author agree or disagree with others: discuss strengths, weaknesses, and biases.Creating an annotated bibliography in APA style.Explain how this work illuminates your topic, OR.Evaluate the authority or background of the author,.Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the item. You may wish to provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.Ĭite the book, article, or document using the appropriate style. Locate books, periodicals and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic.īriefly examine and review the actual itemsĬhoose those items that are most relevant. Annotations are typically brief (one paragraph) There are two types of annotations: summative (aka informative) and evaluative (aka critical) - see examples under the 'Types of Annotations'. Comparison with other works on the topicĪn annotation summarizes the essential ideas contained in a document, reporting the author's thesis and main points as well as how they relate to your own ideas or thesis.The work’s contribution to the literature of the subject.The accuracy of the information in the source.The author’s qualifications for writing the work.The importance of the work’s contribution to the literature of the subject.Your comments should move from the details of the text to your evaluation of the source.Įvaluative annotations may contain the following type of information: Evaluative annotations usually begin with broad comments about the focus of the source then moves to more details. Evaluative annotations are typically three to four sentences long. Summative annotations may include the following type of information:Įvaluative annotations (also known as 'critical' annotations) summarize the essential ideas in a document and provide judgments-negative, positive, or both-about their quality. Summative annotations are typically two to three sentences long and include no statements of the source’s relevance to your paper or critical remarks evaluating the source’s quality. Summative annotations (also known as 'informative' annotations) provide only a summary of the author's main ideas. Some types of annotations provide details about what the paper's author has done with or thinks about each sourceĬertain types of annotations (Evaluative Annotations, for example) may provide a brief analysis of the source by the paper's author, including details about what information is most important or not, how it the source fits into the broader scope of the paper and why it may or may not be useful to others.As a researcher, you have become an expert on your topic: you have the ability to explain the content of your sources, assess their usefulness, and share this information with others who may be less familiar with them. Readers, researchers or instructors reading an annotated bibliography will get a snapshot of the important details that they need to know about each source. Each annotation provides essential details about a source.Annotated bibliographies include additional details that provide an overview of the sources themselves.

One of the reasons behind citing sources and compiling a general bibliography is so that you can prove you have done some valid research to back up your argument and claims. An annotated bibliography provides information about each source you have used.