annotated bibliography about education

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Sample Abstract from ERIC

The image below shows an example Abstract that includes the purpose, methods, results, and implications (in that order). 

Save annotations in EBSCO account

Use the "Create Note" tool and write your annotation. Copy/paste it to your paper.  Or sign up for an EBSCO account (free) so you can save notes.

Save your annotations in your EndNote Basic Account

If you are using your EndNote Basic account to keep track of your references,

• write your annotation in the the "Reference Notes" field,   
• then when you are FORMATING your paper and creating your BIBLIOGRAPHY, choose the STYLE APA ANNOTATION SENTENCE STYLE.

Example of Annotated Bibliographies entries (in APA format)  

Goldschneider, F. K., Waite, L. J., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among  young adults.  American Sociological Review,   51,  541-554.

The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.  

Graybosch, A., Scott, G.M. & Garrison, S. (1998). The Philosophy Student Writer's Manual.  Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Designed to serve as either as a writing guide or as a primary textbook for teaching philosophy through writing, the  Manual  is an excellent resource for students new to philosophy. Like other books in this area, the  Manual  contains sections on grammar, writing strategies, introductory informal logic and the different types of writing encountered in various areas of philosophy. Of particular note, however, is the section on conducting research in philosophy. The research strategies and sources of information described there are very much up-to-date, including not only directories and periodical indexes, but also research institutes, interest groups and Internet resources.

Examples of What Your Bibliography Should Not Look Like:

Marieb, Elaine N. (1992). Human Anatomy and Physiology  Redwood City, CA: The Benjamin/ Cummings Co.

• I use this book to get the basic information about arthritis, it was very informative.

Keefe FJ., (1996) Pain in Arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders.  Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 24, 279-290

• I got all the facts about exercising with arthritis and the different types of exercise.

How to write an annotated blbiography

An annotated bibliography is....

• a list of citations to books, articles, and documents
• in an appropriate style format  i.e.,APA, Chicago Manual of Style, etc.
• with brief (usually about 150 words)  descriptive and evaluative  paragraphs -- the annotations (or abstracts).

The annotations  inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources;  they expose the  author's point of view, clarity and appropriateness of expression, and authority.

The Process

• First, locate books, articles, reports, etc. Use library databases like ERIC ,   Education Source   or Google Scholar . Get help on this at  http://guides.lib.purdue.edu/education .
• Select those works that provide a  variety of perspectives  on your topic.
• Cite the book, article, or document using the appropriate style.

• Write  ( do not copy the abstract from the database) a concise annotation that  summarizes the central theme and scope  of the book or article. Include  one or more sentences  that:

o    evaluate the authority or background of the author,

o    comment on the intended audience,

o    compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or

o    explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.

The annotation should include most, if not all, of the following:

• Explanation of the  main purpose and scope  of the cited work;
• Brief description of the work's  format and content ;
• Theoretical basis and  currency of the author's argument ;
• Author's  intellectual/academic credentials ;
• Work's  intended audience ;
• Value and significance  of the work as a contribution to the subject under consideration;
• Possible  shortcomings or bias  in the work;
• Any  significant special features  of the work (e.g., glossary, appendices, particularly good index);
• Your own brief impression of the work .

An annotated bibliography is an  original work created by you . Don't copy the annotation from the book introduction or jacket. Write it yourself. Copying is plagiarism and intellectual dishonesty.

How to Write an Abstract

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EDU 102 Foundations of Education: Annotated Bibliography

• Finding Articles
• Internet Sources
• Research Studies
• Annotated Bibliography
• APA Citation This link opens in a new window

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

You are required to write an annotated bibliography as part of your Critical Issues paper.   To create one, start with a properly formatted citation for your source, and follow it with an annotation.  Like an article abstract, an annotation is a short paragraph (usually about 150 words) that provides a brief summary of the main points of a source.  However, it also evaluates the accuracy and quality of the information presented.  Your annotation should also describe how the information in the source will fit into your own paper.

Wistrich, R. S. (1995). Who's who in Nazi Germany.   Routledge .

The  Who’s Who in Nazi Germany  is intended as a reference source for students and readers interested in WWI-era Germany and the Third Reich.  Its 350 entries include prominent Nazi Party leaders and high-ranking SS officers, but also academics, civil servants, entertainers, industrialists, and scientists with Nazi ties.  Each entry is written as a narrative of the subject, beginning with last name, first name, and birth and death dates.  Information about the individual’s birthplace is given, followed by pertinent career details and the subject’s connection to the Nazi Party and/or the Third Reich.  Details of death are included when available.  The volume also contains information about the German Resistance.  Linking these biographies together will paint for the reader a picture of Nazi Germany between the years 1933 and 1945.

Because of the sensitivity of the subject matter, one can detect a hint of opinion when reading the entries of some of the more prominent figures in Nazi history.  As such, this is not to be taken as a perfectly objective work.  The value of this resource is realized when the reader uses it to see how Nazism found its way into all aspects of German life, and in a variety of professions.

Other Resources

• APA 7th Quick Reference Guide
• APA 6th Edition Guidelines: Annotated Bibliography
• Purdue Owl: Annotated Bibliographies
• Purdue Owl: Annotated Bibliography Samples

Annotated Bibliography in APA 7th

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• Last Updated: Sep 15, 2023 4:00 PM
• URL: https://libguides.stonehill.edu/Foundations

Education, environment, advocacy, research, and tools: an annotated bibliography

• Published: 09 March 2021
• Volume 11 , pages 194–199, ( 2021 )

Cite this article

• Joann M. Hennessey   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-6183-7152 1  

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This annotated bibliography is a resource for educators in the field of environmental studies and sciences. The articles included provide a range of ideas and opportunities to promote civic engagement and advocacy in students. Educators are encouraged to adopt activism and civic engagement, encourage critical thinking, and convert their classrooms into centers of change. In this era of environmental uncertainty and climate change, the status quo must be questioned. Educators hold a unique position to encourage creative and effective methods for transforming students into actors capable of solving existential problems.

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Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed . Seabury Press.

Annotated bibliography

Foundational texts.

Dowie M (1995) Losing Ground: American Environmentalism at the Close of the Twentieth Century. MIT Press Dowie discusses the environmental movements’ status in 1995. At that time, there were a few successes in the movement. This book provides a history of environmental activism.

Kaufman C (2016) Ideas for Action: Relevant Theory for Radical Change, 2nd edn. South End Press Kaufman explores political traditions including Marxism, critical race theory, and environmentalism. Kaufman presents history and theory about social movements.

Moyer B, McAllister J, Finley ML, Soifer S (2001) Doing Democracy: The MAP Model for Organizing Social Movements. J Fam Soc Work Moyer and his co-authors compile years of experience participating in social movements from the 1960s. The Movement Action Plan (MAP) outlines social movement progress.

Shaw R (2013) The activist’s handbook: Winning social change in the 21 Century, 2nd edn. University of California Press, Berkeley Shaw describes his experiences as a housing advocate in San Francisco. This book focuses on activism, social movements, and approaches for implementing change.

Google Scholar  

General adult education

Baum SD, Aman DD, Israel AL (2012) Public Scholarship Student Projects for Introductory Environmental Courses. J Geogr High Educ 36(3):403–419 Baum and colleagues seek to understand and promote public scholarship and promote organized, intelligent, and ethical responses to environmental issues.

Bennett M, Chinn S (2007) Danger and Opportunity: The Antinomies of Environmental Education. Radic Teach 78(78):2–4 This introductory article is a special issue of the Radical Teacher . Bennett and Chinn discuss formal and informal environmental education promoting activism.

Berila B (2006a) The Links between Environmental Justice and Feminist Pedagogy: An Introduction. Fem Teach 16(2):93–97 Berila authors this introductory essay in a special issue of the Feminist Teacher . Berila proposes overlap between environmental justice and feminist pedagogy, and how they both reveal ideology and power dynamics in knowledge generation.

Berila B (2006b) Environmental Justice and Feminist Pedagogy: A Conclusion. Fem Teach 16(2):133–134 Berila authors this concluding essay in the special issue of the Feminist Teacher . The issue highlights the overlap between feminism pedagogy and environmental justice. Berila promotes that the process of community research is learning about environmental justice.

Sze J (2006) Bodies, Pollution, and Environmental Justice. Fem Teach 16(2):124–132 Sze describes her experience teaching an environmental justice course. Sze assesses the course and notes students’ ability to address environmental justice issues in two settings.

Art and activism

Branagan M (2005) Environmental Education, Activism and the Arts. Convergence 38(4):33–50 Branagan discusses the use of visual and performing arts to make environmental education more interesting to reach a broader audience. Branagan assesses art as a form of activism.

Clover D (2000) Community arts as environmental education and activism: a labour and environmental case study. Convergence 33(4):19–31 This article is part of a special issue on environmental adult education. Clover reviews efforts around the world using community art as an approach for teaching adult education regarding local, sustainable, and environmental issues.

Ecocriticism

Ralph I (2014) Pedagogical literary environmental activism and “The Dream of the Rood”. Forum for World Literature Studies 6(2):320–334 Ralph discusses teaching English language and literature courses as a form of environmental activism. The author uses an old English poem as a tool for discussion. The poem “The Dream of the Rood” provides an ecocritical perspective.

St. Clair R (2003) Words for the world: Creating critical environmental literacy for adults. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education 2003(99):69–78 St. Clair discusses environmental literacy and adult education leading to action to transform the world. St. Clair lists reasons why environmental literacy is important.

Vernon Z (2018) Environmental Pedagogy, Activism, Literature. South: A Scholarly Journal 50(2):225–235 Vernon discusses the lack of ecocritical literature in southern studies. Climate issues will affect southern US states. Vernon argues the need for critical thinking and literary analysis.

Lifelong learning and non-traditional courses

Adelman BYD, Sandiford S (2007) Reflections from the Garden Developing a Critical Literacy of Food Practices. Radic Teach 78(78):5–10 The authors describe a course teaching literature and biology by developing a community garden. The authors found that intertwining readings and gardening in this actionbased helped the students understand environmental dilemmas associated with agriculture.

Banning M (2007) Spinning the World: Making Visible the Genealogies of Environmental Policy. Radic Teach 78(78):11–18 Banning describes genealogy as a tool to understand commercial, political, and scientific discussions. Students’ efforts to create their own genealogy provide a foundation for understanding policy and political discussions.

Bélanger P (2003) Learning environments and environmental education. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education 2003(99):79–88 Bélanger discusses environmental adult education and lifelong learning to prepare society for increasingly complex problems. The ecology of learning creates synergies between formal, nonformal, and informal education to influence participation and understanding.

Jansen L (1995) Citizen activism in the foundations of adult education in the United States. Convergence 28(4):89–98 Convergence is a periodical that addresses environmental education and advocacy. This issue focuses on international environmental adult education. Jansen discusses environmental education transmitted by national park educators and adult education experts.

Kapoor D (2000) Environmental popular activism and indigenous activism in India. Convergence 33(4):32–43 Kapoor describes environmental popular education (EPE) in India. EPE is used to encourage indigenous groups to protect their way of life and the environment.

Wittmer C, Johnson B (2000) Experience as a foundation of environmental adult education: the Audubon Expedition model. Convergence 33 (4):111–122 Wittmer and Johnson describe the Audubon Expedition, an experiential learning program. This curriculum is presented to university students and includes a module on activism.

Non-science majors

Bloom M, Holden M (2011) Battling Ecophobia: Instilling Activism in Nonscience Majors when Teaching Environmental Issues. J Coll Sci Teach 40(5):46–49 Bloom and Holden discuss teaching biology, especially the environmental module, to nonscience majors. The course promotes scientific literacy within the student body. Ideally, the course instills a sense of agency and not a sense of ecophobia within the students.

Dresner M, Blatner JS (2006) Approaching Civic Responsibility Using Guided Controversies About Environmental Issues. Coll Teach 54(2):213–220 Dresner and Blatner discuss the use of three guided controversies in a course taught to nonscience majors. The authors explore the use of guided controversies to promote civic responsibility, activist skills, awareness, and motivation to solve environmental problems.

Kazempour M, Amirshokoohi A (2013) Reforming an Undergraduate Environmental Science Course for Nonscience Majors. J Coll Sci Teach 43(2):54–59 The authors discuss a course they created to increase environmental literacy among non-science majors. The course, may be the only exposure to environmental education, focuses on increasing the students’ environmental literacy, social responsibility, and activism.

Pedagogy and activism

Bee MT, Montante J, Lanigan K, Andrzejak M, Grabowski G (2011) Organizing a campus activity: An alternative learning approach. Bioscene 37(2):17–22 Bee and colleagues discuss student-centered pedagogy. The course activities instill civic responsibility and promote personal growth through exposure to realworld problems.

Brown F (2007) The Nowhere Land of the Environmental Educator. Electron Green J 25:6–6 1p. Brown discusses the role of environmental educator in non-profits and school settings. Environmental educators are caught in a political conundrum when funders and administrators consider that environmental education is biased and increases activism.

Chase, S. (2006). Activist training in the academy: Developing a master’s program in environmental advocacy and organizing at Antioch New England graduate school (Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University New England, 2006). Antioch University. Chase’s dissertation forms the foundation for Antioch University’s Master’s program, which includes advocacy as an academic endeavor. Chase provides an outline for academic advocacy programs to move social agendas and create social change.

Clover DE (2003) Environmental adult education: Critique and creativity in a globalizing world. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education 2003(99):5–15 Clover reviews culture, politics, and globalization’s impact on society and the environment. Environmental adult education engages students in social, economic, and political processes linking education and social movements.

Dawson A (2007) Greening the Campus: Contemporary Student Environmental Activism. Radic Teach 78(78):19–23 One of several articles in this annotated bibliography from a special issue of the Radical Teacher. Dawson describes student leaders building coalitions and pressing for change. Dawson notes that these individuals make a significant impact on campus life.

Foran J, Gray S, Grosse C, Lequesne T (2018) This Will Change Everything: Teaching the Climate Crisis. Transformations 28(2):126–147 Foran and colleagues argue that sociologists have been “woefully remiss” in their duties to include the climate crisis in research and teaching. In this era facing an existential threat, the authors argue for climate justice pedagogy and scholarly activism.

Gittell M, Newman K, Gittell RJ (2012) Activist Scholar: Selected Works of Marilyn Gittell. SAGE Publications, Inc, Thousand Oaks Ross Gittell and Kathe Newman curate a collection of articles written by scholar and activist Marilyn Gittell. Marilyn Gittell, an educator, taught from 1960 to 2010 in Brooklyn and Manhattan. Gittell sought to strengthen democracy creating a society valuing everyone.

Goldman D, Pe’er S, Yavetz B (2017) Environmental literacy of youth movement members–is environmentalism a component of their social activism? Environ Educ Res 23(4):486–514 The authors test whether social activism among young people translated into environmental literacy. The study provides a baseline for understanding the youth movement’s environmental literacy and the need to educate youth about environmental issues.

Habib B (2018) Pedagogical content knowledge for global environmental politics. Int Stud Perspect 19(3):218–234 Habib states that teachers must develop pedagogical models for linking knowledge, practice, and political action that this historic moment demands. Through this coursework, students learn to apply academic principles, critically evaluating their own arguments.

Hartman E (2015) What if Engaged, Activist Scholarship Is a Moral Imperative? J Higher Educ Outreach Engagement Hartman reviewed Reiter and Oslender’s volume Bridging scholarship and activism: Reflections from the frontlines of collaborative research (included below). This review addressed the importance of engaged scholarship, which implies an activist approach.

Hellermann M (2017) Gardening on the Fringes: A Case Study at City Tech. Food, Cult Soc 20(4):651–669. https://doi.org/10.1080/15528014.2017.1357952 Hellerman studies student gardeners at City Tech. The study recorded comments that indicate an increase in students’ social activism. Hellerman concludes that the gardening experience provided agency and a sense of community to those participating.

Article   Google Scholar  

Hill LH, Johnston JD (2003) Adult education and humanity’s relationship with nature reflected in language, metaphor, and spirituality: A call to action. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education 2003(99):17–26 Hill and Johnston explore humanity’s place in the world and discuss the power of language and metaphor in human behavior. The authors consider beliefs and spirituality in adult education, present teaching as a political act, and environmental adult education as essential.

Hill RJ (2003) Environmental Justice: Environmental adult education at the confluence of oppressions. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education 2003(99):27–38 Hill discusses the evolution of adult education to include environmental justice. Hill argues that environmental adult education teaches skills to deal with today’s environmental issues like social justice, participatory decision-making, and active citizenship.

Holst JD (2010) Social Justice and Dispositions for Adult Education. Adult Educ Q 60(3):249–260 Holst discusses the need to address social justice in teaching. Holst argues teaching social activism increases democracy, participation, and cooperation in society.

Hurren W (2017) Cultivating an Aesthetic Sensibility and Activism: Everyday Aesthetics and Environmental Education. Can J Environ Educ 22:27–41 Hurren discusses her own transformation as an educator from a neutral arbiter of information to one who incorporates ecological imperative to heal Indigenous relations.

Hytten K (2014) Teaching as and for Activism: Challenges and Possibilities. In: Philosophy of Education Yearbook. Philosophy of Education Society, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, pp 385–394 Hytten discusses the teacher’s role to promote students’ critical thinking to address real-world situations. Hytten argues for teaching activism to promote change.

Jinkling R (2003) Environmental Education and Environmental Advocacy: Revisited. J Environ Educ 34(2):20–27 Jickling notes the tension between academia and activism. Jinkling provides teachers some guidance for navigating the tension.

Johnson EA, Mappin M (2005) Environmental education and advocacy: changing perspectives of ecology and education. Cambridge University Press The authors describe changing perspectives of ecology in education. The book includes guidelines and perspectives for developing science, education, and action programs.

Krasny ME, Kalbacker L, Stedman RC, Russ A (2015) Measuring social capital among youth: applications in environmental education. Environ Educ Res 21(1):1–23 The authors seek to understand individual’s social capital in communities. Social capital is important in environmental education and in collective environmental action.

Lange E, Chubb A (2009) Critical Environmental Adult Education in Canada: Student Environmental Activism. In: Cranton P, English LM (eds) Reaching out across the Border: Canadian Perspectives in Adult Education. Jossey-Bass: A Wiley Brand, San Francisco, pp 61–73 The authors compare Canadian- and US-based environmental student activism and discuss environmental activism in both formal and informal educational settings

Mazzatenta C (2008) Can Global Warming Heat up Environmental Education? Am Biol Teach 70(6):342–344 Mazzatenta describes students’ awareness of global climate issues, and discusses environmental education and curriculum setting at a community college.

McKenzie M (2009) Scholarship as intervention: critique, collaboration and the research imagination. Environ Educ Res 15(2):217–226 McKenzie discusses the need for academics and researchers to push further and to “intervene more centrally” in social, policy, and ecological challenges faced today. McKenzie addresses the risks of speaking up and taking action versus the risk of not.

Plevin A (2006) “The World Is Our Home”: Environmental Justice, Feminisms, and Student Ideology. Fem Teach 16(2):110–123 A Feminist Teacher special issue article, Plevin invites her students to reflect on, reconsider, and question their ideological roots. Plevin exposes students to race and class issues surrounding environmental injustice, feminism, and addresses white privilege.

Reiter B, Oslender U (2014) Bridging Scholarship and Activism: Reflections From the Frontlines of Collaborative Research. Michigan State University Press Reiter and Oslender address the intersection between research, activism, and the power of learning to advance policy proposals and address unjust structures in our society.

Stalker J (1995) Making a change: environmental activism in the academy. Convergence 28(4):23–30 Stalker describes a course she taught, Principles of Adult, Community, and Tertiary Education. The adult education course promoted social activism within the bounds of the tertiary setting. The course, a practicum, included activism as part of its curriculum.

Stevenson RB (2007) Schooling and environmental education: contradictions in purpose and practice. Environ Educ Res 13(2):139–153 Authored in 1987, this article was reprinted in Environmental Education Research in April 2007. Stevenson highlights the importance of environmental educations’ action-oriented goals compared to the acquisition of knowledge philosophy many academic programs.

Sumner J (2003) Environmental adult education and community sustainability. New Directions for Adult and Continuing Education 2003(99):39–45 Sumner discusses the growth of environmental adult education. Sumner asserts that an environmental adult education pedagogy provides students with tools they need to address environmental issues and promote sustainability within their communities.

Viezzer M (1992) Learning for environmental action. Convergence 25(2):3–8 Viezzer argues that the growing environmental crisis requires educators to include environmental issues in their curricula. World citizens need information, critical thinking skills, and ideas to address environmental issues and demand change.

Service learning and civic engagement

Avard M (2006) Civic Engagement in the Science Classroom. J Coll Sci Teach November:12–13 Avard provides this opinion in the Point of View section of the Journal of College Science Teaching . Avard makes a distinction between service-learning and civic engagement, emphasizing opportunities to create civic minded and active members of the community by encouraging science teachers to include civic engagement in their curriculum.

Costlow JT (2017) Community Engagement through an Environmental Studies Lens. Peer Rev 19(4):12–14 Costlow discusses Bates College environmental studies program. Civic engagement is an important aspect of the environmental studies program that includes a 200-hour internship.

Di Chiro G (2006) Teaching Urban Ecology: Environmental Studies and the Pedagogy of Intersectionality. Fem Teach 16(2):98–109 One of several articles in this annotated bibliography from a special issue of the Feminist Teacher . Di Chiro discusses a course taught in spring semester 2004 at Mount Holyoke College. Urban ecology provided students with an opportunity to work with a local environmental justice organization to conduct research action projects.

MacFall J (2012) Long-term impact of service Learning in Environmental Studies. J Coll Sci Teach 41(3):26–31 In this research study, MacFall surveys environmental study graduates from the university who completed the Environmental Studies Senior Seminar where service learning is a core pedagogy. The findings indicate that the senior seminar increased civic engagement.

Malone K (2006) Environmental education researchers as environmental activists: Reprinted from Environmental Education Research (1999). 5(2):163–177 Environmental Education Research, 12 (3–4), pp 375–389. Malone describes environmental activism and challenges in the academy, and the need to get out involved in the community and participate in environmental activism. Malone’s theme throughout the research is that social research is activism, Reflecting on her own dissertation research, which was intentionally political and participatory.

Pratte J, Laposata M (2005) The ESA21 Project: A Model for Civic Engagement. J Coll Sci Teach 35(3):39–43 Pratte and Laposata work to make science more interesting by linking it to civic engagement. Students work through problems in the community addressing issues of climate change and energy, simultaneously allowing them to become better citizens.

Rappaport A, Creighton S (2007) Degrees that matter: Climate change and the university (Urban and industrial environments). MIT Press, Cambridge The authors describe climate action at large and complex institutions such as universities. The course provides guidance for engaging students in climate action.

Schnee E, Better A, Cummings MC (eds) (2016) Civic Engagement Pedagogy in the Community College: Theory and Practice. Springer International Publishing, Switzerland Schnee and colleagues provide a series of chapters written by students and educators at their community college. The goal was to make civic engagement central to the student’s education, making an argument for the place of community college in creating civically engaged students and citizens.

Silver P, Wilhite SC, Ledoux MW (2011) Civic Engagement and Service Learning in a Metropolitan University: Multiple Approaches and Perspectives. Nova Science Publishers, Inc, New York Silver and colleagues focus on service learning to encourage civic engagement. They review multiple approaches including a variety of projects undertaken at Widener University. Service learning is used at Widener to foster democracy and engagement.

Smith MB (2010) Local environmental history and the journey to ecological citizenship. Taproot J 23(2):12–20 Smith describes his environmental history course, and its effectiveness teaching students through hands-on experiences. In the course, students develop a sense of place, civic engagement, and ecological citizenship.

Soria KM, Mitchell TD (eds) (2016) Civic Engagement and Community Service at Research Universities: Engaging Undergraduates for Social Justice, Social Change and Responsible Citizenship . Palgrave Macmillan, London Soria and Mitchell curate writings discussing citizenship education at research universities. The book takes a big picture view of institutional conditions at research institutions to frame students’ experiences with civic and citizenship engagement.

Surak S, Pope A (2016) Engaging the educators: Facilitating civic engagement through faculty development. J Higher Educ Outreach Engagement 20(3):140–163 Surak and Pope discuss civic engagement as a tool to encourage students’ active participation in democracy and gain a sense of community.

Tannenbaum SC (ed) (2008) Research, Advocacy, and Political Engagement: Multidisciplinary Perspectives Through Service Learning . Stylus Publishing, Sterling This collection of essays describes the importance of service learning as part of academic study. This is a resource for teachers and advocates to understand communities, support social movements, and improve society.

Social movement learning

Kluttz J, Walter P (2018) Conceptualizing Learning in the Climate Justice Movement. Adult Educ Q 68 (2):91–107 Kluttz and Walter discuss adult learning courses focused on social movements and social movement learning (SML). The authors present theoretical frames to evaluate adult education developing and discuss adult education as transformative learning developing environmental activists.

Larri LJ, Newlands M (2017) Knitting Nannas and Frackman: A gender analysis of Australian anti-coal seam gas documentaries (CSG) and implications for environmental adult education. J Environ Educ 48(1):35–45 This article discusses adult education. The authors highlighted the importance of inclusivity and gender blindness in adult education and environmental activism.

Larri L, Whitehouse H (2019) Nannagogy: Social movement learning for older women’ s activism in the gas fields of Australia. Australian J Adult Learn 59(1):27–52 Focusing on informal adult education, this paper discusses the work of Knitting Nannas Against Gas and Greed (KNAGs). The nannas are a group of older women using non-violent direct action to fight against fossil fuel entities. The learning aspect of this paper focused on life-long and later in life learning efforts.

Lowan-Trudeau G (2017) Protest as pedagogy: Exploring teaching and learning in Indigenous environmental movements. J Environ Educ 48(2):96–108 Lowan-Trudeau explores teaching and learning in Indigenous and allied environmental activism. The issue of social movement learning where generation and distribution of knowledge takes place in formal, informal, and intentional learning opportunities.

Meek D (2015) Towards a political ecology of education: the educational politics of scale in southern Pará, Brazil. Environ Educ Res 21(3):447–459 Meek describes research exploring opportunities and constraints in advancing agroecology education within the Landless Worker’s Movement (MST) in Brazil. Agroecology is associated with social transformation critical to environmental education and provides farmers with tools needed to resist development creating food sovereign communities.

Walter P (2007) Adult learning in new social movements: Environmental protest and the struggle for the Clayoquot Sound Rainforest. Adult Educ Q 57(3):248–263 Walter discusses environmental protests, education, and activism. Walter focuses on adult learning within the context of New Social Movement theory emphasizing adult learning and adult education in dealing with environmental issues.

Primary and secondary education

Beckrich A (2011) The Green Room. Sci Teach (October):12–13 Beckrich discusses creating an environmental or green club. This activity allows students to lead environmental change on campus, fostering environmental activist skills.

Ceaser D (2012) Our School at Blair Grocery: A case study in promoting environmental action through critical environmental education. J Environ Educ 43(4):209–226 Ceaser discusses his experience at Our School at Blair Grocery in New Orleans, LA, where he conducted research examining critical environmental education. Ceaser addresses challenges encountered when environmental education promotes activism.

Doucette C, Ransom P, Kowalewski D (2007) Nature and Nurture: Teaching Eco -Pragmatism to High-School Students at a Winter Camp in the Canadian Arctic. Child Youth Environ 17(4):227–236 Doucette and Ransom describe a student camping experience in the Canadian Artic. Students experience first-hand nature and survival, developing unique skills and knowledge.

Gordon L (2018) Hopeless, Not Helpless: Even in our bleakest moments, humans can be skillful, courageous, and loving. Altern J 43(3–4):54–56 Gordon presents this short essay to thank her teachers for providing the skills needed to respond to the threats and disasters facing our environment.

Karahan E, Roehrig G (2015) Constructing Media Artifacts in a Social Constructivist Environment to Enhance Students’ Environmental Awareness and Activism. J Sci Educ Technol 25:103–118 The authors evaluate students’ environmental awareness and engagement.

Laroder A, Tippins D, Handa V, Morano L (2007) Rock Showdown: Learning Science through Service with the Community. Sci Scope 30(7):32–37 The authors describe a service-learning approach to assisting middle school students conduct projects in the community. The students work increase awareness and address environmental issues in the community.

Medina-Jerez W, Bryant C, Green C (2010) Project Citizen: Students Practice Democratic Principles While Conducting Community Projects. Sci Scope 33(7):71–75 Medina-Jerez and colleagues describe student collaborative projects modeled after Project Citizen’s model. The program provides an opportunity for students to engage in community issues and to find their voices to address environmental change.

Neeper LS, Dymond SK (2012) Green Team to the Rescue. Sci Child (March):41–46 Neeper and Dymond recount implementing servicelearning as part of an Environmental Education program at an elementary school in Oregon. Students across various grade levels conducted projects, and students developed develop awareness and critical thinking skills to address environmental issues.

Riemer M, Lynes J, Hickman G (2014) A model for developing and accessing youth-based environmental engagement programmes. Environ Educ Res 20(4):552–574 Riemer and colleagues discuss a five-part evidence-based model they developed for understanding youth engagement in informal environmental programs. They argue for broad-based citizen engagement required to address environmental problems and propose solutions. The model fosters active citizenship and social responsibility.

Willis A, Schmidt F (2018) Amplifying John Muir’s life: a third sector intervention in providing alternative narrative resources to secondary schools. Environ Educ Res f(07):1050–1061 Teachers in Scotland use graphic novels depicting John Muir’s life to read with their class. The approach promotes understanding through the book’s intervention on students’ environmental awareness. The authors promote book-based interventions to shift worldviews regarding environmental issues among students.

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MLA International Bibliography

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Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection

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Women’s Studies International

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Hennessey, J.M. Education, environment, advocacy, research, and tools: an annotated bibliography. J Environ Stud Sci 11 , 194–199 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13412-021-00662-9

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How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography: The Annotated Bibliography

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Explanation, Process, Directions, and Examples

What is an annotated bibliography.

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Annotations vs. Abstracts

Abstracts are the purely descriptive summaries often found at the beginning of scholarly journal articles or in periodical indexes. Annotations are descriptive and critical; they may describe the author's point of view, authority, or clarity and appropriateness of expression.

The Process

Creating an annotated bibliography calls for the application of a variety of intellectual skills: concise exposition, succinct analysis, and informed library research.

First, locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic. Briefly examine and review the actual items. Then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic.

Cite the book, article, or document using the appropriate style.

Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.

Critically Appraising the Book, Article, or Document

For guidance in critically appraising and analyzing the sources for your bibliography, see How to Critically Analyze Information Sources . For information on the author's background and views, ask at the reference desk for help finding appropriate biographical reference materials and book review sources.

Choosing the Correct Citation Style

Check with your instructor to find out which style is preferred for your class. Online citation guides for both the Modern Language Association (MLA) and the American Psychological Association (APA) styles are linked from the Library's Citation Management page .

Sample Annotated Bibliography Entries

The following example uses APA style ( Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association , 7th edition, 2019) for the journal citation:

Waite, L., Goldschneider, F., & Witsberger, C. (1986). Nonfamily living and the erosion of traditional family orientations among young adults. American Sociological Review, 51 (4), 541-554. The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

This example uses MLA style ( MLA Handbook , 9th edition, 2021) for the journal citation. For additional annotation guidance from MLA, see 5.132: Annotated Bibliographies .

Waite, Linda J., et al. "Nonfamily Living and the Erosion of Traditional Family Orientations Among Young Adults." American Sociological Review, vol. 51, no. 4, 1986, pp. 541-554. The authors, researchers at the Rand Corporation and Brown University, use data from the National Longitudinal Surveys of Young Women and Young Men to test their hypothesis that nonfamily living by young adults alters their attitudes, values, plans, and expectations, moving them away from their belief in traditional sex roles. They find their hypothesis strongly supported in young females, while the effects were fewer in studies of young males. Increasing the time away from parents before marrying increased individualism, self-sufficiency, and changes in attitudes about families. In contrast, an earlier study by Williams cited below shows no significant gender differences in sex role attitudes as a result of nonfamily living.

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Annotated Bibliographies

What this handout is about.

This handout will explain why annotated bibliographies are useful for researchers, provide an explanation of what constitutes an annotation, describe various types of annotations and styles for writing them, and offer multiple examples of annotated bibliographies in the MLA, APA, and CBE/CSE styles of citation.

Introduction

Welcome to the wonderful world of annotated bibliographies! You’re probably already familiar with the need to provide bibliographies, reference pages, and works cited lists to credit your sources when you do a research paper. An annotated bibliography includes descriptions and explanations of your listed sources beyond the basic citation information you usually provide.

Why do an annotated bibliography?

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. Readers can refer to a citation in your bibliography and then go look up the material themselves. When inspired by your text or your argument, interested researchers can access your resources. They may wish to double check a claim or interpretation you’ve made, or they may simply wish to continue researching according to their interests. But think about it: even though a bibliography provides a list of research sources of all types that includes publishing information, how much does that really tell a researcher or reader about the sources themselves?

An annotated bibliography provides specific information about each source you have used. 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. Think of your paper as part of a conversation with people interested in the same things you are; the annotated bibliography allows you to tell readers what to check out, what might be worth checking out in some situations, and what might not be worth spending the time on. It’s kind of like providing a list of good movies for your classmates to watch and then going over the list with them, telling them why this movie is better than that one or why one student in your class might like a particular movie better than another student would. You want to give your audience enough information to understand basically what the movies are about and to make an informed decision about where to spend their money based on their interests.

What does an annotated bibliography do?

A good annotated bibliography:

• encourages you to think critically about the content of the works you are using, their place within a field of study, and their relation to your own research and ideas.
• proves you have read and understand your sources.
• establishes your work as a valid source and you as a competent researcher.
• situates your study and topic in a continuing professional conversation.
• provides a way for others to decide whether a source will be helpful to their research if they read it.
• could help interested researchers determine whether they are interested in a topic by providing background information and an idea of the kind of work going on in a field.

What elements might an annotation include?

• Bibliography according to the appropriate citation style (MLA, APA, CBE/CSE, etc.).
• Explanation of main points and/or purpose of the work—basically, its thesis—which shows among other things that you have read and thoroughly understand the source.
• Verification or critique of the authority or qualifications of the author.
• Comments on the worth, effectiveness, and usefulness of the work in terms of both the topic being researched and/or your own research project.
• The point of view or perspective from which the work was written. For instance, you may note whether the author seemed to have particular biases or was trying to reach a particular audience.
• Relevant links to other work done in the area, like related sources, possibly including a comparison with some of those already on your list. You may want to establish connections to other aspects of the same argument or opposing views.

The first four elements above are usually a necessary part of the annotated bibliography. Points 5 and 6 may involve a little more analysis of the source, but you may include them in other kinds of annotations besides evaluative ones. Depending on the type of annotation you use, which this handout will address in the next section, there may be additional kinds of information that you will need to include.

For more extensive research papers (probably ten pages or more), you often see resource materials grouped into sub-headed sections based on content, but this probably will not be necessary for the kinds of assignments you’ll be working on. For longer papers, ask your instructor about their preferences concerning annotated bibliographies.

Did you know that annotations have categories and styles?

Decisions, decisions.

As you go through this handout, you’ll see that, before you start, you’ll need to make several decisions about your annotations: citation format, type of annotation, and writing style for the annotation.

First of all, you’ll need to decide which kind of citation format is appropriate to the paper and its sources, for instance, MLA or APA. This may influence the format of the annotations and bibliography. Typically, bibliographies should be double-spaced and use normal margins (you may want to check with your instructor, since they may have a different style they want you to follow).

MLA (Modern Language Association)

See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for basic MLA bibliography formatting and rules.

• MLA documentation is generally used for disciplines in the humanities, such as English, languages, film, and cultural studies or other theoretical studies. These annotations are often summary or analytical annotations.
• Title your annotated bibliography “Annotated Bibliography” or “Annotated List of Works Cited.”
• Following MLA format, use a hanging indent for your bibliographic information. This means the first line is not indented and all the other lines are indented four spaces (you may ask your instructor if it’s okay to tab over instead of using four spaces).
• Begin your annotation immediately after the bibliographic information of the source ends; don’t skip a line down unless you have been told to do so by your instructor.

APA (American Psychological Association)

See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for basic APA bibliography formatting and rules.

• Natural and social sciences, such as psychology, nursing, sociology, and social work, use APA documentation. It is also used in economics, business, and criminology. These annotations are often succinct summaries.
• Annotated bibliographies for APA format do not require a special title. Use the usual “References” designation.
• Like MLA, APA uses a hanging indent: the first line is set flush with the left margin, and all other lines are indented four spaces (you may ask your instructor if it’s okay to tab over instead of using four spaces).
• After the bibliographic citation, drop down to the next line to begin the annotation, but don’t skip an extra line.
• The entire annotation is indented an additional two spaces, so that means each of its lines will be six spaces from the margin (if your instructor has said that it’s okay to tab over instead of using the four spaces rule, indent the annotation two more spaces in from that point).

CBE (Council of Biology Editors)/CSE (Council of Science Editors)

See the UNC Libraries citation tutorial for basic CBE/CSE bibliography formatting and rules.

• CBE/CSE documentation is used by the plant sciences, zoology, microbiology, and many of the medical sciences.
• Annotated bibliographies for CBE/CSE format do not require a special title. Use the usual “References,” “Cited References,” or “Literature Cited,” and set it flush with the left margin.
• Bibliographies for CSE in general are in a slightly smaller font than the rest of the paper.
• When using the name-year system, as in MLA and APA, the first line of each entry is set flush with the left margin, and all subsequent lines, including the annotation, are indented three or four spaces.
• When using the citation-sequence method, each entry begins two spaces after the number, and every line, including the annotation, will be indented to match the beginning of the entry, or may be slightly further indented, as in the case of journals.
• After the bibliographic citation, drop down to the next line to begin the annotation, but don’t skip an extra line. The entire annotation follows the indentation of the bibliographic entry, whether it’s N-Y or C-S format.
• Annotations in CBE/CSE are generally a smaller font size than the rest of the bibliographic information.

After choosing a documentation format, you’ll choose from a variety of annotation categories presented in the following section. Each type of annotation highlights a particular approach to presenting a source to a reader. For instance, an annotation could provide a summary of the source only, or it could also provide some additional evaluation of that material.

In addition to making choices related to the content of the annotation, you’ll also need to choose a style of writing—for instance, telescopic versus paragraph form. Your writing style isn’t dictated by the content of your annotation. Writing style simply refers to the way you’ve chosen to convey written information. A discussion of writing style follows the section on annotation types.

Types of annotations

As you now know, one annotation does not fit all purposes! There are different kinds of annotations, depending on what might be most important for your reader to learn about a source. Your assignments will usually make it clear which citation format you need to use, but they may not always specify which type of annotation to employ. In that case, you’ll either need to pick your instructor’s brain a little to see what they want or use clue words from the assignment itself to make a decision. For instance, the assignment may tell you that your annotative bibliography should give evidence proving an analytical understanding of the sources you’ve used. The word analytical clues you in to the idea that you must evaluate the sources you’re working with and provide some kind of critique.

Summary annotations

There are two kinds of summarizing annotations, informative and indicative.

Summarizing annotations in general have a couple of defining features:

• They sum up the content of the source, as a book report might.
• They give an overview of the arguments and proofs/evidence addressed in the work and note the resulting conclusion.
• They do not judge the work they are discussing. Leave that to the critical/evaluative annotations.
• When appropriate, they describe the author’s methodology or approach to material. For instance, you might mention if the source is an ethnography or if the author employs a particular kind of theory.

Informative annotation

Informative annotations sometimes read like straight summaries of the source material, but they often spend a little more time summarizing relevant information about the author or the work itself.

Indicative annotation

Indicative annotation is the second type of summary annotation, but it does not attempt to include actual information from the argument itself. Instead, it gives general information about what kinds of questions or issues are addressed by the work. This sometimes includes the use of chapter titles.

Critical/evaluative

Evaluative annotations don’t just summarize. In addition to tackling the points addressed in summary annotations, evaluative annotations:

• evaluate the source or author critically (biases, lack of evidence, objective, etc.).
• show how the work may or may not be useful for a particular field of study or audience.
• explain how researching this material assisted your own project.

Combination

An annotated bibliography may combine elements of all the types. In fact, most of them fall into this category: a little summarizing and describing, a little evaluation.

Writing style

Ok, next! So what does it mean to use different writing styles as opposed to different kinds of content? Content is what belongs in the annotation, and style is the way you write it up. First, choose which content type you need to compose, and then choose the style you’re going to use to write it

This kind of annotated bibliography is a study in succinctness. It uses a minimalist treatment of both information and sentence structure, without sacrificing clarity. Warning: this kind of writing can be harder than you might think.

Don’t skimp on this kind of annotated bibliography. If your instructor has asked for paragraph form, it likely means that you’ll need to include several elements in the annotation, or that they expect a more in-depth description or evaluation, for instance. Make sure to provide a full paragraph of discussion for each work.

As you can see now, bibliographies and annotations are really a series of organized steps. They require meticulous attention, but in the end, you’ve got an entire testimony to all the research and work you’ve done. At the end of this handout you’ll find examples of informative, indicative, evaluative, combination, telescopic, and paragraph annotated bibliography entries in MLA, APA, and CBE formats. Use these examples as your guide to creating an annotated bibliography that makes you look like the expert you are!

MLA Example

APA Example

CBE Example

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

American Psychological Association. 2010. Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association . 6th ed. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

Bell, I. F., and J. Gallup. 1971. A Reference Guide to English, American, and Canadian Literature . Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press.

Bizzell, Patricia, and Bruce Herzburg. 1991. Bedford Bibliography for Teachers of Writing , 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford Books.

Center for Information on Language Teaching, and The English Teaching Information Center of the British Council. 1968. Language-Teaching Bibliography . Cambridge: Cambridge University.

Engle, Michael, Amy Blumenthal, and Tony Cosgrave. 2012. “How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography.” Olin & Uris Libraries. Cornell University. Last updated September 25, 2012. https://olinuris.library.cornell.edu/content/how-prepare-annotated-bibliography.

Gibaldi, Joseph. 2009. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers , 7th ed. New York: The Modern Language Association of America.

Huth, Edward. 1994. Scientific Style and Format: The CBE Manual for Authors, Editors, and Publishers . New York: University of Cambridge.

Kilborn, Judith. 2004. “MLA Documentation.” LEO: Literacy Education Online. Last updated March 16, 2004. https://leo.stcloudstate.edu/research/mla.html.

Spatt, Brenda. 1991. Writing from Sources , 3rd ed. New York: St. Martin’s.

University of Kansas. 2018. “Bibliographies.” KU Writing Center. Last updated April 2018. http://writing.ku.edu/bibliographies .

University of Wisconsin-Madison. 2019. “Annotated Bibliography.” The Writing Center. Accessed June 14, 2019. https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/assignments/annotatedbibliography/ .

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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How to Write an Annotated Bibliography - APA Style (7th Edition)

What is an annotation, how is an annotation different from an abstract, what is an annotated bibliography, types of annotated bibliographies, descriptive or informative, analytical or critical, to get started.

An annotation is more than just a brief summary of an article, book, website, or other type of publication. An annotation should give enough information to make a reader decide whether to read the complete work. In other words, if the reader were exploring the same topic as you, is this material useful and if so, why?

While an abstract also summarizes an article, book, website, or other type of publication, it is purely descriptive. Although annotations can be descriptive, they also include distinctive features about an item. Annotations can be evaluative and critical as we will see when we look at the two major types of annotations.

An annotated bibliography is an organized list of sources (like a reference list). It differs from a straightforward bibliography in that each reference is followed by a paragraph length annotation, usually 100–200 words in length.

Depending on the assignment, an annotated bibliography might have different purposes:

• Provide a literature review on a particular subject
• Help to formulate a thesis on a subject
• Demonstrate the research you have performed on a particular subject
• Provide examples of major sources of information available on a topic
• Describe items that other researchers may find of interest on a topic

There are two major types of annotated bibliographies:

A descriptive or informative annotated bibliography describes or summarizes a source as does an abstract; it describes why the source is useful for researching a particular topic or question and its distinctive features. In addition, it describes the author's main arguments and conclusions without evaluating what the author says or concludes.

For example:

McKinnon, A. (2019). Lessons learned in year one of business.  Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting ,  30 (4), 26–28. This article describes some of the difficulties many nurses experience when transitioning from nursing to a legal nurse consulting business. Pointing out issues of work-life balance, as well as the differences of working for someone else versus working for yourself, the author offers their personal experience as a learning tool. The process of becoming an entrepreneur is not often discussed in relation to nursing, and rarely delves into only the first year of starting a new business. Time management, maintaining an existing job, decision-making, and knowing yourself in order to market yourself are discussed with some detail. The author goes on to describe how important both the nursing professional community will be to a new business, and the importance of mentorship as both the mentee and mentor in individual success that can be found through professional connections. The article’s focus on practical advice for nurses seeking to start their own business does not detract from the advice about universal struggles of entrepreneurship makes this an article of interest to a wide-ranging audience.

An analytical or critical annotation not only summarizes the material, it analyzes what is being said. It examines the strengths and weaknesses of what is presented as well as describing the applicability of the author's conclusions to the research being conducted.

Analytical or critical annotations will most likely be required when writing for a college-level course.

McKinnon, A. (2019). Lessons learned in year one of business.  Journal of Legal Nurse Consulting ,  30 (4), 26–28. This article describes some of the difficulty many nurses experience when transitioning from nursing to a nurse consulting business. While the article focuses on issues of work-life balance, the differences of working for someone else versus working for yourself, marketing, and other business issues the author’s offer of only their personal experience is brief with few or no alternative solutions provided. There is no mention throughout the article of making use of other research about starting a new business and being successful. While relying on the anecdotal advice for their list of issues, the author does reference other business resources such as the Small Business Administration to help with business planning and professional organizations that can help with mentorships. The article is a good resource for those wanting to start their own legal nurse consulting business, a good first advice article even. However, entrepreneurs should also use more business research studies focused on starting a new business, with strategies against known or expected pitfalls and issues new businesses face, and for help on topics the author did not touch in this abbreviated list of lessons learned.

Now you are ready to begin writing your own annotated bibliography.

• Choose your sources - Before writing your annotated bibliography, you must choose your sources. This involves doing research much like for any other project. Locate records to materials that may apply to your topic.
• Review the items - Then review the actual items and choose those that provide a wide variety of perspectives on your topic. Article abstracts are helpful in this process.
• The purpose of the work
• A summary of its content
• Information about the author(s)
• For what type of audience the work is written
• Its relevance to the topic
• Any special or unique features about the material
• Research methodology
• The strengths, weaknesses or biases in the material

Annotated bibliographies may be arranged alphabetically or chronologically, check with your instructor to see what he or she prefers.

Please see the  APA Examples page  for more information on citing in APA style.

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• Annotated Bibliography & Literature Review
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• Advanced Search Tips
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What is An Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (books, articles, websites, etc.) with short paragraph about each source. An annotated bibliography is sometimes a useful step before drafting a research paper, or it can stand alone as an overview of the research available on a topic.

Each source in the annotated bibliography has a citation - the information a reader needs to find the original source, in a consistent format to make that easier. These consistent formats are called citation styles.  The most common citation styles are MLA (Modern Language Association) for humanities, and APA (American Psychological Association) for social sciences.

Annotations are about 4 to 6 sentences long (roughly 150 words), and address:

•     Main focus or purpose of the work
•     Usefulness or relevance to your research topic 
•     Special features of the work that were unique or helpful
•     Background and credibility of the author
•     Conclusions or observations reached by the author
•     Conclusions or observations reached by you

Annotations versus Abstracts

Many scholarly articles start with an abstract, which is the author's summary of the article to help you decide whether you should read the entire article.  This abstract is not the same thing as an annotation.  The annotation needs to be in your own words, to explain the relevance of the source to your particular assignment or research question.

APA 7th Annotated Bibliography Examples

Journal article.

Alvarez, N. & Mearns, J. (2014). The benefits of writing and performing in the spoken word poetry community.  The Arts in Psychotherapy, 41 (3), 263-268.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2014.03.004 Prior research has shown narrative writing to help with making meaning out of trauma. This article uses grounded theory to analyze semi-structured interviews with ten spoken word poets.  Because spoken word poetry is performed live, it creates personal and community connections that enhance the emotional development and resolution offered by the practice of writing. The findings are limited by the small, nonrandom sample (all the participants were from the same community).

• APA 7th Sample Annotated Bibliography

Literature Review Resources

Literature Review How To  (University Library) offers useful tips on how to write a literature review and provides you with information on things you should and should not do.

Writing a Literature Review (Boston College)

Writing a Literature Review - Purdue OWL® - Purdue University

Review of Literature (University of Wisconsin)

Write a Literature Review (UC Santa Cruz)

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Education Research: Annotated Bibliography

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Annotated Bibliography

• Writing an Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is simply an expanded bibliography. In addition to the citation you provide at the end of your paper or project, you provide a few sentences about the citation and why/how you plan on using it in your assignment.

The annotations in an annotated bibliography are not summaries.  It is information you gather from  evaluating the source yourself .

The  OWL at Purdue  provides a simple recipe for an annotation:

• Summarize : What is this source about, and what are the conclusions?
• Assess : Evaluate the source based on the  CRAAP method .
• Reflect : How will this be incorporated into your own research?

See also Cornell University  https://guides.library.cornell.edu/annotatedbibliography

Annotated Bibliography Examples

• APA Example Annotated Bibliography from UMUC Library
• Annotated Bibliography Sample from ALA Manual
• Annotated Bibliography Template (includes title page)
• More Tips for Creating an Annotated Bibliography

Helpful Videos

• Introduction
• Explanation of Parts
• Citation Helpers

This is a four-part series given by Mr. David Taylor from Savannah Technical College on how to write an APA-MLA Annotated Bibliography 

Basic Writing and Format Tips

First stop? Generate some KEYWORDS

• Start with the same format as a regular References list.
• After each citation, the annotation is indented two spaces from the left margin as a block.
• Each annotation should be one paragraph, between three to six sentences long (about 150-200 words).
• All lines should be double-spaced. Do not add an extra line between the citations.
• If your list of citations is especially long, you can organize it by topic.
• Try to be objective, and give explanations if you state any opinions.
• Use the third person (e.g., he, she, the author) instead of the first person (e.g., I, my, me).

From Felician University Library's  Annotated Bibliographies guide . 

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Engagement in Online Learning

3 Annotated Bibliography

Al Mamun, A., Lawrie, G. & Wright, T. (2020). Instructional design of scaffolded online learning modules for self-directed and inquiry-based learning environments, Computers & Education, 144 , 1-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2019.103695

Tags: Instructional Design, Discipline-specific (STEM) Summary: This article outlines a scaffolding model for use in asynchronous settings. Instructional design is ‘predict-observe-explain-evaluate’ (POEE). Inquiry-based approach is relevant to STEM disciplines.

Aloni, M., & Harrington, C. (2018). Research based practices for improving the effectiveness of asynchronous online discussion boards. Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Psychology, 4 (4), 271–289. https://doi-org.10.1037/stl0000121

Tags: Online Discussions, Instructional Design Summary: This literature review discusses the challenges, benefits, teaching strategies and best practices for asynchronous discussions along with providing tables that outline these issues as well as listing the specific sources that address them. Many of these issues would also be relevant for synchronous and hybrid classes.

Angelino, L. M., Williams, F. K., & Natvig, D. (2007). Strategies to engage online students and reduce attrition rates. Journal of Educators Online, 4 (2), 1-14.

Tags: Group Work Summary: Table 1 shows strategies to reduce attrition. Group projects are mentioned as one strategy to engage learners in an online environment and reduce attrition. Group project aims to create a community of learners.

Bacca-Acosta, J., & Avila-Garzon, C. (2020). Student engagement with mobile‐based assessment systems: A survival analysis. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 37 (1), 158–171. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12475

Tags: Instructional Design, Discipline-specific (ESL), Assessment Summary:  Research shows that mobile‐based assessment increases students’ learning outcomes and motivation. In this paper they show that students with positive acceptance of mobile based assessment and higher levels of self reported effort engage for longer periods of time.

Banta, T. W., Jones, E. A., & Black, K. E. (2009). Designing effective assessment: principles and profiles of good practice. Jossey-Bass. [ link ]

Tags: Assessment Summary: The book highlights examples of effective assessment in higher education including a section on “CLASSE: measuring Student Engagement at the Classroom Level” by Robert Smallwood and Judith Ouimet. The Classroom Survey of Student Engagement is an adaption of the NSSE that has been piloted in in-person classrooms. Smallwood and Ouimet’s section indicates that an overview of the Classroom Survey of Student Engagement CLASSE  along with survey results and the instrument can be found at http://assessment.ua.edu/CLASSE/Overview.htm.  While these pages are no longer online, copies can be accessed using the Internet Archive’s WayBackMachine.

Belland, B. R., Kim, C., & Hannafin, M. J. (2013). A framework for designing scaffolds that improve motivation and cognition. Educational Psychologist, 48 (4), 243–270.  https://doi.org/10.1080/00461520.2013.838920

Tags: Instructional Design Summary: This article proposes guidelines for the design of computer-based scaffolds to promote motivation and engagement. Scaffolds are: establish task value, promote mastery goals, promote belonging, promote emotion regulation, promote expectancy for success, and promote autonomy. Through better motivational scaffolds, all three kinds of engagement (behavioral, emotional, cognitive) can be enhanced.

Bigatel, P.M. & Edel-Malizia, S. (2018). Using the “Indicators of Engaged Learning Online” framework to evaluate online course quality, TechTrends, 62 , 58-70. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-017-0239-4

Tags: Instructional Design Summary: This paper uses the Indicators of Engaged Learning Online Framework (appendix 1) to assess the quality of online courses.

Bigatel, P., & Edel-Malizia, S. (2018). Predictors of instructor practices and course activities that engage online students. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 21 (1), 1-19. [ link ]

Tags: Instructional Design Summary: This paper describes what activities and attitudes and behaviors of instructors most increase student engagement in online courses. An important finding was the sharing of knowledge and expertise within the learning community increases engagement.

Bond, M., Buntins, K., Bedenlier, S., Zawacki-Richter, O. & Kerres, M. (2020). Mapping research in student engagement and educational technology in higher education: A systematic evidence map. International Journal of Educational Technology in Higher Education, 17 (2), 1–30. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41239-019-0176-8

Tags: Introduction, Assessment Summary: This article maps 243 studies published between 2007 and 2016 on the area of student engagement and digital technology. Most studies focus on undergraduate, text-based tools such as online discussion boards and blended learning. Many studies did not define student engagement or used a theoretical framework.

Boton, E. C., & Gregory, S. (2015). Minimizing attrition in online degree courses. Journal of Educators Online, 12 (1), 62-90.

Tags: Group Work Summary: This paper uses qualitative case studies to find out in what way culture, motivation, learning management systems and online pedagogy can increase student engagement and reduce attrition. Group work is mentioned as one strategy.

Bovee, B. S., Jernejcic, T., & El-Gayar, O. (2020). A gamification technique to increase engagement in asynchronous online discussions. Issues in Information Systems, 21 (3), 20–30. https://doi.org/10.48009/3_iis_2020_20-30

Tags: Online Discussions Summary: This article studied the effects of gamification on student video discussion posts. Winners of these posts were those with the most replies. A website displayed those students in the lead. The gamification increased both the behavioral and cognitive engagement.

Brown, R. E. (2001). The process of community-building in distance learning classes. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 5 (2), 18−35. http://dx.doi.org/10.24059/olj.v5i2.1876

Tags: Online Discussions, Instructional Design Summary: Three key stages to community building: make online acquaintances (i.e., meeting people who may share similar interests), sensing community acceptance (i.e., being willing to share and accept similar and opposing points of view), and achieving camaraderie (i.e., mutual respect).

Cavanagh, S. R. (2016). The spark of learning: Energizing the college classroom with the science of emotion. West Virginia University Press. [ link to publisher site ]

Tags: Emotional Engagement, Instructional Design Summary: This book focuses on the emotional aspect of student engagement.  It provides a combination of evidence from scholarly sources and practical, anecdotal examples.

Czerkawski, B. C., & Lyman, E. W. (2016). An instructional design framework for fostering student engagement in online learning environments. TechTrends, 60 , 532-539. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-016-0110-z

Tags: Instructional Design Summary: This paper presents a 4-phase instructional design framework and strategies to foster student engagement in online classes. It combines student participation, motivation and student success.

Darby, F., & Lang, J.M. (2019). Small teaching online : Applying learning science in online classes . Jossey-Bass. [ link to publisher site ]

Tags: Online Discussions, Group Work Summary: Part 1, design for learning includes both backward design (alignment of course goals, activities and assessment) but also student engagement. Part 2 specifically focuses on building community and giving feedback to foster student success. Part 3 is about motivating students specifically making connections and giving autonomy. Discussion boards and group work can both build community and establish connections.  A reference list is included at the end of the book.

Davies, W. M. (2009). Groupwork as a form of assessment: common problems and recommended solutions. Higher Education, 58 , 563-584. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10734-009-9216-y

Tags: Group Work, Social Engagement Summary: The paper discusses problems connected with group work such as free riding and ‘sucker effect’ and other problems and how the design of group work can alleviate these issues.

deNoyelles, A., Zydney, J.M., & Chen, B. (2014). Strategies for creating a community of inquiry through online asynchronous discussions.  MERLOT Journal of Online Learning and Teaching, 10 (1), 153-165. [ link ]

Tags: Online Discussions, Instructional Design Summary: Designing online discussion with a community of learners in mind. Each member should have a social, cognitive and teaching presence. One strategy mentioned is students acting as peer-reviewers or peer-facilitators. By serving as such, students have a greater connection to the discussion as they may be leading the discussion or providing additional insights.

Ding, L., Kim, C., & Orey, M. (2017). Studies of student engagement in gamified online discussions. Computers & Education, 115 , 126-142. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2017.06.016

Tags: Online Discussions Summary: Gamification of online discussion has a positive effect on student engagement (behavioral, emotional and cognitive). Practical items such as badges, thumps-ups, progress bars and avatars were used.

Dixson, M. D. (2015). Measuring student engagement in the online course: The online student engagement scale (OSE). Online Learning, 19 (4). http://dx.doi.org/10.24059/olj.v19i4.561

Tags: Assessment Summary: This study provides validation of the Online Student Engagement scale (OSE) by correlating student self-reports of engagement (via the OSE) with tracking data of student behaviors from an online course management system.

Dziuban, C., Picciano, A., Graham, C., & Moskal, P. (2017). Conducting research in online and blended learning environments: New pedagogical frontiers. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315814605

Tags: Assessment Summary: This book can be useful when designing research in online and blended learning environments. As a Faculty Learning Community, we found that not many papers research assessments of student engagement. In such a case this book can be valuable for future research.

Fehrman, S. &  Watson, S. L. (2020): A systematic review of asynchronous online discussions in online higher education. American Journal of Distance Education. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/08923647.2020.1858705

Tags: Online Discussions Summary: This systematic review identifies key themes on asynchronous online discussions in higher education found in peer reviewed literature with publication dates from 2010-2020.

Fredericks, J.A., Blumenfeld, P.C., & Paris, A.H. (2004). School engagement: Potential of the concept, state of the evidence. Review of Educational Research, 74 (1), 59-109. https://doi.org/10.3102/00346543074001059

Tags: Behavioral Engagement, Emotional Engagement, Cognitive Engagement Summary: This paper outlines three main types of engagement- behavioral, emotional, and cognitive engagement. This paper gives concrete examples of engagement in face-to-face classrooms. They call for richer characterizations of how students behave, feel and think, to assess and develop interventions.

Fredricks, J. A., Wang, M. T., Linn, J. S., Hofkens, T. L., Sung, H., Parr, A., & Allerton, J. (2016). Using qualitative methods to develop a survey measure of math and science engagement. Learning and Instruction, 43 , 5–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.learninstruc.2016.01.009

Tags: Social Engagement, Discipline-specific (STEM), Assessment Summary: This is a study of face-to-face STEM classes (middle school and high school). Table 1 contains indicators of engagement from interviews. A major conclusion is the need to develop valid and reliable measures of engagement in STEM. And to include a social engagement dimension.

Gay, G. H. E. & Betts, K. (2020).  From discussion forums to emeetings: Integrating high touch strategies to increase student engagement, academic performance, and retention in large online courses. Online Learning, 24 (1), 92-117. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v24i1.1984

Tags: Group Work Summary: Student engagement and group work are critical to developing competencies, deeper learning, and attributes that align with 21st-century skills. Quantitative data shows higher academic scores and lower attrition, qualitative data shows increased engagement.

Garrison D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2010). The first decade of the community of inquiry framework: A retrospective. Internet and Higher Education, 13 (1/2), 5-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2009.10.003

Tags: Online Discussions, Social Engagement, Cognitive Engagement, Emotional Engagement Summary: This is an update on the evolution of the Community of Inquiry Framework. Initially presented in 2000 (see Garrison, Anderson, Archer, 2000) the three essential factors- social, cognitive, and teaching presence-were presented individually. In retrospect these three items are interconnected.

Garrison, D. R., Anderson, T., & Archer, W. (2000). Critical inquiry in a text-based environment: Computer conferencing in higher education. The Internet and Higher Education, 2 (2/3), 87-105. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S1096-7516(00)00016-6

Tags: Online Discussions, Social Engagement, Cognitive Engagement, Emotional Engagement Summary: Authors propose three essential factors that contribute to a student’s successful educational experience: social presence, cognitive presence, and teaching presence.

Garrison, D. R., & Arbaugh, J. B. (2007). Researching the community of inquiry framework: Review, issues, and future directions. The Internet and Higher Education, 10 (3), 157-172. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2007.04.001

Tags: Social Engagement, Cognitive Engagement, Emotional Engagement Summary: This paper tracks community of inquiry literature and finds that future research should include more quantitatively-oriented studies, and more cross-disciplinary studies. In addition more research is needed to find factors that moderate and/or extend the relationship between the COI framework components and online course outcomes.

Grandzol, C. J., & Grandzol., J. G. (2010). Interaction in online courses: More is not always better. Online Journal of Distance Learning Administration, 13 (2). [ link ]

Tags: Online Discussions, Instructional Design Summary: An effective online discussion in part depends on the class size: small class sizes (e.g., fewer than 6 students) tend to have issues getting students to actively engage with the course discussions due to a lack of variety in replies to the discussion questions, large class size may hinder instructor participation.

Groccia, J. E. (2018). What is student engagement? New Directions for Teaching & Learning, 2018 (154), 11–20. https://doi.org/10.1002/tl.20287

Tags: Definition of Engagement Summary: This chapter reviews various definitions of student engagement in a general sense (not in the online environment per se ).

Guajardo-Leal, B. E., Navarro-Corona, C., & González, J. R. V. (2019). Systematic mapping study of academic engagement in MOOC. International Review of Research in Open and Distributed Learning, 20 (2), 113–139. https://doi.org/10.19173/irrodl.v20i2.4018

Tags: Instructional Design Summary: This is a synthesis of studies conducted from 2015 to 2018 on student engagement in MOOC’s.  One of the goals of the study was to develop a technique for locating and evaluating previous studies.  The synthesis found that a majority of studies used qualitative techniques to study engagement and learning analytics were the most common type of data collected.

Hall, D., & Buzwell, S. (2013). The problem of free-riding in group projects: Looking beyond social loafing as reason for non-contribution. Active Learning in Higher Education, 14 (1), 37-49.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1469787412467123

Tags: Group Work, Social Engagement Summary: This study surveyed students on their attitudes towards group work and free-riders, or students who do not contribute a perceived equal share by peers but receive the same group grade. Hypotheses for the causes of voluntary and involuntary free-riding in groups are proposed but additional work is needed.

Henrie, C. R., Halverson, L. R., & Graham, C. R. (2015). Measuring student engagement in technology-mediated learning: A review. Computers & Education, 90 , 36–53. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2015.09.005

Tags: Assessment Summary: This paper identifies methods to identify effective methods to conceptualize and measure student engagement in technology-mediated learning. Table 8 shows how to operationalise engagement. More research is needed to study the role of emotional engagement in learning.

Hew, K. F. (2016). Promoting engagement in online courses: What strategies can we learn from three highly rated MOOCS. British Journal of Educational Technology, 47 (2) , 320–341. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12235

Tags: Group Work, Online Discussions, Instructional Design Summary: Five factors for MOOC popularity were found: (1) problem‐centric learning with clear expositions, (2) instructor accessibility and passion, (3) active learning, (4) peer interaction, and (5) using helpful course resources. These factors can guide course design.

Hirumi, A., & Bermudez, A. B. (1996). Interactivity, distance education, and instructional systems design converge on the information superhighway. Journal of Research on Computing in Education, 29 (1), 1−16. https://doi.org/10.1080/08886504.1996.10782183

Tags: Online Discussions, Instructional Design Summary: Distance education programs were based on the correspondence course where little interaction took place. Course design for interactivity is possible and can create advantages over face to face design, for example, personal messages by instructor and quicker replies.

Hsieh, Y-H., & Tsai, C-C. (2012). The effect of moderator’s facilitative strategies on online synchronous discussions. Computers in Human Behavior, 28 (5), 1708–1716. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2012.04.010 .

Tags: Online Discussions, Group Work Summary: Facilitators can increase collaboration and participation in online asynchronous discussion. Moderator messages to focus on the main topic and giving students positive feedback were the most common strategies observed.

Kim, M. K., Lee, I. H., & Wang, Y. (2020). How students emerge as learning leaders in small group online discussions. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 36 (5), 610–624.  https://doi.org/10.1111/jcal.12431

Tags: Online Discussions, Group Work Summary: Studied online asynchronous interactions of graduate students for emerging learning leaders. Student posts were coded for leadership style, and behavioral, cognitive and emotional engagement. Researchers used the IBM tone analyzer to recognize student emotions in the text.

Kim, M. K., Wang, Y., & Ketenci, T. (2020). Who are online learning leaders? Piloting a leader identification method (LIM). Computers in Human Behavior, 105 , 1-15.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.106205

Tags: Group Work, Assessment Summary: Referenced in Bacca article as providing evidence that emotional engagement is one of main attributes of leaders in online learning contexts. Refers to social network theory.

Kinsella, G. K., Mahon, C., & Lillis, S. (2017). Facilitating active engagement of the university student in a large-group setting using group work activities.   Journal of College Science Teaching, 46 (6),  34-43.

Tags: Group Work Summary: This study was conducted in face-to-face courses. It surveyed student participants on their experiences participating in small group exercises as part of large classes to enhance student engagement and promote peer learning.

Linnenbrink-Garcia, L., & Pekrun, R. (2011). Students’ emotions and academic engagement: Introduction to the special issue. Contemporary Educational Psychology, 36 (1), 1-3.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cedpsych.2010.11.004

Tags: Introduction Summary: Introduction to a special issue about emotion and engagement: how and why student emotions emerge, how these emotions in turn shape students’ engagement and achievement, and the ways in which students can harness emotional resources for facilitating their engagement and achievement.

Liu, M., Liu, L., & Liu, L. (2018). Group awareness increases student engagement in online collaborative writing. The Internet and Higher Education, 38 , 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2018.04.001

Tags: Group Work, Instructional Design Summary: Conducted a study of the impact of a tool called Cooperpad (to increase group awareness) on student engagement (behavior and cognitive). Article references sources that group awareness tools that provide evidence of individual participation increases participation.

Martin, F., & Bollinger, D.U. (2018). Engagement matters: Student perceptions on the importance of engagement strategies in the online learning environment. Online Learning Journal 22 (1), 205–222.  doi:10.24059/olj.v22i1.1092

Tags: Group work, Online Discussions, Instructional Design Summary: Viewing engagement from a community or inquiry (learner to instructor, learner to learner, learner to content), they find that learner to content engagement is improved with realistic assignments, and that learner to learner engagement is improved with collaboration and discussions.

Mandernach, B. J.  (2015). Assessment of student engagement in higher education: A synthesis of literature and assessment tools. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 12 (2), 1-14. [ link ]

Tags: Assessment Summary: Engagement is dynamic concepts that comprises behavioral, affective and cognitive dimensions. In table 1 an overview is given how engagement data can be collected.

Mayer, G., Lingle, J., & Usselman, M. (2017). Experiences of advanced high school students in synchronous online recitations. Educational Technology & Society, 20 (2), 15–26. [ link ]

Tags: Online Discussions, Group Work, Discipline-specific (STEM) Summary: Anonymous input and group work encouraged in learning activities. Student centered learning environment. High school calculus students.

Mendini, M., & Peter, P. C. (2019). Research note: The role of smart versus traditional classrooms on students’ engagement. Marketing Education Review, 29 (1), 17–23. https://doi.org/10.1080/10528008.2018.1532301

Tags: Instructional Design Summary:   This study compared a face-to-face classroom environment to one using smart technology in the classroom.  Results suggest higher student engagement with groups and instructor in a classroom without technology.

Morley, C., & Ablett, P. (2017). Designing assessment to promote engagement among first year social work students.  E-Journal of Business Education and Scholarship of Teaching, 11 (2), 1–14. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1167329.pdf

Tags: Assessment Summary: Assessing students on a group task (presentation) increased collaboration and cooperation. Assessing group work as a way to promote engagement.

Morgan, C. K., & Tam, M. (1999). Unraveling the complexities of distance education student attrition. Distance Education, 20 (1), 96−108. https://doi.org/10.1080/0158791990200108

Tags: Online Discussions Summary: Addresses a connection between motivation and participation/engagement in online courses.  Students in distance learning environments express feelings of isolation or alienation in comparison to traditional face-to-face classes which have a physical classroom and face-to-face interactions with other students.

Muir, T., Dyment, J., Hopwood, B., Milthorpe, N., Stone, C., & Freeman, E. (2019). Chronicling engagement: students’ experience of online learning over time. Distance Education, 40 (2), 262–277. https://doi.org/10.1080/01587919.2019.1600367

Tags: Assessment, Online Discussions Summary: Weekly survey of students to uncover factors that affect student engagement and the factors that affect fluctuation in student engagement. Tracking of student engagement throughout the course as opposed to a fixed point in time.

Nagel, L., Blignaut, A. S., & Cronje, J. C. (2009). Read-only participants: A case for student communication in online classes. Interactive Learning Environments, 17 , 37–51. https://doi.org/10.1080/10494820701501028

Tags: Online Discussions Summary: Makes an argument that discussion forums are essential forms of communication for online classes. In addition, this paper highlights the negative aspects of online discussions such as read only participants.

Newton, D. W., LePine, J. A., Kim, J. K., Wellman, N., & Bush, J. T. (2020). Taking engagement to task: The nature and functioning of task engagement across transitions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 105 (1), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1037/apl0000428

Tags:  Cognitive Engagement, Emotional Engagement, Behavioral Engagement Summary: This is a job-based rather than a classroom-based study.  Engagement can differ between tasks, and there can be a spillover effect from one task to the next in that engagement in one task can influence engagement in the next task.

Ouyang, F., & Chang, Y. H. (2019). The relationships between social participatory roles and cognitive engagement levels in online discussions. British Journal of Educational Technology, 50 (3), 1396-1414. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12647

Tags: Introduction, Group Work, Instructional Design, Social Engagement, Cognitive Engagement Summary: This was a multi-method study to examine student participation in asynchronous online discussions. Engagement on a social level can deepen interaction on a cognitive level and vice versa.

Pérez-López, R., Gurrea-Sarasa, R., Herrando, C., Martín-De Hoyos, M. J., Bordonaba-Juste, V., & Acerete, A. U. (2020). The generation of student engagement as a cognition-affect-behaviour process in a Twitter learning experience. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 36 (3), 132–146. https://doi.org/10.14742/ajet.5751

Tags: Online Discussions, Group Work Summary: This study evaluates the use of Twitter as online discussion tool, to increase student engagement. Recommendation is to use active and collaborative activities to increase engagement and performance.

Peterson, A.T., Beymer, P.N., & Putnam, R.T. (2018). Synchronous and asynchronous discussions: Effects on cooperation, belonging, and affect. Online Learning, 22 (4), 7-25. doi:10.24059/olj.v22i4.1517

Tags: Group Work, Online Discussions Summary: Asynchronous communication interferes with cooperative (group) learning dynamics.  Asynchronous work increases students’ perception of independence and therefore makes them perceive less interdependence for group work.

Rodriguez, R. J., & Koubek, E. (2019). Unpacking high-impact instructional practices and student engagement in a preservice teacher preparation program. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 13 (3), Article 11, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2019.130311

Tags: Instructional Design, Group Work Summary: High impact practices, like applied learning, collaborative assignments, understanding diverse points of view and constructive feedback on assignments as essential components of engagement and learning.

Rovai, A. P. (2003). A constructivist approach to online college learning. Internet and Higher Education, 7 (2), 79−93. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2003.10.002

Tags: Online Discussions Summary: Some highlights include ways to improve student motivation (e.g., extrinsic factors like grades) and the importance of fostering a sense of community in the classroom (i.e., a sense of belonging and contributing to the greater good of the class tends to lead to greater engagement and the quality of the contributions is enhanced).

Rovai, A. (2007). Facilitating online discussions effectively. The Internet and Higher Education, 10 , 77-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iheduc.2006.10.001

Tags: Online Discussions Summary: This article presents a synthesis of the theoretical and research literature on facilitating asynchronous online discussions effectively. Building community, not only instructor-learner contact, but also learner-learner contact. For example choose topics in areas of student interest. Provide clear guidelines and grading rubrics.

Salter, N & Conneely, M. (2015). Structured and unstructured discussion forums as tools for student engagement.  Computers in Human Behavior, 46 , 18-25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2014.12.037

Tags: Online discussions, Instructional Design Summary: Structured forums were seen as more engaging, students used the feedback more often than in unstructured forums. More peer engagement in less structured forums.

Skinner, E. (2009). Using community development theory to improve student engagement in online discussion: a case study. ALT-J Research in Learning Technology, 17 (2), 89-100. https://doi.org/10.1080/09687760902951599

Tags: Online discussions Summary: Participation by students is a prerequisite for building community. Students need to interject their own personal and emotional interests to increase participation (i.e., they need personally invested to get something out of the class). Instructors can choose topics /questions that align with student interest.

Sweat, J., Jones, G., Han, S., & Wolfgram, S. M. (2013). How does high impact practice predict student engagement? A comparison of white and minority students. International Journal for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning, 7 (2), Article 17. https://doi.org/10.20429/ijsotl.2013.070217

Tags: Group Work Summary: HIPS that have an effect on engagement across racial categories are service learning, undergraduate research, group assignments, learning communities, sequence courses, and, especially, having a close faculty mentor.

Taneja, A. (2014). Teaching tip: Enhancing student engagement: A group case study approach. Journal of Information Systems Education, 25 (3), 181-188. http://jise.org/Volume25/n3/JISEv25n3p181.pdf

Tags: Group Work Summary:  Group work is seen as a learning goal on its own. Within the group case studies are used to transfer theoretical knowledge to real world practice.

Tofade, T., Elsner, J., & Haines, S. T. (2013). Best practice strategies for effective use of questions as a teaching tool. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 77 (7). https://doi.org/10.5688/ajpe777155

Tags: Online Discussions Summary: Using different lenses to look at question formulation, ie. taxonomy of questions, Skinner (2009) mentions the importance of asking relevant questions

Truhlar, A. M., Walter, M. T., & Williams, K. M. (2018). Student engagement with course content and peers in synchronous online discussions. Online Learning, 22 (4), 298-312. https://doi.org/10.24059/olj.v22i4.1389

Tags: Online Discussions, Group Work Summary:  Group reflection enhances critical student-content interaction, and assigning roles enhances critical student -student interaction. Interestingly self-reflection did not enhance either interaction.

Warburton, D. (1998). Community and sustainable development. Earthscan.

Tags: Online Discussions, Group Work Summary: Participation precedes learning. A student needs to be present to be engaged, take part in a learning community to learn.

Waschull, S. B. (2005). Predicting success in online psychology courses: Self-discipline and motivation. Teaching of Psychology, 32 , 190–192. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15328023top3203_11

Tags: Instructional Design Summary: A number of factors are measured relative to success in the course. Only self-discipline and motivation matter. Not factors like, time commitment, study skills, preference for text-based learning, access to technology, and technology experience.

Watson, F. F., Castano Bishop, M., & Ferdinand-James, D. (2017). Instructional strategies to help online students learn: Feedback from online students. TechTrends, 61 , 420–427. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11528-017-0216-y

Tags: Instructional Design Summary: This paper reviews the top 10 preferred instructional strategies from online students.

Wollschleger, J. (2019). Making it count: Using real-world projects for course assignments. Teaching Sociology, 47 (4), 314-324. https://doi.org/10.1177/0092055X19864422

Tags : Group Work, Instructional Design Summary: Redesign a course from lecture and real projects to community involved real world projects. This goes back to HIPS practices like community engagement, collaborative learning, inquiry based learning.

Woods, K. & Bliss, K. (2016). Facilitating successful online discussions. The Journal of Effective Teaching, 16 (2), 76-92. https://uncw.edu/jet/articles/vol16_2/woods.html

Tags: Online Discussions Summary: Relevant to student engagement to discussions is the level of structure as well as the ability for conversations to evolve as the discussion progresses.  They make the case that less structure can allow more degrees of freedom in discussions. An interesting counterpoint to the argument that more structure is better for online courses.

Xie, K. & Ke, F. (2011). The role of student’s motivation in peer-moderated asynchronous online discussions.  British Journal of Educational Technology, 42 (6), 916-930. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8535.2010.01140.x

Tags: Online Discussions Summary: Intrinsic motivation is a factor in individual interaction. Relatedness is a factor in collaboration. Low level interaction is related to perceived value, competency and autonomy. Knowing the type of motivation instructors can scaffold accordingly.

Engagement in Online Learning: An Annotated Bibliography Copyright © 2021 by Elizabeth Johnson; Caleb Adams; Agatha Engel; and Lisa Vassady is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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More examples

• Annotated bibliography example - UNT Dallas Library
• Annotated bibliography template - UNT Dallas Library
• APA 7th Edition Publication Manual - Sample Annotated Bibliography (See Fig. 9.3, p. 308)

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is an organized list of sources, each of which is followed by a brief note or “annotation.”

These annotations do one or more of the following:

• describe the content and focus of the book or article
• suggest the source’s usefulness to your research
• evaluate its method, conclusions, or reliability
• record your reactions to the source.

The process of writing an annotated bibliography provides a structured process to learn about a research topic. It causes you to read the available research (also referred to as "the literature") more closely as you develop a better understanding of the topic, related issues, and current trends. 

Source: The University of Wisconsin-Madison: The Writing Center

Writing a strong annotation

The hardest part of this assignment is writing the annotation, but knowing what it entails can make this task less daunting.

While not all of these are necessary, an annotation could/will:

• Summarize the central theme and scope of the document
• Evaluates the authority, credibility, and/or background of the author(s)
• Comments on the intended audience (who was meant to read the document)
• Assesses the source’s strengths and weaknesses (Interesting? Helpful? Strong/weak argument? Strong/weak evidence?)
• Compares or contrast this work with others you have cited
• Critiques the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the source
• Evaluates the methods, conclusions/findings, and reliability of the source
• Shares how the source reinforces or contradicts your own argument
• Records your reactions to the reading
• States how the source will be used in your paper

Source:  UNT Dallas Learning Commons: Annotated Bibliography

Formatting rules

General Formatting Rules:

• Format and order references in alphabetical order just as you would a reference list
• Each annotation should be a new paragraph below its reference entry
• Indent the entire annotation 0.5 inch from the left margins just as you would a block quotation
• If the annotation spans multiple paragraphs, indent the first line of the second and any subsequent paragraphs an addition 0.5 inch the same as you would a block quotation with multiple paragraphs  

Source: Section 9.51 Annotated Bibliographies in the APA 7th Edition Publication Manual

Sample annotated bibliography

Excelsior OWL Sample Annotated Bibliography

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Creating an Annotated Bibliography

• What is an Annotated Bibliography

Writing an Annotation

Formatting an annotated bibliography.

• Resources and Tools
• Creating an Annotated Bibliography Video

Components of an Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is an APA reference list that includes a brief summary and analysis -- the annotation --  under the reference entry.  

An annotated bibliography includes:

• APA Title page
• Pages are numbered beginning with title page
• References centered and bolded at top of page
• Entries listed in alphabetical order
• Annotations begin under its associated reference
• Annotations are indented 0.5 inches from the left margin
• The entire document is double spaced; no extra space between entries

Example of an annotated bibliography entry:

An  an n otated bibliography is composed of the full APA reference for a source followed by notes and commentary about that so urce. T he word  “annotate” means “critical or explanatory notes” and the word “bibliography” means “a list of sources”.  Annotation s are meant to be critical in addition to being descriptive.

Annotations are generally between five to seven sentences in length and appear directly under the APA reference.  The entire annotation is indented 0.5 inch from the left margin and lines up with the hanging indent of the APA reference.

Use the question prompts below as a guide when writing annotations:

• 2 to 4 sentences to  summarize   the main idea(s) of the source.

     - What are the main arguments?

     - What is the point of this book/article?

     - What topics are covered?

• 1 or 2 sentences to  assess   and  evaluate   the source.

     - How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography?

     - Is this information reliable? current?

     - Is the author credible? have the background to write on this topic?

     - Is the source objective or biased?

• 1 or 2 sentences to  reflect   on the source.

     - Was this source helpful to you?

     - How can you use this source for your research project?

     - Has it changed how you think about your topic?

• a title page, and
• the annotated bibliography which begins on its own page with the word References bolded and centered at the top of the page.

Each entry begins with an APA reference for the resource with the annotation appearing directly beneath. The entire annotation is indented 0.5 inches from the left margin.

Entries are listed in alphabetical order. The entire document is typed on one of the six approved font styles and sizes and is double spaced.  There is no additional space between entires.

Consider using Academic Writer or NoodleTools to create and format your annotated bibliography.  

APA Citation Style Resources and Tools

Apa academic writer.

Use the tools in the  References tab to create APA references for the resources in your annotated bibliography.  The form includes a text box for your annotation.  You can create your title page and assemble your annotated bibliography in the Write tab in this authoritative resource.

Create and format your annotated bibliography in NoodleTools .  Find information on how to create an account, create APA references, and creating and formatting an annotated bibliography in the NoodleTools Guide.

• NoodleTools Guide

This video below provides an overview of how to create an annotated bibliography including evaluating resources, writing annotations, creating APA references, and formatting the final document in the APA style. 

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Education: Annotated Bibliography

How to approach an annotated bibliography.

When you are working on a research project, it is important to create and maintain an annotated bibliography because it allows you to document how you have critically engaged with the existing scholarship in your research area. An annotated bibliography may be a part of a larger assignment, or it may be a separate document. An annotated bibliography has the same format as a regular bibliography or reference list.

An annotated bibliography consists of two parts:

• reference (citation)

Depending on your assignment, you may reflect on, summarise, critique, evaluate, or analyse the sources. The length and level of detail of annotations may vary, but typically, it involves reviewing each source in 150-200 words.

Creating an annotated bibliography may be required for various reasons, depending on the assessment criteria. Some of these reasons include:

• Getting familiarised with the available material on a particular topic
• Demonstrating the quality and depth of your reading on a topic
• Developing your analytical and critical reading skills
• Identifying a range of sources that are available on your topic
• Highlighting sources that may be of interest to other readers and researchers
• Organising the sources for further research, for instance, as the first step towards a literature review
• Identifying connections between the information sources

What kind of resources should be studied?

Please note: It is crucial to carefully review the task's specific requirements to have a clear understanding of what is needed.

It is recommended to rely on academic books and peer-reviewed journals as they are more trustworthy sources of information.

When selecting sources, it is essential to choose a balanced range of approaches that answer a clearly defined question or problem, instead of just those that confirm what you already know.

First, read abstracts or academic book reviews to help you select studies most relevant to your problem, then select the most suitable from those to read in full.  Take notes on your selected texts as you read.

Pay attention to:

• the author’s theoretical approach
• which parts of the topic are covered in this paper
• main points or findings on the topic
• the author’s position or argument

Record evaluations in your notes; your bibliography should not be a list but present your own informed position on the texts and the topic as a whole.

• How well does this text address your topic?
• Does it cover the topic thoroughly or only one aspect of it?
• Do the research methods seem appropriate and does the argument stand up to scrutiny?
• Does it agree with or contradict other studies?

List texts in alphabetical order using citation conventions for a reference list.

Create an annotation under each citation: a paragraph summarising each text and explaining how the text applies to your research question or problem. e.g.

• What aspect of your question/ problem does it address?  
• Does it provide background information/ theory / useful results?
• How strong is the evidence?  
• What are its limitations in answering your research question?

When creating an annotation, you may need to include a summary or description of the source, an evaluation and analysis of the study, and a reflection on its usefulness to your research. It's important to keep in mind that what you include in your annotation will depend on the specific instructions given by your lecturer, so be sure to read them carefully!

You may keep in mind the following points while preparing a summary of a text:

Find out what citation style you need to use, such as APA 7 Syle.

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Journal Articles

Banks, J. (1993). Multicultural education: Historical development, dimensions, and practice. (L. Darling-Hammond, Ed.) Review of Research in Education, 19 , 3-49.

• At-risk students now serves as a euphemism for culturally deprived.

Braskamp, L., Engberg, M., Mark, E. (2011). How college can influence the development of a global perspective. Liberal Education, 97 (3-4), 34-39.

Braskamp, L.A. (2009, November). Internationalizing a campus: A framework for assessing its progress. Journal of College & Character , X (7).

Chavez, A.F., Guido-DiBrido, F. & Mallory, S.L. (2003). Learning to value the “other”. A framework of individual diversity development. Journal of College Student Development , 44 (4), 453-469.

Chen, G.M. & Starosta, W.J. (1996). Intercultural communication competence: A synthesis. Communication Yearbook , 19 , 353-384.

Childs, D.J. (2014). “Let’s talk about race”: Exploring racial stereotypes using popular culture in social studies classrooms. Social Studies, 105 (6), 291-300.

Donovan, B.M. (2015). Reclaiming race as a topic of the U.S. biology textbook curriculum. Science Education, 99 (6), 1092-1117.

Gay, G. (2013). Teaching to and through cultural diversity. Curriculum Inquiry, 43 (1).

• Diversity: race, culture and ethnicity; gender, sexual orientation, social class, linguistic
• CRT is more that teaching accurate information about ethnic and cultural diversity it teaches TO cultural diversity to help students acquire more accurate knowledge about the lives, cultures, contributions, experiences and challenges of different ethnic and racial groups in society.
• Connect in-school learning with out-of-school living; Develop student agency, efficacy and empowerment.

Hall, S. (1996). The global, the local and the return of ethnicity . In C. Lemert (Ed.), Social theory: The multicultural, global and classic readings (pp. 459-464). Boulder, CO: Westview Press.

Han, H.S., Vomvoridi-Ivanović, E., Jacobs, J., Karanxha, Z., Lypka, A., Topdemir, C., & Feldman, A. (2014). Culturally responsive pedagogy in higher education: A collaborative self-study. Studying Teacher Education , 10 (3), 290–312.

Jones, C., & Shorten-Gooden, K. (2003). Shifting: The double lives of Black women in America. New York, NY: Harper Collins.

King, P. and Baxter-Magolda, M. (2005). A development model of intercultural maturity. Journey of College Student Development , 571-592.

Klinger, J.K., & Vaughn, S. (1999). Promoting reading comprehension, content learning, and English acquisition through Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR). The Reading Teacher , 52 , 738-747.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1998). Teaching in dangerous times: Culturally relevant approaches to teacher assessment. Journal of Negro Education, 67 (3), 255-267.

• Notions of regularity put particular persons in position of power and may cause unconscious posturing that prevents them from recognizing their own culture as culture.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). Toward a theory of culturally relevant pedagogy. American Educational Research Journal, 32 (3), 465-491.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1995). But that’s just good teaching! The case for culturally relevant pedagogy. Theory into Practice, 34 , 159-165.

Ladson-Billings, G. (1998). Just what is critical race theory and what’s it doing in a nice field like education? Qualitative Studies in Education , 11 (1), 7-24.

Liggett, T. (2008). Frames of reference: The impact of race on teaching strategy and classroom discussion. Urban Review, 40 (5), 386-402.

• Understanding one’s own cultural identity is important because individual identity has “cultural orientations that shape the ways in which [one thinks] about values, beliefs, communication style (modes of politeness/formality), historical perspectives, art, music, family, rituals (graduation, sport team rallies), rites of passages (notable birthdays), and other social group activities.” p. 397

Maye, D., & Day, B. (2012). Teacher identities: The fingerprint of culturally relevant pedagogy for students at risk. Delta Kappa Gamma Bulletin, 78 (2), 19-26.

McMahon, M. (2011). International education: Educating for a global future . Edinburgh, Scotland: Dunedin Academic Press.

Oxfam. (2006). Education for global citizenship: A guide for schools. Retrieved from http://www.oxfam.org.uk/education/global-citizenship/global-citizenship-guides

Paris, L., & Decker, D. (2012). Sex role stereotypes: Does business education make a difference? Gender in Management: An International Journal, 27 (1), 36-50.

Reysen, S., & Katzarska-Miller, I. (2013). A model of global citizenship: Antecedents and outcomes. Journal of International Psychology , 48 (5), 858-879.

Schmeichel, M. (2012). Good Teaching? An examination of culturally relevant pedagogy as an equity practice. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 44 (2), 211-231.

Sue, D. W., Capodilupo, C. M., Torino, G. C., Bucceri, J. M., Holder, A. B., Nadal, K. L., & Esquilin, M. (2007). Racial microaggressions in everyday life: Implications for clinical practice.  American Psychologist ,  62 (4), 271-286.

Villegas, A.M. (1998). School failure and cultural mismatch: Another view. Urban Review, 20 (4), 253-265.

Webb, J., Wilson, B., Corbett, D., & Mordecai, R. (1993). Understanding caring in context: Negotiating borders and barriers. The Urban Review, 25 (1), 33-34.

Wlodkowski, R. J. & Ginsberg, M. B. (1995). A framework for culturally responsive teaching. Educational Leadership, 53 (1), 17-21.

• Rather than trying to know what to do to students, we must work with students to interpret and deepen their existing knowledge and enthusiasm for learning.
• HiEd influenced by extrinsic reinforcement: testing, competitive assessment procedures, grades, grade point averages, eligibility; Perception that humans will strive to learn if they are externally awarded or punished for lack of it.
• Intrinsic Motivation Framework: 1. Establish inclusion (learning environment classroom community) 2. Developing attitude (personal relevance and choice) 3. Enhancing meaning (meaningful learning experiences connected to student perspectives and values) 4. Engendering competence (students are effective in learning what they value).

Bennett, M.J. (2004). Becoming interculturally competent . In J. Wurzel (Ed.), Towards multiculturalism: A reader in multicultural education (2nd ed.) (pp. 62-77). Newton, MA: Intercultural Resource Corporation.

Longerbeam, S. D. & Chávez, A. F. (2016). Going inward: The role of cultural introspection in college teaching. New York, NY: Peter Lang Publishing.

Chavez, A. F., & Longerbeam, S. D. (2016). Teaching across cultural strengths: A guide to balancing integrated individuated cultural frameworks in college teaching. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.

Costagno, A. (2014). Educated in whiteness. Minneapolis, MN: Minnesota Press.

Rendon, L. (2009). Sentipensante (sensing/thinking) pedagogy: Educating for wholeness, social justice and liberation. Sterling, VA: Stylus Publishing, LLC.

Gay, G. (2010). Culturally responsive teaching: Theory, research and practice (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

• Defining culture: values and beliefs, customs and traditions, heritages and contributions, experiences and perspectives.
• Routine: To filter curriculum content and teaching strategies through cultural frames or reference to make them more personally meaningful and relevant to master; this has been the norm for middle-class European Americans CRT applies this routine to all students.

Berube, A. (2010). State of metropolitan America. Metropolitan Policy Program. Washington, D.C.: Brookings.

• National and local data on college access and completion including economic influence on workforce trends and projections; Sections specific to Phoenix including Hispanic students.

Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed . New York, NY: Continuum.

Ginsberg, M. & Wlodkowski, R. (2009). Diversity & motivation: Culturally Responsive teaching in college. New York, NY: New York University.

• Rationale and examples of CRT in higher education with recommendations for teaching and advisement. Connection to Garner’s Multiple Intelligences.

Paris, D. & Alim, H.S. (Eds.). (2017). Culturally sustaining pedagogies: Teaching and learning for justice in a changing world (language and literacy series). New York, NY: Teachers College Press.

Yosso, T. (2006). Critical race counterstories along the chicana/chicano educational pipeline. New York, NY: Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

• Merging data and theory to expose racism and it’s function to limit minoritized groups.

Ogby, J. (1995). Understanding cultural diversity and learning. In J. Banks, & C. Banks (Eds.), Handbook of research on multicultural education. New York, NY: MacMillan.

• According to the research, teaching that ignores student norms of behavior and communication provokes students resistance, while teaching that is responsive prompts students involvement.

Other Online Resources

Perkins, M. (2009). Straight talk on race: Challenging the stereotypes in kids’ books. Retrieved from http://www.slj.com/2009/04/standards/straight-talk-on-race-challenging-the-stereotypes-in-kids-books/#_

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An  annotated bibliography includes a summary and/or evaluation of each of your sources. It may include any or all of these 3 sections, depending on your assignment requirements:

• Summary:   Summarize the source. What are the main arguments? What is the point of this book or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say?  
• Assessment:  After summarizing a source, it may be helpful to evaluate it. Is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source?  

Credit Courtesy of  Purdue OWL

Sample Annotated Bibliography (in APA):

Trevor, C.O., Lansford, B. and Black, J.W. (2004). Employee turnover and job performance: monitoring the influences of salary growth and promotion. Journal of Armchair Psychology, 113 (1), 56-64.

In this article Trevor et al. review the influences of pay and job opportunities in respect to job performance, turnover rates and employee motivation. The authors use data gained through organizational surveys of blue-chip companies in Vancouver, Canada to try to identify the main causes of employee turnover and whether it is linked to salary growth. Their research focuses on assessing a range of pay structures such as pay for performance and organizational reward schemes. The main limitation of the article is that the survey sample was restricted to mid-level management, thus the authors indicate that further, more extensive, research needs to be undertaken to develop a more in-depth understanding of employee turnover and job performance. The article is useful to my research topic, as Trevor et al. suggest that there are numerous reasons for employee turnover and variances in employee motivation and performance. It will not form the basis of my research; however, it will be useful supplementary information for my research on pay structures.

Credit courtesy of UNSW Sydney

Extra Resources

• Overview of Annotated Bibliographies From Purdue OWL
• What is an Annotated Bibliography? From University of New South Wales
• What's included in an Annotated Bibliography? From University of Alberta
• Annotated Bibliography Samples From Excelsior OWL
• How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography From Cornell University

Citing Your Sources

While writing your annotated bibliography, you will need to list your sources in proper formatting above your annotations.

For help with citations, check out our Citing Sources Guide  

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Education: Annotated Bibliography

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What is an Annotated Bibliography?

A bibliography is an organized list of sources (books, journal articles, web sources, etc.) formatted in a particular citation style (such as MLA, APA, or Chicago).  An annotation is a descriptive paragraph.  So, an annotated bibliography is a bibliography that contains a descriptive paragraph about each of the sources listed in the bibliography.

Why write an annotated bibliography?

Annotated bibliographies demonstrate to your readers the quality and depth of the research you have done for your paper.  The annotations also provide the reader with more information on which of your sources they should read to learn more about specific aspects of your topic.

When preparing for a research paper, writing annotations for your sources compels you to read and understand each source more critically. Annotations help you to examine the relevancy and unique contribution of each source to your topic while at the same time, may identify gaps in your research for further study.

Use an annotated bibliography to:

• Demonstrate to your readers the quality and depth of research you have done on a topic
• Critically evaluate your sources to determine any gaps in research

Annotated Bibliographies: An Illustrated Guide

(Carnegie Vincent Library, 2012, April 18)

Writing the Annotation

The annotation is a short paragraph, 3 -5 sentences long, that follows a citation.  The annotation explains to your reader why you are using that particular source in your paper and how it connects to your paper.  As stated in your assignment the annotation should do the following:

Be able to explain the content of the source in your own words.

Identify the type of source, i.e. academic journal article, book, etc.  Note whether the source is from a peer-reviewed journal, or is written for researchers and professionals.  Does the source include a bibliography for the sources used as support, or at least mention where the author got the information?

Consider and explain how the source is relevant to your research question.  Note whether the source provides an overview, specific examples, or in-depth research that supports or answers your research question.

Example of an Annotation

Example 1: (mla style, book).

Webster, Graham.  Celtic Religion in Roman Britain . Totowa, N.J: Barnes & Noble Books, 1987. Print.

Webster, Reader Emeritus at the Department of Extramural Studies at the University of Birmingham, discusses how the religious beliefs and practices of the Celts were integrated while the Celts were under Roman rule.  The author uses archaeological evidence and mythology to discuss the origins of the Celtic religion, the use of the hero figure, and Roman acculturation of the Celts. The book contains an extensive bibliography, photographs and illustrations that are used by the author to illustrate the evidence presented. The chapter about Celtic sanctuaries, temples, and shrines is especially useful for providing an overview of Celtic burial practices. This book is written for academics but can be read by anyone interested in history.

Example 2: (MLA style, article from a database)

Doniger, Wendy. "The Mythology Of Masquerading Animals, Or, Bestiality."  Social Research  71.3 (2004): 711-732.  Business Source Complete . Web. 22 Jan. 2014.

Doniger, a professor of the History of Religions at the University Chicago provides an overview of bestial masquerades in folktales and mythology and examines the relationship between humans and animals. This article is especially helpful in pointing out the analogy of night and day time transformations, of animals into human, and reality versus fiction. The article contains notes and references. The intended audience is students of mythology, but could also include the layperson.

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What is the difference between an annotation and an abstract?

An abstract is a direct summary of a text. It is a basic description of an article, book, document, etc. Many of the articles you find will have an abstract already written for you. You may not copy an abstract and hand it in as an annotation.

An annotation is an explanation of a text. It includes a description of the article or book, but also has an evaluation of the reliability and usefulness of a source. It may also include your reaction to the information you have found. An annotation is something you must write in your own words.

Don't Forget!

• Read your assignment carefully!
• Don't wait until the last minute!
• Look for your instructor's definition of "Annotated Bibliography," if there is one.
• Underline or highlight specific instructions including:
• How many sources you need.
• What kind of sources you need. Books? Articles? Websites?
• Find out if your instructor wants your opinion included in the annotation.
• Figure out what citation format your instructor wants. MLA? APA?
• If you aren't sure about a certain part of your assignment, ask or email your instructor before the assignment is due!
• Purdue OWL - Annotated Bibilographies

Examples of Good Annotations

• Annotation Example from a CS105 Class I know it's not from an ED class, but it provides a good example of an annotated citation.
• Annotation Example in APA This is an example taken from the Purdue Online Writing Lab (Purdue OWL) for a book.

What is an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (articles, books, websites, etc.) being used for research that includes the citation (bibliographic information like title, author, publisher, etc.), a short description of the information in the source, and an evaluation of the source.

The description and evaluation should be  written in your own words and contain information about the research method, the source credibility, conclusions about the source, and its usefullness to your research.

Along with the summary of the information, an annotated bibliography describes how the source directly relates to your research and why the source is trustworthy.

A typical annotated bibliography is around 150 words.

Why should I write an annotated bibliography?

An annotated bibliography may be given as an assignment to help you gain a basic knowledge of a topic you are researching. It can also help you figure out if there is enough relevant information on your topic. It is a good first step in the research process because it lays out your sources and how you are planning to use them. Creating annotations helps you to read your sources more critically and carefully and decide if they are useful. By reading several sources on a topic and evaluating them, you can understand the facts, opinions, and issues surround a topic and form your own point-of-view.

If you are given an annotated bibliography as an assignment, think about the long term. Figure out if you will have a research paper due later on that will incorporate the sources you cited in your bibliography. If so, make sure you are reviewing your sources with your future paper in mind. If you do a good job on your annotations, you will know what sources to focus your paper on, and it will save you time later.

Step by Step Instructions

Step One: Read your assignment!

Make sure you have a clear idea of how many sources you need, how many annotations you need, and what types of sources you are looking for. 

Step Two: Make sure you have a clear and concise topic to research.

Start with a topic that interests you and falls within the requirements of your assignment. Leave room for flexibility. You may not be able to find enough sources for the topic you want, so be willing to change your topic slightly, if necessary. Look up some synonyms (words that have the same meanings) for your topic.

Step Three: Find books, articles, or websites.

Do the research! Compile a list of sources that pertain to your topic.

Make sure you are looking for full text when searching for journal articles in a database. 

Step Four: Read your sources critically and carefully!

Examine and review the items to make sure you can find the information you need. Take notes so you can use them in your summary. Choose the number of sources your assignment requires. 

    Don't just read the abstract . (For more information on abstracts, see the second box on the left side of this page).

Step Five: Create your annotated bibliography. This can be done right in Noodletools (for more information on Noodletools see the box on the top left side of this page).

• Cite the source (book, article, etc.) using the style your instructor requested (MLA, APA, etc.).
• Write a brief summary or description of your article in your own words , in paragraph form.
• Evaluate your source . Make sure to check for guidelines given to you by your instructor. If there are none, try the CRAAP method:
• Currency:  Is this source current? When was it written? Check your assignment for guidelines on dates.
• Relevance:  Write one or more brief sentences that draw conclusions about how this source relates directly to your research. Why did you choose this source for your particular topic. How does it make your paper more accurate, credible, and informative?
• Authority and Accuracy: Write one or more sentences that talk about the credibility of the source. This can include information about the background of the author and/or information about the research methods used, and the intended audience of the research.  Who wrote the article or book? Why did they write this? Who is the content written for? Is the information supported by evidence?  Does the information provided conflict with what you already know about the topic?
• Purpose: Write one or more sentences that draw conclusions about the information in this souce. What did you learn from it? Compare this source to other sources. Why is this source important compared to other sources? Why does this information exist?

Remember you are aiming for around 150 words. So be as concise as possible.

For more information on the CRAAP Method, see the "More Information" box on the bottom left of this page.

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DOC 3 Annotated Bibliography: Annotated Bibliography

• Annotated Bibliography
• Abstract VS Annotations
• Critical Appraisal & Analysis
• Sample Annotations
• Creating Annotations

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of works (books, articles, films, etc.) on a particular topic. An annotated bibliography includes a paragraph following each citation that summarizes the work. An annotation can help the reader determine the value of each work on the topic and the contribution it might make to his own research.

Elements of an Annotation

a brief summary (2-4 sentences) of the article, including the author’s name and what you think is the author’s primary point or thought;

• a description of the intended audience;
• how the article illuminates your bibliography topic;
• an evaluation of the source’s usefulness, reliability, strengths and weaknesses and its value for your research;
• how this specific article relates to another article in your bibliography

For more information, see:

• Annotated Bibliographies UMKC Libraries
• How Do I Write an Annotated Bibliography UC Santa Cruz Library
• Preparing an Annotated Bibliography The Writing Studio, Colorado State University

This information was adapted with permission from  How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography , Hesburgh Libraries, University of Notre Dame.

Types of Annotation

• Descriptive
• Informative

There are different kinds of annotations, depending on what might be most important for your reader to learn about a source. Three common types of annotated bibliographies are  Descriptive ,  Informative , and  Critical .

A Descriptive annotation may summarize:

• The main purpose or idea of the work
• The contents of the work
• The author’s conclusions
• The intended audience
• The author’s research methods
• Special features of the work such as illustrations, maps, and tables

This type of annotation seeks to answer the question, Does this source cover or address the topic I am researching?

This information was adapted with permission rom the following:  How to prepare an annotated bibliography  Hesburgh Libraries, University of Notre Dame.

An  Informative  annotation:

• Summarizes what the content, message, or argument of the source is
• Generally contains the hypothesis, methodology, main points, and conclusion or results
• Does not include any editorial or evaluative comments about such content

This type of annotation seeks to answer these types of questions,  What are the author's main arguments? What conclusions did the author draw?

Critical  annotation includes value judgments or comments on the effectiveness of the work. In this context, critical means evaluative and may include both positive and negative comments. A critical annotation may contain the information found in a descriptive annotation and discuss some of the following features:

• The importance of the work’s contribution to the literature of the subject
• The author’s bias or tone
• The author’s qualifications for writing the work
• The accuracy of the information in the source
• Limitations or significant omissions
• The work’s contribution to the literature of the subject
• Comparison with other works on the topic

This type of annotation seeks to answer these types of questions:

• Is the author's presentation of the facts objective?
• Is the methodology sound? Is this source useful for my audience?
• Are the conclusions still valid in light of new research?
• What contribution does this make to the field?
• Does this source address all the relevant issues?
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Annotated Bibliography Samples

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Below you will find sample annotations from annotated bibliographies, each with a different research project. Remember that the annotations you include in your own bibliography should reflect your research project and/or the guidelines of your assignment.

As mentioned elsewhere in this resource, depending on the purpose of your bibliography, some annotations may summarize, some may assess or evaluate a source, and some may reflect on the source’s possible uses for the project at hand. Some annotations may address all three of these steps. Consider the purpose of your annotated bibliography and/or your instructor’s directions when deciding how much information to include in your annotations.

Please keep in mind that all your text, including the write-up beneath the citation, must be indented so that the author's last name is the only text that is flush left.

Sample MLA Annotation

Lamott, Anne. Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life . Anchor Books, 1995.

Lamott's book offers honest advice on the nature of a writing life, complete with its insecurities and failures. Taking a humorous approach to the realities of being a writer, the chapters in Lamott's book are wry and anecdotal and offer advice on everything from plot development to jealousy, from perfectionism to struggling with one's own internal critic.

In the process, Lamott includes writing exercises designed to be both productive and fun. Lamott offers sane advice for those struggling with the anxieties of writing, but her main project seems to be offering the reader a reality check regarding writing, publishing, and struggling with one's own imperfect humanity in the process. Rather than a practical handbook to producing and/or publishing, this text is indispensable because of its honest perspective, its down-to-earth humor, and its encouraging approach.

Chapters in this text could easily be included in the curriculum for a writing class. Several of the chapters in Part 1 address the writing process and would serve to generate discussion on students' own drafting and revising processes. Some of the writing exercises would also be appropriate for generating classroom writing exercises. Students should find Lamott's style both engaging and enjoyable.

In the sample annotation above, the writer includes three paragraphs: a summary, an evaluation of the text, and a reflection on its applicability to his/her own research, respectively.

For information on formatting MLA citations, see our MLA 9th Edition (2021) Formatting and Style Guide .

Sample APA Annotation

Ehrenreich, B. (2001). Nickel and dimed: On (not) getting by in America . Henry Holt and Company.

In this book of nonfiction based on the journalist's experiential research, Ehrenreich attempts to ascertain whether it is currently possible for an individual to live on a minimum-wage in America. Taking jobs as a waitress, a maid in a cleaning service, and a Walmart sales employee, the author summarizes and reflects on her work, her relationships with fellow workers, and her financial struggles in each situation.

An experienced journalist, Ehrenreich is aware of the limitations of her experiment and the ethical implications of her experiential research tactics and reflects on these issues in the text. The author is forthcoming about her methods and supplements her experiences with scholarly research on her places of employment, the economy, and the rising cost of living in America. Ehrenreich’s project is timely, descriptive, and well-researched.

The annotation above both summarizes and assesses the book in the citation. The first paragraph provides a brief summary of the author's project in the book, covering the main points of the work. The second paragraph points out the project’s strengths and evaluates its methods and presentation. This particular annotation does not reflect on the source’s potential importance or usefulness for this person’s own research.

For information on formatting APA citations, see our APA Formatting and Style Guide .

Sample Chicago Manual of Style Annotation

Davidson, Hilda Ellis. Roles of the Northern Goddess . London: Routledge, 1998.

Davidson's book provides a thorough examination of the major roles filled by the numerous pagan goddesses of Northern Europe in everyday life, including their roles in hunting, agriculture, domestic arts like weaving, the household, and death. The author discusses relevant archaeological evidence, patterns of symbol and ritual, and previous research. The book includes a number of black and white photographs of relevant artifacts.

This annotation includes only one paragraph, a summary of the book. It provides a concise description of the project and the book's project and its major features.

For information on formatting Chicago Style citations, see our Chicago Manual of Style resources.

• Finding Sources
• Writing the Annotations
• Formatting the Annotated Bibliography
• Citation This link opens in a new window

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources in proper citation format, each with a descriptive paragraph. The description may critique, analyze or just summarize the content of the item. For this assignment,  you will write a critical/evaluative annotation for each source, critically appraising the evidence that addresses your practice problem. 

A good annotated bibliography:

• Encourages you to think critically about the content of the works you are using, the importance of the works within the field of study, and the relation of the works to your own research and ideas
• Proves you have read and understand your sources
• Establishes your work as a valid source and you as a competent researcher
• Provides a way for others to decide whether a source will be helpful to their research if they read it

*Excerpted from The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill .

The Annotated Bibliography should be the final result after a thorough review of the literature on your topic. Different databases should be searched to get different perspectives. If 8-10 sources are required, you should be reviewing many more sources (20-25), in detail,  before making final selections.

Steps to Writing an Annotated Bibliography

No matter which course or discipline you're researching in, the steps of writing an annotated bibliography should be similar:

• Research, identify, locate and read scholarly and professional articles, books, and documents for your bibliography
• Critically screen, analyze and evaluate the sources
• organize the sources in a logical order
• Create citations in proper APA format (see APA tab)
• Compose annotations

Resources on the Web

For more information on annotated bibliographies, visit these pages:

• Writing an Annotated Bibliography Dena Taylor, Health Sciences Writing Centre, University of Toronto
• Annotated Bibliographies The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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• Last Updated: May 7, 2024 6:08 PM
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Annotated Bibliography

The Annotated Bibliography is intended to be a resource for anyone who is interested in learning more about the research that is most relevant to the Promoting Teacher Effectiveness in Adult Education project.

The Annotated Bibliography  is composed of two parts that, together, provide a detailed view of some key pieces of literature on teacher effectiveness, teacher induction, teacher competency, and adult learning. A matrix identifies the general topics that are addressed in each piece of literature. Following the matrix is an alphabetized list of the documents, including a short paragraph that describes the content of the literature. 

The introduction to using the Annotated Bibliography describes an adult education practitioner’s experience as a new teacher and ways to use the Annotated Bibliography. Both an audio file and the transcript of the audio are available.

This resource is the result of the first environmental scan on teacher effectiveness in adult education. Because of the limited research in adult education, the Annotated Bibliography draws from pertinent K-12 literature in addition to the literature from adult education. It also includes literature from both national and international context, providing the user with diverse perspectives on teacher effectiveness, teacher induction, teacher competency, and adult learning. This rich content of this resource is the foundation for the development of the Adult Education Teacher Competencies.

Useful features:

The Annotated Bibliography has two parts: (1) a matrix of the literature and (2) summaries of the documents describing the content of the literature. Each of these parts was designed to be easily searchable so that users can easily find the literature on their topic of interest.

• The matrix identifies the general topics that are addressed in each piece of literature so that users can quickly identify the documents that are most relevant to a specific area of interest.
• The summaries of the documents are provided in alphabetical order. Each entry is tagged with key words such as mentoring/coaching, teacher quality, certification, hiring and retention, professional development, and e-mentoring to help users search more easily for the entries that are most pertinent to their interests.

This site includes links to information created by other public and private organizations. These links are provided for the user’s convenience. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, or completeness of this non-ED information. The inclusion of these links is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse views expressed, or products or services offered, on these non-ED sites.

Please note that privacy policies on non-ED sites may differ from ED’s privacy policy. When you visit lincs.ed.gov, no personal information is collected unless you choose to provide that information to us. We do not give, share, sell, or transfer any personal information to a third party. We recommend that you read the privacy policy of non-ED websites that you visit. We invite you to read our privacy policy.

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• Step 1: Seek Out Evidence
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What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a summary and evaluation of a resource. According to Merriam-Webster, a bibliography is “the works or a list of the works referred to in a text or consulted by the author in its production.” Your references (APA) or Works Cited (MLA) can be considered a bibliography. A bibliography follows a documentation style and usually includes bibliographic information (i.e., the author(s), title, publication date, place of publication, publisher, etc.). An annotation refers to explanatory notes or comments on a source.

An annotated bibliography, therefore, typically consists of:

Documentation for each source you have used, following the required documentation style.

For each entry, one to three paragraphs that:

Begins  with a summary ,

Evaluates  the reliability of the information,

Demonstrates  how the information relates to previous and future research.

Entries in an annotated bibliography should be in alphabetical order.

** Please note: This may vary depending on your professor’s requirements.

Why Write an Annotated Bibliography?

Why Write an Annotated Bibliography

Writing an annotated bibliography will help you understand your topics in-depth.

An annotated bibliography is useful for organizing and cataloging resources when developing an argument.

Formatting an Annotated Bibliography

Formatting Annotated Bibliographies

• Use 1-inch margins all around
• Indent annotations ½ inch from the left margin.
• Use double spacing.
• Entries should be in alphabetical order.

Structure of an Annotated Bibliography

This table provides a high-level outline of the structure of a research article and how each section relates to important information for developing an annotated bibliography.

Annotated Bibliography Sample Outline

Author, S. A. (date of publication). Title of the article.  Title of Periodical, vol.  (issue), page-page.  https://doi.org/XXXXXX

Write one or two paragraphs that focus on the study and its findings.

• Two or more sentences that outline the thesis, hypothesis, and population of the study.
• Two or more sentences that discuss the methodology.
• Two or more sentences that discuss the study findings.  
• One or more sentences evaluating the study and its relationship to other studies.

Sample Annotated Bibliographies

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Annotated Bibliographies

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The goal of the Consortium on Gender, Security and Human Rights’ Annotated Bibliography Project is to provide the policy, activist and scholarly communities with access to the findings of the burgeoning academic research in this field. We hope that by providing easier access to the findings of scholarly research, we can:

• help foster better-informed policymaking;
• support and inform women activists and NGOs;
• support innovative research by providing resources for researchers in conflict-afflicted areas who often lack access to the kinds of scholarly resources readily available in well-funded educational institutions.

Some of our bibliographies address topics which are currently at the center of international policy agendas and civil society concern, such as “conflict-related sexual violence”; others attempt to help move the “gender, peace and security” agenda forward by focusing on more cutting-edge topics we think worthy of increased attention.

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