annotated book review

Book Reviews, Annotation, and Web Technology

Resources & Preparation
Instructional Plan
Related Resources

Students work in groups to read and discuss a book, keeping track of their feelings and opinions about the book, as well as facts and quotations, as they read. After reading, each group goes through their notes on the book, marking items they want to include in a book review. They look at sample book reviews and discuss the common elements of book reviews. Next, each group works together to write a review of their book and use Web-authoring tools to publish the review onto a Web page. Students then decide which parts of their review they wish to annotate, with each student in the group responsible for one topic. Students research their topics, taking notes. Each student writes about his or her topic, including bibliographic information. The writings are then peer-reviewed by the group, published to the Web, and hyperlinked back to the group's book review.

Featured Resources

The Annotated Book Review Project : This handout for students provides all the necessary details about the annotated book review project.

Student Annotated Book Review Rubric : Use this rubric to assess the book review project, including the graphics and layout, group book review, student research, navigation and links, and how well students worked together and followed guidelines.

From Theory to Practice

Patricia Webb suggests that using the Web supports "collaboration" and "opened up engaging discussions about audience, writing, and texts." Dean Rehberger emphasizes the importance of annotation when he states, "We do, after all, read texts as hypertexts. Rarely reading a book from cover to cover, we use tables of contents, indexes, footnotes, and endnotes to make links from passage to passage, text to text, idea to idea. We collect and catalogue information-building bibliographies, resources, and libraries-and then turn around and deploy the information-paraphrases, quotations, and imitations-finding "originality" often in synthesis and syncretism. To this end, in my classes I use the Internet to emphasize these older rhetorical arts to create what I have come to call living texts" (194).

Emphasizing the connection among reading, writing, and Web page design, this lesson combines collaborative, small-group, and individual learning activities using literature circles and group investigations as suggested by Harvey Daniels and Marilyn Bizar.

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
6. Students apply knowledge of language structure, language conventions (e.g., spelling and punctuation), media techniques, figurative language, and genre to create, critique, and discuss print and nonprint texts.
7. Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and nonprint texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
8. Students use a variety of technological and information resources (e.g., libraries, databases, computer networks, video) to gather and synthesize information and to create and communicate knowledge.
11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.

Materials and Technology

Assorted books for literature circles (to be read and discussed before this project)

Reflective Journal Instructions
The Annotated Book Review Project
Microsoft Frontpage 2000 ®

Preparation

Prepare mini-lessons to review the elements of fiction and on the differences between book reviews and book reports.
Test the Story Map student interactive on your computers to familiarize yourself with the tool and ensure that you have the Flash plug-in installed. You can download the plug-in from the technical support page.

Student Objectives

Students will

read, discuss, and keep a journal on a book in literature circles.
understand the elements of and collaborate on a book review.
create a Website based on their book review.
learn to use parenthetical references and a works-cited page in a research paper.
use the Internet for research and write an individual research paper.
hyperlink their research papers (annotations) to their book review.

Group Reading and Discussion

Select groups or let students select groups of 3 to 5 to work together. Often groups will be formed by the books they choose for their literature circles.
Review the elements of fiction with students.
Students read their book together and keep notes of discussions and of important things they notice in their reading journals as they read. Have them keep track of their feelings and opinions as they read and discuss the book. Ask them, too, to keep track of things such as main characters, conflicts, settings, and quotations that they think might be important; what they think the author's purpose might be; and whether or not the author achieves his or her purpose. They will use these ideas when they write their book review.
When they have finished discussion, the groups should read through their journal notes and put a check next to the details they want to include in their review. Be sure that they don't give away too much of the story in their review.

Group Reviews

After they have finished gathering details, the students will write a group book review.
Explain the difference between a book report and a book review. Reviewers express their opinion of the book. It isn't enough, however, to say that a book is good or bad. They have to support their opinion with explanations and specific references to the book itself, including quotations, rather than give a synopsis of the book. Refer to Writing Book Reviews and Write a Book Review with Rodman Philbrick for tips and strategies for writing book reviews.
Look at and compare the three sample reviews in this article from the University of North Carolina Writing Center . Most reviews name the title and author, include a brief summary of the book without "spoiling" the book for the reader, comment on the book's strengths and weaknesses, and include a personal response.
Working together, students write their first drafts using the details that they checked. (Remember that reviewers comment on the important parts of the book but do not give away too much of the story. Here is a sample book review of To Kill A Mockingbird and some ideas for ways to write one.)
Once they have their final review written, they copy and paste it into a Web page using Web-authoring software such as Microsoft FrontPage® . This is the homepage that they will hyperlink to their annotations.

Group Annotations and Web Work

Students will each write short research pieces on the areas they want to annotate in their review. Possible topics could include the author, the setting, connections with history, and other topics mentioned in their book. For example, if they were writing an annotated review over the book Night by Elie Wiesel, they might want to do research on the author, on Sighet in Transylvania (Wiesel's hometown), on the Talmud, on the cabbala, on Zionism, on Auschwitz, on the Resistance, on the liberation of Buchenwald, or on any other topics they notice while reading.
If desired, students can use the Literary Elements Map to gather additional details on the text they've read.
Students use the notes that they took on topics for research while reading the book. They then read over their review to see which they included.
Let them decide which parts of the review they want to annotate and assign topics to group members.
Using the Internet and other library resources to research their topics, students take notes on index cards or in a note file on their computer. Be sure to have them get complete source information for all written sources and URLs of all Internet sites used.
Students then word-process their research topics. Be sure that they use parenthetical notation for any quoted or paraphrased sections of their report and include a works-cited page at the end of their report, using an agreed-upon style (e.g., MLA). This Annotating resource from Colorado State University may help students to determine what should be annotated.
As a group, students review and edit each piece.
Finally, they copy and paste each report to a new Web page. Have them add pictures and graphics that complement their writing and then hyperlink their reviews to each report and hyperlink the reports back to the review. (Be sure that they check all of their links to make sure that they work.)

Student Assessment / Reflections

Much of the assessment of the project is teacher observation and anecdotal note taking . It is a good idea to have students do a reflective journal over the process of putting together the project. You may also choose to use a rubric for student annotated book reviews .

Students can map out the key literary elements of character, setting, conflict, and resolution as prewriting for their own fiction or as analysis of a text by another author in this secondary-level interactive.

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The Perfect Guide to Annotating for Book Reviews [Guest Post]

Welcome back, my friends! I’m so glad you’re here! I have a guest post for you today, and I think it’s going to be super valuable for you! If you’re a book blogger, or an author who blogs on your website, writing book reviews is a huge part of your repertoire. And, if you’re like me, figuring out what you’re going to say in those book reviews causes not a little bit of anxiety. Have no fear anymore, friends! My guest post today is from Daniel over at Sticker You. He contacted me a while back to ask about writing something for me (he loved Book Reviews vs Beta Reading!) and offered this post as an option. Annotating for book reviews sounds so easy once he explains it! So, without further ado, check it out!

A secret treasure lies in the world of literature that can enrich your reading journey and offer precious discoveries. If you are looking to write book reviews that are both informative and entertaining, having a thoroughly annotated copy can make a big difference. You can dramatically improve the quality of your book reviews by adding your magical touch since this will give your written reviews more authenticity.

Writing a well-articulated book review requires you to remember significant points, underline crucial plot moments, and arrange your thoughts in an organized manner. Whether you are an experienced book reviewer or a passionate reader wanting to indulge in the books you read and use annotations to elevate your reading experience, this guide is perfect for you!

The meaning of annotating is to take in pieces of literature in a way where you can immediately express your thoughts from the works you’ve read. The unique appeal of book annotation is that there is no single, correct method to accomplish it, like the originality associated with annotating; there is no one right way to do it, only your way, based on your perspective. However, understanding how to annotate a book effectively is the foundation for writing insightful and persuasive book reviews.

Table of Contents

Forms of Annotations

Annotations, whether in the form of sketches, detailed visualizations, or even the traditional, simple underlining and highlighting of favorite passages, should be viewed as an added component of the reader’s experience. Annotating is the unique interaction between a reader and the text. The best way to learn how to create personalized annotations is, first and foremost, to find a book that truly resonates with you. The connection will help get your creative juices working to enhance your book reviews and the process of writing them.

By customizing your annotations, you can establish a method that works with your individual reviewing style as a reader and critic. Furthermore, adding your unique flair to your annotations helps you feel more connected to the book. Keeping notes as you read helps you remember your first impressions and feelings while reading. That way, annotations will easily convey your genuine reaction to the content in your reviews, and that is the beauty of annotating.

Pre-annotation Steps

Immersing oneself in such an engaging read sets the stage for unleashing your imagination and developing your annotating abilities. It makes you feel more connected to the story, its protagonists, and the message it spreads. This elevated connection feeds your creativity and stimulates your writing skills. It enables you to develop unique connections, make creative findings, and produce original viewpoints, all of which are shared through your special annotations.

Gaining that deeper connection and understanding leads to a more structured and engaging book review. And let’s be honest, as readers, we tend to mix up book plots from the many books we read, so one way to keep track of what you read is through annotations! Although it may be tempting to annotate every page, you should target important events, great phrases, or sections that generate an intense sense of emotion. The emphasis should be on quality rather than quantity.

Annotating For Book Reviews

Readers annotate books in many different ways, but highlighting passages that relate to you directly, make you laugh, or even reflect distinct elements of the book, such as character growth or unexpected plot twists, is what will benefit your book reviews. Moreover, there are other ways to change things up and make annotations more visual to ease the book review writing aspect even more.

Visual annotation tactics can transform your book reviews into engaging excursions of your own ideas and observations. These are some of the best methods for making helpful book annotations. Discover the tactical application of journaling, transparent sticky notes, and color-coded tabs, providing valuable resources to improve your reading experience and book review writing skills. Explore different reading habits for varying viewpoints and interesting takes from a fellow bookworm.

Create a Journal

Creative Annotating

When it comes to book annotations, creativity knows no bounds. Personalization is vital for elevating your book reviews. When annotating your book or writing book reviews, including visual components to draw attention to the key points you want to emphasize is extremely helpful. Personalized labels and stickers can direct attention to pivotal chapters or themes. The ability to personalize the journal’s layout to reflect your tastes, opinions, and the main themes of your reading experience is a fantastic addition. You can create personalized visuals of your favorite characters or intricate symbols for the book’s major themes and plot points. By incorporating these visually appealing elements into your book annotations, you can enhance the reading and reviewing experience for both yourself and your book review readers.

Clear Sticky Notes

If you want to annotate your books, but writing and highlighting right on the book pages does not interest you, you can use clear sticky notes instead! Clear sticky notes allow you to get the best of both worlds. You can annotate your favorite book’s physical copy without the ink directly transferring onto your pages! You can annotate books without detracting from the overall aesthetic while still taking notes on key points and information. Transparent sticky notes are beneficial when annotating for book reviews since they are transferable and could be put in your scrapbook later if you decide to re-gift a book. Also, you can reuse clear sticky notes multiple times. You can take them from one book and place them in another without ruining the pages. These clear sticky notes are useful if you are the type of reader that prefers borrowing books from libraries or even sharing your books with other readers while still retaining your annotations.

Assigning Colour-Coded Tabs

Another excellent method to improve the quality of your book reviews is to make your own set of color-coded annotating supplies . For instance, pink tabs and highlighters would represent love quotes & romantic moments, blue for sad ones, and yellow for funny ones. To make it all tie together, creating an annotation key or guide right at the start of a book will make it easy to navigate and helps with organizing your thoughts from your annotations to put into your book reviews. With the help of personalization, you can make your book reviews unique and really your own. The visual aid also gives the readers insight into your thoughts, and they’ll be able to grasp your meaning and appreciate the insight into your mind that this provides.

Annotating Time

Your whole reading experience will be much improved, as will the caliber of your book reviews, if you perfect the art of annotating books in your way. You can record your thoughts, draw attention to critical sections of the text, and establish meaningful connections throughout the text by utilizing a variety of forms of annotations, including sticky tabs, journaling, and creating a color guide. In addition, it is crucial to follow the pre-annotation processes, such as having that connection with a book’s content, because doing so can give a firm basis for writing good annotations and book reviews. In conclusion, annotating a book’s material to reflect your thoughts and experiences helps you better understand the text. It provides your book review with a touch of authenticity. As a result, your review is richer in detail, more cohesive, and more specific to your experience with the book.

So, what are you waiting for? Pick up the next book on your reading list , and jump into the exciting world of annotating. Grab some highlighters, pens, and those trusty clear sticky notes, and annotate away!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you enjoyed this post on annotating for book reviews! Stick around for next week, when I’ll have a brand new book review for you, using one of these methods!

Until Next Time, Friends!

Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Assignments

Annotated Bibliography
Analyzing a Scholarly Journal Article
Group Presentations
Dealing with Nervousness
Using Visual Aids
Grading Someone Else's Paper
Types of Structured Group Activities
Group Project Survival Skills
Leading a Class Discussion
Multiple Book Review Essay
Reviewing Collected Works
Writing a Case Analysis Paper
Writing a Case Study
About Informed Consent
Writing Field Notes
Writing a Policy Memo
Writing a Reflective Paper
Writing a Research Proposal
Generative AI and Writing
Acknowledgments

A book review is a thorough description, critical analysis, and/or evaluation of the quality, meaning, and significance of a book, often written in relation to prior research on the topic. Reviews generally range from 500-2000 words, but may be longer or shorter depends on several factors: the length and complexity of the book being reviewed, the overall purpose of the review, and whether the review examines two or more books that focus on the same topic. Professors assign book reviews as practice in carefully analyzing complex scholarly texts and to assess your ability to effectively synthesize research so that you reach an informed perspective about the topic being covered.

There are two general approaches to reviewing a book:

Descriptive review: Presents the content and structure of a book as objectively as possible, describing essential information about a book's purpose and authority. This is done by stating the perceived aims and purposes of the study, often incorporating passages quoted from the text that highlight key elements of the work. Additionally, there may be some indication of the reading level and anticipated audience.
Critical review: Describes and evaluates the book in relation to accepted literary and historical standards and supports this evaluation with evidence from the text and, in most cases, in contrast to and in comparison with the research of others. It should include a statement about what the author has tried to do, evaluates how well you believe the author has succeeded in meeting the objectives of the study, and presents evidence to support this assessment. For most course assignments, your professor will want you to write this type of review.

Book Reviews. Writing Center. University of New Hampshire; Book Reviews: How to Write a Book Review. Writing and Style Guides. Libraries. Dalhousie University; Kindle, Peter A. "Teaching Students to Write Book Reviews." Contemporary Rural Social Work 7 (2015): 135-141; Erwin, R. W. “Reviewing Books for Scholarly Journals.” In Writing and Publishing for Academic Authors . Joseph M. Moxley and Todd Taylor. 2 nd edition. (Lanham, MD: Rowan and Littlefield, 1997), pp. 83-90.

How to Approach Writing Your Review

NOTE: Since most course assignments require that you write a critical rather than descriptive book review, the following information about preparing to write and developing the structure and style of reviews focuses on this approach.

I. Common Features

While book reviews vary in tone, subject, and style, they share some common features. These include:

A review gives the reader a concise summary of the content . This includes a description of the research topic and scope of analysis as well as an overview of the book's overall perspective, argument, and purpose.
A review offers a critical assessment of the content in relation to other studies on the same topic . This involves documenting your reactions to the work under review--what strikes you as noteworthy or important, whether or not the arguments made by the author(s) were effective or persuasive, and how the work enhanced your understanding of the research problem under investigation.
In addition to analyzing a book's strengths and weaknesses, a scholarly review often recommends whether or not readers would value the work for its authenticity and overall quality . This measure of quality includes both the author's ideas and arguments and covers practical issues, such as, readability and language, organization and layout, indexing, and, if needed, the use of non-textual elements .

To maintain your focus, always keep in mind that most assignments ask you to discuss a book's treatment of its topic, not the topic itself . Your key sentences should say, "This book shows...,” "The study demonstrates...," or “The author argues...," rather than "This happened...” or “This is the case....”

II. Developing a Critical Assessment Strategy

There is no definitive methodological approach to writing a book review in the social sciences, although it is necessary that you think critically about the research problem under investigation before you begin to write. Therefore, writing a book review is a three-step process: 1) carefully taking notes as you read the text; 2) developing an argument about the value of the work under consideration; and, 3) clearly articulating that argument as you write an organized and well-supported assessment of the work.

A useful strategy in preparing to write a review is to list a set of questions that should be answered as you read the book [remember to note the page numbers so you can refer back to the text!]. The specific questions to ask yourself will depend upon the type of book you are reviewing. For example, a book that is presenting original research about a topic may require a different set of questions to ask yourself than a work where the author is offering a personal critique of an existing policy or issue.

Here are some sample questions that can help you think critically about the book:

Thesis or Argument . What is the central thesis—or main argument—of the book? If the author wanted you to get one main idea from the book, what would it be? How does it compare or contrast to the world that you know or have experienced? What has the book accomplished? Is the argument clearly stated and does the research support this?
Topic . What exactly is the subject or topic of the book? Is it clearly articulated? Does the author cover the subject adequately? Does the author cover all aspects of the subject in a balanced fashion? Can you detect any biases? What type of approach has the author adopted to explore the research problem [e.g., topical, analytical, chronological, descriptive]?
Evidence . How does the author support their argument? What evidence does the author use to prove their point? Is the evidence based on an appropriate application of the method chosen to gather information? Do you find that evidence convincing? Why or why not? Does any of the author's information [or conclusions] conflict with other books you've read, courses you've taken, or just previous assumptions you had about the research problem?
Structure . How does the author structure their argument? Does it follow a logical order of analysis? What are the parts that make up the whole? Does the argument make sense to you? Does it persuade you? Why or why not?
Take-aways . How has this book helped you understand the research problem? Would you recommend the book to others? Why or why not?

Beyond the content of the book, you may also consider some information about the author and the general presentation of information. Question to ask may include:

The Author: Who is the author? The nationality, political persuasion, education, intellectual interests, personal history, and historical context may provide crucial details about how a work takes shape. Does it matter, for example, that the author is affiliated with a particular organization? What difference would it make if the author participated in the events they wrote about? What other topics has the author written about? Does this work build on prior research or does it represent a new or unique area of research?
The Presentation: What is the book's genre? Out of what discipline does it emerge? Does it conform to or depart from the conventions of its genre? These questions can provide a historical or other contextual standard upon which to base your evaluations. If you are reviewing the first book ever written on the subject, it will be important for your readers to know this. Keep in mind, though, that declarative statements about being the “first,” the "best," or the "only" book of its kind can be a risky unless you're absolutely certain because your professor [presumably] has a much better understanding of the overall research literature.

NOTE: Most critical book reviews examine a topic in relation to prior research. A good strategy for identifying this prior research is to examine sources the author(s) cited in the chapters introducing the research problem and, of course, any review of the literature. However, you should not assume that the author's references to prior research is authoritative or complete. If any works related to the topic have been excluded, your assessment of the book should note this . Be sure to consult with a librarian to ensure that any additional studies are located beyond what has been cited by the author(s).

Book Reviews. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Book Reviews. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Hartley, James. "Reading and Writing Book Reviews Across the Disciplines." Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 57 (July 2006): 1194–1207; Motta-Roth, D. “Discourse Analysis and Academic Book Reviews: A Study of Text and Disciplinary Cultures.” In Genre Studies in English for Academic Purposes . Fortanet Gómez, Inmaculada et al., editors. (Castellò de la Plana: Publicacions de la Universitat Jaume I, 1998), pp. 29-45. Writing a Book Review. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing Book Reviews. Writing Tutorial Services, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Indiana University; Suárez, Lorena and Ana I. Moreno. “The Rhetorical Structure of Academic Journal Book Reviews: A Cross-linguistic and Cross-disciplinary Approach .” In Asociación Europea de Lenguas para Fines Específicos, María del Carmen Pérez Llantada Auría, Ramón Plo Alastrué, and Claus Peter Neumann. Actas del V Congreso Internacional AELFE/Proceedings of the 5th International AELFE Conference . Zaragoza: Universidad de Zaragoza, 2006.

Structure and Writing Style

I. Bibliographic Information

Bibliographic information refers to the essential elements of a work if you were to cite it in a paper [i.e., author, title, date of publication, etc.]. Provide the essential information about the book using the writing style [e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago] preferred by your professor or used by the discipline of your major . Depending on how your professor wants you to organize your review, the bibliographic information represents the heading of your review. In general, it would look like this:

[Complete title of book. Author or authors. Place of publication. Publisher. Date of publication. Number of pages before first chapter, often in Roman numerals. Total number of pages]. The Whites of Their Eyes: The Tea Party's Revolution and the Battle over American History . By Jill Lepore. (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2010. xii, 207 pp.)

Reviewed by [your full name].

II. Scope/Purpose/Content

Begin your review by telling the reader not only the overarching concern of the book in its entirety [the subject area] but also what the author's particular point of view is on that subject [the thesis statement]. If you cannot find an adequate statement in the author's own words or if you find that the thesis statement is not well-developed, then you will have to compose your own introductory thesis statement that does cover all the material. This statement should be no more than one paragraph and must be succinctly stated, accurate, and unbiased.

If you find it difficult to discern the overall aims and objectives of the book [and, be sure to point this out in your review if you determine that this is a deficiency], you may arrive at an understanding of the book's overall purpose by assessing the following:

Scan the table of contents because it can help you understand how the book was organized and will aid in determining the author's main ideas and how they were developed [e.g., chronologically, topically, historically, etc.].
Why did the author write on this subject rather than on some other subject?
From what point of view is the work written?
Was the author trying to give information, to explain something technical, or to convince the reader of a belief’s validity by dramatizing it in action?
What is the general field or genre, and how does the book fit into it? If necessary, review related literature from other books and journal articles to familiarize yourself with the field.
Who is the intended audience?
What is the author's style? Is it formal or informal? You can evaluate the quality of the writing style by noting some of the following standards: coherence, clarity, originality, forcefulness, accurate use of technical words, conciseness, fullness of development, and fluidity [i.e., quality of the narrative flow].
How did the book affect you? Were there any prior assumptions you had about the subject that were changed, abandoned, or reinforced after reading the book? How is the book related to your own personal beliefs or assumptions? What personal experiences have you had related to the subject that affirm or challenge underlying assumptions?
How well has the book achieved the goal(s) set forth in the preface, introduction, and/or foreword?
Would you recommend this book to others? Why or why not?

III. Note the Method

Support your remarks with specific references to text and quotations that help to illustrate the literary method used to state the research problem, describe the research design, and analyze the findings. In general, authors tend to use the following literary methods, exclusively or in combination.

Description : The author depicts scenes and events by giving specific details that appeal to the five senses, or to the reader’s imagination. The description presents background and setting. Its primary purpose is to help the reader realize, through as many details as possible, the way persons, places, and things are situated within the phenomenon being described.
Narration : The author tells the story of a series of events, usually thematically or in chronological order. In general, the emphasis in scholarly books is on narration of the events. Narration tells what has happened and, in some cases, using this method to forecast what could happen in the future. Its primary purpose is to draw the reader into a story and create a contextual framework for understanding the research problem.
Exposition : The author uses explanation and analysis to present a subject or to clarify an idea. Exposition presents the facts about a subject or an issue clearly and as impartially as possible. Its primary purpose is to describe and explain, to document for the historical record an event or phenomenon.
Argument : The author uses techniques of persuasion to establish understanding of a particular truth, often in the form of addressing a research question, or to convince the reader of its falsity. The overall aim is to persuade the reader to believe something and perhaps to act on that belief. Argument takes sides on an issue and aims to convince the reader that the author's position is valid, logical, and/or reasonable.

IV. Critically Evaluate the Contents

Critical comments should form the bulk of your book review . State whether or not you feel the author's treatment of the subject matter is appropriate for the intended audience. Ask yourself:

Has the purpose of the book been achieved?
What contributions does the book make to the field?
Is the treatment of the subject matter objective or at least balanced in describing all sides of a debate?
Are there facts and evidence that have been omitted?
What kinds of data, if any, are used to support the author's thesis statement?
Can the same data be interpreted to explain alternate outcomes?
Is the writing style clear and effective?
Does the book raise important or provocative issues or topics for discussion?
Does the book bring attention to the need for further research?
What has been left out?

Support your evaluation with evidence from the text and, when possible, state the book's quality in relation to other scholarly sources. If relevant, note of the book's format, such as, layout, binding, typography, etc. Are there tables, charts, maps, illustrations, text boxes, photographs, or other non-textual elements? Do they aid in understanding the text? Describing this is particularly important in books that contain a lot of non-textual elements.

NOTE: It is important to carefully distinguish your views from those of the author so as not to confuse your reader. Be clear when you are describing an author's point of view versus expressing your own.

V. Examine the Front Matter and Back Matter

Front matter refers to any content before the first chapter of the book. Back matter refers to any information included after the final chapter of the book . Front matter is most often numbered separately from the rest of the text in lower case Roman numerals [i.e. i - xi ]. Critical commentary about front or back matter is generally only necessary if you believe there is something that diminishes the overall quality of the work [e.g., the indexing is poor] or there is something that is particularly helpful in understanding the book's contents [e.g., foreword places the book in an important context].

Front matter that may be considered for evaluation when reviewing its overall quality:

Table of contents -- is it clear? Is it detailed or general? Does it reflect the true contents of the book? Does it help in understanding a logical sequence of content?
Author biography -- also found as back matter, the biography of author(s) can be useful in determining the authority of the writer and whether the book builds on prior research or represents new research. In scholarly reviews, noting the author's affiliation and prior publications can be a factor in helping the reader determine the overall validity of the work [i.e., are they associated with a research center devoted to studying the problem under investigation].
Foreword -- the purpose of a foreword is to introduce the reader to the author and the content of the book, and to help establish credibility for both. A foreword may not contribute any additional information about the book's subject matter, but rather, serves as a means of validating the book's existence. In these cases, the foreword is often written by a leading scholar or expert who endorses the book's contributions to advancing research about the topic. Later editions of a book sometimes have a new foreword prepended [appearing before an older foreword, if there was one], which may be included to explain how the latest edition differs from previous editions. These are most often written by the author.
Acknowledgements -- scholarly studies in the social sciences often take many years to write, so authors frequently acknowledge the help and support of others in getting their research published. This can be as innocuous as acknowledging the author's family or the publisher. However, an author may acknowledge prominent scholars or subject experts, staff at key research centers, people who curate important archival collections, or organizations that funded the research. In these particular cases, it may be worth noting these sources of support in your review, particularly if the funding organization is biased or its mission is to promote a particular agenda.
Preface -- generally describes the genesis, purpose, limitations, and scope of the book and may include acknowledgments of indebtedness to people who have helped the author complete the study. Is the preface helpful in understanding the study? Does it provide an effective framework for understanding what's to follow?
Chronology -- also may be found as back matter, a chronology is generally included to highlight key events related to the subject of the book. Do the entries contribute to the overall work? Is it detailed or very general?
List of non-textual elements -- a book that contains numerous charts, photographs, maps, tables, etc. will often list these items after the table of contents in the order that they appear in the text. Is this useful?

Back matter that may be considered for evaluation when reviewing its overall quality:

Afterword -- this is a short, reflective piece written by the author that takes the form of a concluding section, final commentary, or closing statement. It is worth mentioning in a review if it contributes information about the purpose of the book, gives a call to action, summarizes key recommendations or next steps, or asks the reader to consider key points made in the book.
Appendix -- is the supplementary material in the appendix or appendices well organized? Do they relate to the contents or appear superfluous? Does it contain any essential information that would have been more appropriately integrated into the text?
Index -- are there separate indexes for names and subjects or one integrated index. Is the indexing thorough and accurate? Are elements used, such as, bold or italic fonts to help identify specific places in the book? Does the index include "see also" references to direct you to related topics?
Glossary of Terms -- are the definitions clearly written? Is the glossary comprehensive or are there key terms missing? Are any terms or concepts mentioned in the text not included that should have been?
Endnotes -- examine any endnotes as you read from chapter to chapter. Do they provide important additional information? Do they clarify or extend points made in the body of the text? Should any notes have been better integrated into the text rather than separated? Do the same if the author uses footnotes.
Bibliography/References/Further Readings -- review any bibliography, list of references to sources, and/or further readings the author may have included. What kinds of sources appear [e.g., primary or secondary, recent or old, scholarly or popular, etc.]? How does the author make use of them? Be sure to note important omissions of sources that you believe should have been utilized, including important digital resources or archival collections.

VI. Summarize and Comment

State your general conclusions briefly and succinctly. Pay particular attention to the author's concluding chapter and/or afterword. Is the summary convincing? List the principal topics, and briefly summarize the author’s ideas about these topics, main points, and conclusions. If appropriate and to help clarify your overall evaluation, use specific references to text and quotations to support your statements. If your thesis has been well argued, the conclusion should follow naturally. It can include a final assessment or simply restate your thesis. Do not introduce new information in the conclusion. If you've compared the book to any other works or used other sources in writing the review, be sure to cite them at the end of your book review in the same writing style as your bibliographic heading of the book.

Book Reviews. Writing@CSU. Colorado State University; Book Reviews. The Writing Center. University of North Carolina; Gastel, Barbara. "Special Books Section: A Strategy for Reviewing Books for Journals." BioScience 41 (October 1991): 635-637; Hartley, James. "Reading and Writing Book Reviews Across the Disciplines." Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology 57 (July 2006): 1194–1207; Lee, Alexander D., Bart N. Green, Claire D. Johnson, and Julie Nyquist. "How to Write a Scholarly Book Review for Publication in a Peer-reviewed Journal: A Review of the Literature." Journal of Chiropractic Education 24 (2010): 57-69; Nicolaisen, Jeppe. "The Scholarliness of Published Peer Reviews: A Bibliometric Study of Book Reviews in Selected Social Science Fields." Research Evaluation 11 (2002): 129-140;.Procter, Margaret. The Book Review or Article Critique. The Lab Report. University College Writing Centre. University of Toronto; Reading a Book to Review It. The Writer’s Handbook. Writing Center. University of Wisconsin, Madison; Scarnecchia, David L. "Writing Book Reviews for the Journal Of Range Management and Rangelands." Rangeland Ecology and Management 57 (2004): 418-421; Simon, Linda. "The Pleasures of Book Reviewing." Journal of Scholarly Publishing 27 (1996): 240-241; Writing a Book Review. The Writing Lab and The OWL. Purdue University; Writing Book Reviews. Writing Tutorial Services, Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. Indiana University.

Writing Tip

Always Read the Foreword and/or the Preface

If they are included in the front matter, a good place for understanding a book's overall purpose, organization, contributions to further understanding of the research problem, and relationship to other studies is to read the preface and the foreword. The foreword may be written by someone other than the author or editor and can be a person who is famous or who has name recognition within the discipline. A foreword is often included to add credibility to the work.

The preface is usually an introductory essay written by the author or editor. It is intended to describe the book's overall purpose, arrangement, scope, and overall contributions to the literature. When reviewing the book, it can be useful to critically evaluate whether the goals set forth in the foreword and/or preface were actually achieved. At the very least, they can establish a foundation for understanding a study's scope and purpose as well as its significance in contributing new knowledge.

Distinguishing between a Foreword, a Preface, and an Introduction . Book Creation Learning Center. Greenleaf Book Group, 2019.

Locating Book Reviews

There are several databases the USC Libraries subscribes to that include the full-text or citations to book reviews. Short, descriptive reviews can also be found at book-related online sites such as Amazon , although it's not always obvious who has written them and may actually be created by the publisher. The following databases provide comprehensive access to scholarly, full-text book reviews:

ProQuest [1983-present]
Book Review Digest Retrospective [1905-1982]

Some Language for Evaluating Texts

It can be challenging to find the proper vocabulary from which to discuss and evaluate a book. Here is a list of some active verbs for referring to texts and ideas that you might find useful:

account for
demonstrate
distinguish
investigate

Examples of usage

"The evidence indicates that..."
"This work assesses the effect of..."
"The author identifies three key reasons for..."
"This book questions the view that..."
"This work challenges assumptions about...."

Paquot, Magali. Academic Keyword List. Centre for English Corpus Linguistics. Université Catholique de Louvain.

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Writing and Reviews: Annotations & Annotated Bibliographies

Annotations & Annotated Bibliographies
Book Reviews
Film Reviews

Annotations

How to write annotations & annotated bibliographies.

An annotation is a brief summary of a book, article, or other publication. An abstract is also a summary, but there is a difference between the two. An abstract is simply a summary of a work, whereas the purpose of an annotation is to describe the work in such a way that the reader can decide whether or not to read the work itself. An annotated bibliography helps the reader understand the particular usefulness of each item. The ideal annotated bibliography shows the relationships among individual items and may compare their strengths or shortcomings.

The following points provide guidance for writing annotations. As appropriate each of these issues might be assessed and commented on in the annotation.

Qualifications of the author, unless very well known.
The scope and main purpose of the publication (e.g., book, article, web site).
The intended audience and level of reading difficulty.
The author's bias or assumptions, upon which the work's rationale rests.
The method of obtaining data or doing research.
The author's conclusions.
Comparison with other works on the same subject.
Materials appended to the work — e.g., maps, charts, photos, etc.
The work's importance or usefulness for the study of a subject.

Not all of these points are necessary for every annotation, and they certainly do not have to be noted in the order listed here, but they at least ought to be kept in mind when writing an annotation.

The following are three annotations from published works:

88. Davis, Faith. "Sula." HarAdv 107, #4 (Special Issue, 1974): 61-61. Sula is an "engaging and illuminating book about pain and estangement" (p.61) as those devastating emotions shape the lives of the black community in the Bottom. There the citizens may seem at a glance to be entirely ordinary, but the fiction shows us their complexity and their ability to endure under staggering burdens. The quality of engagement which readers experience through the book is a result of TM's lyrical yet spare and visionary language. (From: David Middleton, Toni Morrison , 1987.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 461. FORD, Ira W. Traditional Music of America . New York: E.P. Dutton, 1940; reprint ed., Hatboro, PA.: Folklore Associates, 1965; New York: Da Capo, 1978. 480 pp. Poorly documented but important collection with a heavy concentration of fiddle tunes from Missouri. Includes also square dance calls and movements, round dances, play parties, children's play songs, and some ballads (tunes and texts). The collector is vague as to who, when and where, for he was a local enthusiast. The reprint edition includes a useful introduction by Judith McCulloh. (From: Terry E. Miller, Folk Music America , 1986.) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 33-1441 Fehrenbach, Heide. Cinema in democratizing Germany: reconstructing National identity after Hitler . North Carolina, 1995. 364 p bibl index afp ISBN 0-8078-2204-3, $49.95; ISBN 0-8078- 4512-4 pbk, $18.95. This book provides an extensive analysis of the political context and roles of film in Germany during the decade following WWII. It focuses primarily on the role of film culture in reconstructing a normalized German national identity and normalized gender roles. To her credit, Fehrenbach (Colgate Univ.) conceptualizes film culture not simply as a collection of film texts to be read, but also as a form that encompasses the institutions of criticism, festivals, censorship, and film economics. Fehrenbach also provides readings of films seldom discussed in English, e.g., Willi Forst's De Sunderin (The Sinner, 1950), and accounts of the German film club movement and the rise of the Berlin Film Festival as a Western ideological weapon in the Cold War. She attempts to combine historical exegesis with film theoretical inquiry, but at times the two strains are not well integrated and the reader has the feeling of bouncing back and forth between two modes. Nonetheless, the book is important as the only lengthy account in English of the period and will become a standard work to refer to in future discussions of the topic. Recommend for all academic libraries with a basic collection in German or American film history. – C. Pavsek, Swarthmore College CHOICE , Nov '95 – Vol 33, No 3 @1995 American Library Association (From: CHOICE , November 1995.) --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FYI: An annotated bibliography is NOT a copy of the ABSTRACT.

For more details on Annotated Bibliographies check out the resources below.

Cornell: https://guides.library.cornell.edu/annotatedbibliography

University of Wisconsin: http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/AnnotatedBibliography.html

Adapted from a web page originally prepared by Tom Kirk.

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Last Updated: Oct 2, 2023 12:38 PM
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How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography
East Tennessee State University
Literature Reviews
What is an Annotated Bibliography?
Examples of Annotated Bibliographies

Difference between Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review

Although both types of writing involve examining sources, a literature review attempts to correlate the information and draw connections between the sources.

Examples of Literature Reviews

Student Example
Journal Example

Citation Help

MLA Center The Modern Language Association website can help you cite sources in MLA style.
APA Style Blog The American Psychology Association can help you cite sources in APA style.
Chicago Manual of Style Use this site to help you site sources in Chicago Manual of Style.
Purdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL) Purdue's Online Language Writing Lab contains up-to-date information on MLA and APA styles.

What is a Literature Review?

Literature Review - from The Writing Center at UNC Chapel Hill

A literature review discusses published information in a particular subject area, and sometimes information in a particular subject area within a certain time period. It usually has an organizational pattern and combines both summary and synthesis. A summary is a recap of the important information of the source, but a synthesis is a re-organization, or a reshuffling, of that information. It might give a new interpretation of old material or combine new with old interpretations. Or it might trace the intellectual progression of the field, including major debates.

Organizing a Literature Review

There is not one "standard" for literature reviews but they should include the following:

Introduction: Gives a quick idea of the topic of the literature review, such as the central theme or organizational pattern.
Body: Contains your discussion of sources and is organized either chronologically, thematically, or methodologically (see below for more information on each).
Conclusions/Recommendations: Discuss what you have drawn from reviewing literature so far. Where might the discussion proceed?

Organizing your literature review:

Chronological: If your review follows the chronological method, you write about your materials according to when they were published. The oldest date is first and the most recent publication date is last.
By publication: Order your sources by publication chronology, then, only if the order demonstrates a more important trend.
By trend: A better way to organize sources chronologically is to examine the sources under another trend, such as the history of whaling. Then your review would have subsections according to eras within this period.
Thematic: Thematic reviews of literature are organized around a topic or issue, rather than the progression of time. However, progression of time may still be an important factor in a thematic review. For instance, a thematic review of material on sperm whales might examine how they are portrayed as "evil" in cultural documents. The subsections might include how they are personified, how their proportions are exaggerated, and their behaviors misunderstood. A review organized in this manner would shift between time periods within each section according to the point made.
Methodological: A methodological approach differs from the two above in that the focusing factor usually does not have to do with the content of the material. Instead, it focuses on the "methods" of the researcher or writer. A methodological scope will influence either the types of documents in the review or the way in which these documents are discussed.
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Things to remember.

Be Selective

Summarize and Synthesize

Keep Your Own Voice

Use Caution When Paraphrasing

Revise, Revise, Revise

Source: Literature Reviews - The Writing Center at UNC Chapel Hill

Things to Clarify

Items to clarify if not in assignment:

How many sources should be included?
What types of sources should be included? (scholarly articles, books, websites, etc.)
Should information be reviewed by a common theme or issue?
Should subheadings and background information be provided? (i.e. definitions and/or a history?)
Should the review be in chronological or publication order?
Last Updated: Aug 14, 2023 10:48 AM
URL: https://libraries.etsu.edu/guides/howto/lib101annotatedbibliographies

Research Methods at SCS

Basic Strategies

Literature Reviews

Annotated bibliographies, writing the literature review, matrix for organizing sources for literature reviews / annotated bibliographies, sample literature reviews.

Qualitative & Quantitative Methods
Case Studies, Interviews & Focus Groups
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A literature review is a synthesis of published information on a particular research topics. The purpose is to map out what is already known about a certain subject, outline methods previously used, prevent duplication of research, and, along these lines, reveal gaps in existing literature to justify the research project.

Unlike an annotated bibliography, a literature review is thus organized around ideas/concepts, not the individual sources themselves. Each of its paragraphs stakes out a position identifying related themes/issues, research design, and conclusions in existing literature.

An annotated bibliography is a bibliography that gives a summary of each article or book. The purpose of annotations is to provide the reader with a summary and an evaluation of the source. Each summary should be a concise exposition of the source's central idea(s) and give the reader a general idea of the source's content.

The purpose of an annotated bibliography is to:

review the literature of a particular subject;
demonstrate the quality and depth of reading that you have done;
exemplify the scope of sources available—such as journals, books, websites and magazine articles;
highlight sources that may be of interest to other readers and researchers;
explore and organize sources for further research.

How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography: The Annotated Bibliography

The Annotated Bibliography
Fair Use of this Guide

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.

Versión española

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Last Updated: Sep 29, 2022 11:09 AM
URL: https://guides.library.cornell.edu/annotatedbibliography

How are Annotated Editions of Books Made?

Grace Lapointe

Grace Lapointe’s fiction has been published in Kaleidoscope, Deaf Poets Society, Mobius: The Journal of Social Change, and is forthcoming in Corporeal Lit Mag. Her essays and poetry have been published in Wordgathering. Her stories and essays—including ones that she wrote as a college student—have been taught in college courses and cited in books and dissertations. More of her work is at https://gracelapointe.wordpress.com, Medium, and Ao3.

View All posts by Grace Lapointe

Annotated editions of books are versions containing copious notes from editors explaining the books’ historical context and providing analysis. They offer biographical details about authors or explanations of slang and other vocabulary. Many editions of Chaucer and Shakespeare provide glosses for words unfamiliar to most modern readers. Annotated editions contain similar notes, plus many more supplemental materials. These can include maps, diagrams, or other illustrations. Annotated editions are often bigger, longer, and more expensive than regular editions of the same book and may have notes alongside the original text, not only at the back. Whether you’re a fan, a scholar, or a casual reader, annotated editions can offer expert, in-depth perspectives on books.

A note on diversity in this category: most annotated editions are of “classics,” which largely means books in the public domain by cisgender white men. Of course, there are exceptions: annotated editions of 1,001 Nights , of African American folk tales, and of Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway have all been published recently. Any of Toni Morrison or Zora Neale Hurston’s books would be wonderful choices for annotated editions. A few annotated editions of comics and graphic novels by living authors exist, so Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi would be another great option, and hopefully we’ll see more like this in the future.

the cover of the 150th anniversary edition of The Annotated Alice

The first annotated edition as we know them today was most likely The Annotated Alice in Wonderland , annotated by Martin Gardner and first published in 1960. It was translated into several languages and is still one of the most popular annotated editions. Gardner followed up with More Annotated Alice in 1990 and The Definitive Edition in 1999. After Gardner’s death in 2010, W. W. Norton published The Annotated Alice: 150th Anniversary Deluxe Edition in 2015. All versions of The Annotated Alice contain Sir John Tenniel’s classic illustrations, plus commentary, biographical details, and trivia.

In Biblical scholarship, there’s a long tradition of exegesis, or close readings and explanations of passages. In the 1960s, applying this level of background and close analysis to a secular, fictional text gained popularity.

Which books get annotated editions and why? Who reads them? What does the process of creating an annotated edition involve? To find out, I interviewed Maria Tatar and Leslie Klinger via email in July. I also asked them about their favorite annotated editions: their own projects and ones by other authors and editors. Maria Tatar and Leslie Klinger have each worked on several volumes in the W. W. Norton & Company Annotated Series . Titles by other editors in this series include The Annotated Mrs. Dalloway edited by Merve Emre and The Annotated Arabian Nights edited by Paulo Lemos Horta and translated by Yasmine Seale. Harvard University Press also has an annotated editions series , including Little Women by Louisa May Alcott and several Jane Austen titles.

Maria Tatar is the John L. Loeb Research Professor at Harvard University. She is the author of The Heroine with 1,001 Faces and has edited The Annotated Brothers Grimm , The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen , and The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales . She co-edited The Annotated African American Folktales with Henry Louis Gates, Jr.

Professor Tatar told me over email: “Annotated editions require both tender feelings for a text and an intense form of archive fever. As editors, we explore every nook of the narrative and every cranny of the author’s life, ruthlessly hunting down facts, allusions, images, and anything else relevant to the words on the page. There is nothing that beats the immersive experience, self-indulgent at times, of living with a story for several years. On the other hand, I would love to get back the number of weeks I spent going down the hellish rabbit hole of securing permissions and rights to reprint.

“There is, of course, a randomness in the universe of annotated books. The so-called beloved books — Alice in Wonderland , The Wizard of Oz , Pride and Prejudice — have all made it into the pantheon, and I’m hazarding a guess that many of the annotated volumes belong to childhood favorites.”

“As editors, we explore every nook of the narrative and every cranny of the author’s life, ruthlessly hunting down facts, allusions, images, and anything else relevant to the words on the page.” Maria Tatar

Professor Tatar writes that her two favorite projects were The Annotated Peter Pan and The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen . For The Annotated Peter Pan , she spent weeks researching J. M. Barrie at Yale’s Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library. She also enjoyed researching Andersen’s life and how it may have influenced his sad, memorable fairy tales. Contemporaries wrote that they thought Andersen had an eccentric personality.

Leslie Klinger has worked on seven volumes for the Norton Annotated Series, including New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Short Stories , New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Novels , New Annotated Dracula , New Annotated Frankenstein , and New Annotated H. P. Lovecraft . He has also edited the Annotated Sandman (4 volumes) by Neil Gaiman, Watchmen Annotated by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons and Annotated American Gods by Neil Gaiman. He edited Classic American Crime Fiction of the 1920s from Pegasus Books, winner of the Edgar for Best Critical/Biographical Book. His next book, New Annotated Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde , is forthcoming from the Mysterious Press in October 2022. He has also edited all of the books in the Library of Congress Crime Classics series, co-published by the Library of Congress and Sourcebooks.

Similarly to Maria Tatar, Leslie Klinger says: “The first step is to choose a book that you’re passionate about, because you’re going to spend a lot of time with it! My process first involves research — has anyone else annotated the book or looked at its composition in depth?” Then he pores over the text, highlighting words and phrases that would be unclear to most 21st century readers. He asks himself questions as a reader, then tries to answer these through research: “What does this mean? Who is this? Why is this person reacting this way? I then go back and try to answer all of my own questions, with giant piles of reference books and of course the internet.”

Leslie Klinger’s favorite and most challenging project to work on was The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes , annotating a total of 60 stories. “It’s true that there were three earlier annotated editions, but there had been a ton of materials published after those came out,” he wrote.

Although most annotated editions are of books in the public domain, Klinger has had the rare opportunity to annotate books by living authors. “I’ve been lucky enough to annotate three books with living authors: The Sandman and American Gods with Neil Gaiman and Watchmen with Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. It was an incredible experience to actually ask them questions — about what something meant, about why they made the choices they made!” Leslie Klinger suggested Maus by Art Spiegelman as another graphic novel that would make a fascinating annotated edition.

Klinger added: “I like to say that the books that I annotate don’t need my help to be great books, but I hope to bring the reader added pleasure…I tend to choose books that have a built-in audience — readers who will be excited to have an annotated edition of a book.”

In a 2007 review of The Annotated Pride and Prejudice , edited by David M. Shapard, The New York Times ’ William Grimes points out several examples that illuminate Austen’s text. The word “condescending” means snobby or patronizing today, but in Austen’s time, it meant “polite to inferiors.” 21st-century readers who don’t know that — or how Regency social hierarchies worked — might have the opposite interpretation of Mr. Collins from Austen’s original readers. Collins says Lady Catherine de Bourgh, whom he deeply admires, “condescended” to speak to him. The edition also explains which fruits would have been rare status symbols to wealthy, white people in the 18th century English countryside.

the cover of Persuasion: An Annotated Edition

In 2011, Harvard University Press published an interview on its blo g with Robert Morrison, who had recently edited Persuasion: An Annotated Edition by Jane Austen. He explained how his previous work as a biographer helped him research and annotate Persuasion , and how the annotation process enhanced his interpretation of Austen’s novel. The unique format of annotated editions brought his comments to the forefront: alongside Austen’s text, not in footnotes or endnotes .

Each book format, as fascinating as it is, can have pros and cons for different readers. In 2019 on BR, Abby Hargreaves wrote that she prefers to skip book introductions, which frequently contain spoilers. Many people avoid annotated editions for the same reason. Library employee Heidi L blogged in 2018 that reading an annotated edition of a book that she’d never read before could slow her reading momentum.

Leslie Klinger agrees that your first reading of a book probably shouldn’t be an annotated edition. He explained: “I think people who love the underlying books read annotated editions, to enhance their enjoyment of a book that they already love. In order to do a good job of annotating, you necessarily need to ‘spoil’ surprises and twists in the book — you need to point out foreshadowings and talk about how the surprises and twists are set up. I always say, if you haven’t read the original book before, read it first, then go back and read the notes. I think of my notes as being the ‘director’s track’ for a book — to really get the benefit of it, you need to see the film first, without someone talking in your ear!”

“I think of my notes as being the ‘director’s track’ for a book.” Leslie Klinger

I love Leslie Klinger’s comparison to director’s commentaries and other DVD special features. The Annotated Alice contains scenes Lewis Carroll excised from the first published versions of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass . These are the literary equivalents of “deleted scenes” from movies. As with DVD special editions, fans and scholars may enjoy them the most.

Some readers feel daunted by annotated editions, fearing that reading expert opinions will overshadow their own interpretations. As a fan of Roland Barthes , I don’t believe any critic can determine an author’s intent, and that’s not the aim of annotated editions, anyway. Annotated editions provide historical context, clarity, and expert opinions, but no edition of a book is the only or ultimate interpretation.

In Maria Tatar’s opinion, there is no downside to annotated editions. Readers who dislike the notes can ignore them — at least until they’ve finished the story. She wrote to me that “when it comes to stories, less is not more, and you can always skip the annotations if you don’t care for them. Where else can you find such beautifully produced books, that combine text, image, interpretation, and so much more?”

Why & How To Annotate A Book

Last Updated on August 18, 2023 by Louisa

I remember getting scolded in school for writing in my books, but I’ve since learned that it’s actually good practice.

Of course, you need to know how to annotate a book the right way, you can’t just doodle in the margins (which admittedly, is what I did).

As a teacher, I always encourage my students to write notes in the margins or to highlight texts in their books. The reason for this is that it helps to build a connection to the book, increases understanding, and also helps students remember what they have read.

But it’s not just students who should annotate their books. It’s good practice for any reader to annotate their books for fun to personalize their reading experience.

But if you don’t know why you should start annotating your books or how to do it, here are some tips on how to do it effectively…

Why Annotate Your Books?

Before I tell you my top tips for how to annotate your books for fun, let’s quickly think about why you should annotate your books.

This may be my teacher’s brain talking, but I feel this practice can be applied to any reader, no matter your age or reason for reading.

1. It enhances your comprehension

The main reason why you would annotate a book is to gain a better understanding of the story.

By adding your thoughts and insights to the margin of the text, you’re engaging with the material on a deeper level.

You’ll be able to make connections, identify themes, and understand complex ideas better. You can also write down questions that arise, which may be answered later on.

2. It personalizes your reading experience

Annotating your books is like having a conversation with the author. You’re sharing your reactions, asking questions, and offering feedback on the material.

It personalizes the reading experience and makes it more meaningful.

3. It helps you to retain more information

Annotating your books can help you retain information better. When you write down key points, ideas, and themes, it reinforces the information in your brain, making it easier to recall later.

Tips for Effective Book Annotation

Now you know why you should annotate your books, here are my tips for how to annotate your books for fun.

1. Use a pencil

Now I really do sound like a teacher talking!

It’s always a good idea to use a pencil instead of a pen so that you can erase your annotations later or adjust them while you’re reading.

As I mentioned earlier, you can write down questions that come up when you’re reading, and then they might be answered later. You can go back and erase the questions once they have been answered, or write “answer on page 10” for example.

2. Understand when to start annotating

The first thing to remember when annotating your book is that you should not be scribbling all over the page and you should only annotate when you need to.

One of the purposes of annotating is to help build memory and to help with study.

If you need to refer back to anything in your book and you’ve written a little poem around the answer, well you’re going to find it hard to make sense of your annotations.

You should only write when you feel it’s absolutely necessary. I always think when I’m annotating a book, to only write something that will be useful to you later on.

3. Highlight or underline what’s important

Sometimes you don’t need to write sentences or paragraphs in the margin, you can simply underline key quotes or messages that you think are important.

You might want to annotate next to what you have underlined to explain why you have highlighted it.

4. Know what to write about

In your annotations, you should write about key themes, and ideas, and underline quotes that you find interesting or essential to the material.

You should write your reflections on the text, what you think it means and what you think is being said between the lines.

5. Use symbols and abbreviations

Develop a set of symbols and abbreviations to help you mark the text quickly and easily.

For example, you could use an asterisk (*) to indicate where a paragraph corresponds to a section you have underlined.

You could also draw a star symbol next to significant points or underline phrases that resonate with you.

6. Keep it organized

Use different colored highlighters, sticky notes, or tabs to organize your annotations.

For example, you could use pink highlights for quotes, yellow for important themes, blue for questions, and green for your personal reactions.

You can also dog-ear pages (folding the corner) where you think there is something important. I personally don’t like doing this as I like to keep my books tidy , but you can use bookmarks or sticky tabs instead.

If you don’t want to write directly on the page, you can also use a post-it note.

Examples of Annotations

If you’re ready to start annotating but not sure where to start, here are some really cool examples of people who have annotated their books in different ways.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ✧ lisa ✧ | bookstagram (@buryme.withmybooks)

This person has used different colored sticky tabs to identify different themes in the book. This is a nice way to get a visual of the main themes in a book, especially if you need to do a book review or write a book report.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by lili | bookstagram (@lilisread)

This person has highlighted a quote they love and drawn hearts around it to signal that they like this quote. The use of doodling helps to add color to the book and make it pleasing to look at, but I personally think it needs to be done sparingly as it can be distracting from the text, which is not the goal.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by bella ♡ (@belladaneer)

This person has written their thoughts after highlighting a sentence that resonates with them. They also have a system of when to highlight something and when to underline it. It appears they have highlighted dialogue and underlined important quotes that resonate with them.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by @hopescure

This is a classic example of how to annotate a book for study. The reader has circled emotive words and underlined quotes that resonate with them. This is a good way to understand the emotion of the characters.

FAQs About How To Annotate Books

Can you annotate on kindle.

The Kindle Scribe feature, which is only on models after 2022, allows readers to annotate books. The Kindle Scribe also comes with a special digital pen in which you can do this. Other models allow you to highlight texts but not add your own annotations.

Can you annotate on Apple Books?

Yes, you can highlight and add notes on books using Apple Books.

Annotating your books is an engaging and effective way to enhance your reading experience.

By adding your thoughts to the margin of the text, you’ll develop a more profound and meaningful understanding of the material.

So, grab a pencil and start annotating.

About Louisa Smith

Editor/Founder - Epic Book Society

Louisa is the Founder, Editor, and Head Honcho of Epic Book Society. She was born and raised in the United Kingdom and graduated from the University for the Creative Arts with a degree in Journalism. Louisa began her writing career at the age of 7 when her poetry was published in an anthology of poems to celebrate the Queen's Jubilee. Upon graduating university, she spent several years working as a journalist writing about books before transitioning to become a Primary School Teacher. Louisa loves all genres of books, but her favorites are Sci-Fi, Romance, Fantasy, and Young Adult Fiction. Read more Louisa's story here .

Writing a Book Review

Welcome to the Purdue OWL

This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.

Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.

This resource discusses book reviews and how to write them.

Book reviews typically evaluate recently-written works. They offer a brief description of the text’s key points and often provide a short appraisal of the strengths and weaknesses of the work.

Readers sometimes confuse book reviews with book reports, but the two are not identical. Book reports commonly describe what happens in a work; their focus is primarily on giving an account of the major plot, characters, and/or main idea of the work. Most often, book reports are a K-12 assignment and range from 250 to 500 words. If you are looking to write a book report, please see the OWL resource, Writing a Book Report.

By contrast, book reviews are most often a college assignment, but they also appear in many professional works: magazines, newspapers, and academic journals. They typically range from 500-750 words, but may be longer or shorter. A book review gives readers a sneak peek at what a book is like, whether or not the reviewer enjoyed it, and details on purchasing the book.

Before You Read

Before you begin to read, consider the elements you will need to included in your review. The following items may help:

Author: Who is the author? What else has s/he written? Has this author won any awards? What is the author’s typical style?
Genre: What type of book is this: fiction, nonfiction, romance, poetry, youth fiction, etc.? Who is the intended audience for this work? What is the purpose of the work?
Title: Where does the title fit in? How is it applied in the work? Does it adequately encapsulate the message of the text? Is it interesting? Uninteresting?
Preface/Introduction/Table of Contents: Does the author provide any revealing information about the text in the preface/introduction? Does a “guest author” provide the introduction? What judgments or preconceptions do the author and/or “guest author” provide? How is the book arranged: sections, chapters?
Book Jacket/Cover/Printing: Book jackets are like mini-reviews. Does the book jacket provide any interesting details or spark your interest in some way? Are there pictures, maps, or graphs? Do the binding, page cut, or typescript contribute or take away from the work?

As You Read

As you read, determine how you will structure the summary portion or background structure of your review. Be ready to take notes on the book’s key points, characters, and/or themes.

Characters: Are there characters in the work? Who are the principal characters? How do they affect the story? Do you empathize with them?
Themes/Motifs/Style: What themes or motifs stand out? How do they contribute to the work? Are they effective or not? How would you describe this author’s particular style? Is it accessible to all readers or just some?
Argument: How is the work’s argument set up? What support does the author give for her/findings? Does the work fulfill its purpose/support its argument?
Key Ideas: What is the main idea of the work? What makes it good, different, or groundbreaking?
Quotes: What quotes stand out? How can you demonstrate the author’s talent or the feel of the book through a quote?

When You Are Ready to Write

Begin with a short summary or background of the work, but do not give too much away. Many reviews limit themselves only to the first couple of chapters or lead the reader up to the rising action of the work. Reviewers of nonfiction texts will provide the basic idea of the book’s argument without too much detailed.

The final portion of your review will detail your opinion of the work. When you are ready to begin your review, consider the following:

Establish a Background, Remember your Audience: Remember that your audience has not read the work; with this in mind, be sure to introduce characters and principles carefully and deliberately. What kind of summary can you provide of the main points or main characters that will help your readers gauge their interest? Does the author’s text adequately reach the intended audience? Will some readers be lost or find the text too easy?
Minor principles/characters: Deal only with the most pressing issues in the book. You will not be able to cover every character or idea. What principles/characters did you agree or disagree with? What other things might the author have researched or considered?
Organize: The purpose of the review is to critically evaluate the text, not just inform the readers about it. Leave plenty room for your evaluation by ensuring that your summary is brief. Determine what kind of balance to strike between your summary information and your evaluation. If you are writing your review for a class, ask your instructor. Often the ratio is half and half.
Your Evaluation: Choose one or a few points to discuss about the book. What worked well for you? How does this work compare with others by the same author or other books in the same genre? What major themes, motifs, or terms does the book introduce, and how effective are they? Did the book appeal to you on an emotional or logical way?
Publisher/Price: Most book reviews include the publisher and price of the book at the end of the article. Some reviews also include the year published and ISBN.

When making the final touches to your review, carefully verify the following:

Double-check the spelling of the author name(s), character names, special terms, and publisher.
Try to read from the vantage point of your audience. Is there too much/enough summary? Does your argument about the text make sense?
Should you include direct quotes from the reading? Do they help support your arguments? Double-check your quotes for accuracy.

Annotated Bibliographies and Literature Reviews

Organizing and Managing your Resources
Define Your Research Question
Search The Literature

What is an Annotated Bibliography

What is a Literature Review - video

Michelle Early

Difference Between a Literature Review and an Annotated Bibliography

Literature review.

A literature review should not be confused with an annotated bibliography. A literature review is not simply a summary of information you have found on a topic. Literature reviews are more in depth and provides analysis of multiple works relating to a research question. An annotated bibliography is a list of the resources, that you consulted when working on a research project. Each citation is accompanied by a brief written analysis of its usefulness to your research.

Courtesy of Washington University Library

“Library Guides: Annotated Bibliographies: Overview.” Overview - Annotated Bibliographies - Library Guides at University of Washington Libraries , guides.lib.uw.edu/tacoma/annotated.

Purdue Owl Annotated Bibliographies

Purdue owl annotated bibliography information, annotated bibliography breakdown, stem cell research: an annotated bibliography.

Holland, Suzanne. The Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy . Boston: MIT P, 2001.

This is the annotation of the above source, which is formatted according to MLA 2016 (8 th ed.) guidelines for the bibliographic information listed above. If one were really writing an annotation for this source, one would offer a brief summary of what this book says about stem cell research.

After a brief summary, it would be appropriate to assess this source and offer some criticisms of it. Does it seem like a reliable and current source? Why? Is the research biased or objective? Are the facts well documented? Who is the author? Is she qualified in this subject? Is this source scholarly, popular, some of both?

The length of your annotation will depend on the assignment or on the purpose of your annotated bibliography. After summarizing and assessing, you can now reflect on this source. How does it fit into your research? Is this a helpful resource? Too scholarly? Not scholarly enough? Too general/specific? Since "stem cell research" is a very broad topic, has this source helped you to narrow your topic?

Senior, K. "Extending the Ethical Boundaries of Stem Cell Research." Trends in Molecular Medicine , vol. 7, 2001, pp. 5-6.

Not all annotations have to be the same length. For example, this source is a very short scholarly article. It may only take a sentence or two to summarize. Even if you are using a book, you should only focus on the sections that relate to your topic.

Not all annotated bibliographies assess and reflect; some merely summarize. That may not be the most helpful for you, but, if this is an assignment, you should always ask your instructor for specific guidelines.

Wallace, Kelly. "Bush Stands Pat on Stem Cell Policy." CNN . 13 Aug. 2001.

Using a variety of sources can help give you a broader picture of what is being said about your topic. You may want to investigate how scholarly sources are treating this topic differently than more popular sources. But again, if your assignment is to only use scholarly sources, then you will probably want to avoid magazines and popular web sites.

Next: Organizing and Managing your Resources >>
Last Updated: Feb 20, 2024 2:20 PM
URL: https://libguides.xavier.edu/Bib_lit

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a literature review and an annotated bibliography.

A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .

An annotated bibliography is a list of source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a paper .

Frequently asked questions: Dissertation

Dissertation word counts vary widely across different fields, institutions, and levels of education:

An undergraduate dissertation is typically 8,000–15,000 words
A master’s dissertation is typically 12,000–50,000 words
A PhD thesis is typically book-length: 70,000–100,000 words

However, none of these are strict guidelines – your word count may be lower or higher than the numbers stated here. Always check the guidelines provided by your university to determine how long your own dissertation should be.

A dissertation prospectus or proposal describes what or who you plan to research for your dissertation. It delves into why, when, where, and how you will do your research, as well as helps you choose a type of research to pursue. You should also determine whether you plan to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.

It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives , ready to be approved by your supervisor or committee.

Note that some departments require a defense component, where you present your prospectus to your committee orally.

A thesis is typically written by students finishing up a bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Some educational institutions, particularly in the liberal arts, have mandatory theses, but they are often not mandatory to graduate from bachelor’s degrees. It is more common for a thesis to be a graduation requirement from a Master’s degree.

Even if not mandatory, you may want to consider writing a thesis if you:

Plan to attend graduate school soon
Have a particular topic you’d like to study more in-depth
Are considering a career in research
Would like a capstone experience to tie up your academic experience

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation should include the following:

A restatement of your research question
A summary of your key arguments and/or results
A short discussion of the implications of your research

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5–7% of your overall word count.

For a stronger dissertation conclusion , avoid including:

Important evidence or analysis that wasn’t mentioned in the discussion section and results section
Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion …”)
Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g., “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.

While it may be tempting to present new arguments or evidence in your thesis or disseration conclusion , especially if you have a particularly striking argument you’d like to finish your analysis with, you shouldn’t. Theses and dissertations follow a more formal structure than this.

All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the discussion section and results section .) The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.

A theoretical framework can sometimes be integrated into a literature review chapter , but it can also be included as its own chapter or section in your dissertation . As a rule of thumb, if your research involves dealing with a lot of complex theories, it’s a good idea to include a separate theoretical framework chapter.

A literature review and a theoretical framework are not the same thing and cannot be used interchangeably. While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your work, a literature review critically evaluates existing research relating to your topic. You’ll likely need both in your dissertation .

While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your work based on existing research, a conceptual framework allows you to draw your own conclusions, mapping out the variables you may use in your study and the interplay between them.

A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.

Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as:

Your anticipated title
Your abstract
Your chapters (sometimes subdivided into further topics like literature review , research methods , avenues for future research, etc.)

When you mention different chapters within your text, it’s considered best to use Roman numerals for most citation styles. However, the most important thing here is to remain consistent whenever using numbers in your dissertation .

In most styles, the title page is used purely to provide information and doesn’t include any images. Ask your supervisor if you are allowed to include an image on the title page before doing so. If you do decide to include one, make sure to check whether you need permission from the creator of the image.

Include a note directly beneath the image acknowledging where it comes from, beginning with the word “ Note .” (italicized and followed by a period). Include a citation and copyright attribution . Don’t title, number, or label the image as a figure , since it doesn’t appear in your main text.

Definitional terms often fall into the category of common knowledge , meaning that they don’t necessarily have to be cited. This guidance can apply to your thesis or dissertation glossary as well.

However, if you’d prefer to cite your sources , you can follow guidance for citing dictionary entries in MLA or APA style for your glossary.

A glossary is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. In contrast, an index is a list of the contents of your work organized by page number.

The title page of your thesis or dissertation goes first, before all other content or lists that you may choose to include.

The title page of your thesis or dissertation should include your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date.

Glossaries are not mandatory, but if you use a lot of technical or field-specific terms, it may improve readability to add one to your thesis or dissertation. Your educational institution may also require them, so be sure to check their specific guidelines.

A glossary or “glossary of terms” is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. Your glossary only needs to include terms that your reader may not be familiar with, and is intended to enhance their understanding of your work.

A glossary is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. In contrast, dictionaries are more general collections of words.

An abbreviation is a shortened version of an existing word, such as Dr. for Doctor. In contrast, an acronym uses the first letter of each word to create a wholly new word, such as UNESCO (an acronym for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

As a rule of thumb, write the explanation in full the first time you use an acronym or abbreviation. You can then proceed with the shortened version. However, if the abbreviation is very common (like PC, USA, or DNA), then you can use the abbreviated version from the get-go.

Be sure to add each abbreviation in your list of abbreviations !

If you only used a few abbreviations in your thesis or dissertation , you don’t necessarily need to include a list of abbreviations .

If your abbreviations are numerous, or if you think they won’t be known to your audience, it’s never a bad idea to add one. They can also improve readability, minimizing confusion about abbreviations unfamiliar to your reader.

A list of abbreviations is a list of all the abbreviations that you used in your thesis or dissertation. It should appear at the beginning of your document, with items in alphabetical order, just after your table of contents .

Your list of tables and figures should go directly after your table of contents in your thesis or dissertation.

Lists of figures and tables are often not required, and aren’t particularly common. They specifically aren’t required for APA-Style, though you should be careful to follow their other guidelines for figures and tables .

If you have many figures and tables in your thesis or dissertation, include one may help you stay organized. Your educational institution may require them, so be sure to check their guidelines.

A list of figures and tables compiles all of the figures and tables that you used in your thesis or dissertation and displays them with the page number where they can be found.

The table of contents in a thesis or dissertation always goes between your abstract and your introduction .

You may acknowledge God in your dissertation acknowledgements , but be sure to follow academic convention by also thanking the members of academia, as well as family, colleagues, and friends who helped you.

In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.

The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings.

In the discussion , you explore the meaning and relevance of your research results , explaining how they fit with existing research and theory. Discuss:

Your interpretations : what do the results tell us?
The implications : why do the results matter?
The limitation s : what can’t the results tell us?

The results chapter or section simply and objectively reports what you found, without speculating on why you found these results. The discussion interprets the meaning of the results, puts them in context, and explains why they matter.

In qualitative research , results and discussion are sometimes combined. But in quantitative research , it’s considered important to separate the objective results from your interpretation of them.

Results are usually written in the past tense , because they are describing the outcome of completed actions.

The results chapter of a thesis or dissertation presents your research results concisely and objectively.

In quantitative research , for each question or hypothesis , state:

The type of analysis used
Relevant results in the form of descriptive and inferential statistics
Whether or not the alternative hypothesis was supported

In qualitative research , for each question or theme, describe:

Recurring patterns
Significant or representative individual responses
Relevant quotations from the data

Don’t interpret or speculate in the results chapter.

To automatically insert a table of contents in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:

Apply heading styles throughout the document.
In the references section in the ribbon, locate the Table of Contents group.
Click the arrow next to the Table of Contents icon and select Custom Table of Contents.
Select which levels of headings you would like to include in the table of contents.

Make sure to update your table of contents if you move text or change headings. To update, simply right click and select Update Field.

All level 1 and 2 headings should be included in your table of contents . That means the titles of your chapters and the main sections within them.

The contents should also include all appendices and the lists of tables and figures, if applicable, as well as your reference list .

Do not include the acknowledgements or abstract in the table of contents.

The abstract appears on its own page in the thesis or dissertation , after the title page and acknowledgements but before the table of contents .

An abstract for a thesis or dissertation is usually around 200–300 words. There’s often a strict word limit, so make sure to check your university’s requirements.

In a thesis or dissertation, the acknowledgements should usually be no longer than one page. There is no minimum length.

The acknowledgements are generally included at the very beginning of your thesis , directly after the title page and before the abstract .

Yes, it’s important to thank your supervisor(s) in the acknowledgements section of your thesis or dissertation .

Even if you feel your supervisor did not contribute greatly to the final product, you must acknowledge them, if only for a very brief thank you. If you do not include your supervisor, it may be seen as a snub.

In the acknowledgements of your thesis or dissertation, you should first thank those who helped you academically or professionally, such as your supervisor, funders, and other academics.

Then you can include personal thanks to friends, family members, or anyone else who supported you during the process.

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The Scribbr Citation Generator is developed using the open-source Citation Style Language (CSL) project and Frank Bennett’s citeproc-js . It’s the same technology used by dozens of other popular citation tools, including Mendeley and Zotero.

You can find all the citation styles and locales used in the Scribbr Citation Generator in our publicly accessible repository on Github .

Translation Review

Annotated Books Received

Annotated Books Received (ABR) provides brief annotations of recently published translations from all languages. ABR is a supplement publication of Translation Review . The Center holds the complete run of both publications, a valuable archive for scholars and students of translation.

2022 : Volume 27, No. 1-2
2021 : Volume 26, No. 1-2
2020 : Volume 25, No. 1-2
2019 : Volume 24, No. 1-2
2018 : Volume 23, No. 1-2
2017 : Volume 22, No. 1-2
2016 : Volume 21, No. 1-2
2015 : Volume 20, No. 1-2
2014 : Volume 19, No. 1-2
2013 : Volume 18, No. 1-2
2012 : Volume 17, No. 1-2
2011 : Volume 16, No. 1 ; Volume 16, No. 2
2010 : Volume 15, No. 1 ; Volume 15, No. 2
2008 : Volume 14, No. 1 ; Volume 14, No. 2
2007 : Volume 13, No. 1 ; Volume 13, No. 2
2006 : Volume 12, No. 1 ; Volume 12, No. 2
2005 : Volume 11, No. 1 ; Volume 11, No. 2
2004 : Volume 10, No. 1 ; Volume 10, No. 2
2003 : Volume 9, No. 1 ; Volume 9, No. 2
2002 : Volume 8 , No. 1 ; Volume 8, No. 2
2001 : Volume 7, No. 1 ; Volume 7, No. 2
2000 : Volume 6, No. 1 ; Volume 6, No. 2
1999 : Volume 5, No. 2
1998 : Volume 4, No. 1 ; Volume 4, No. 2
1997 : Volume 3, No. 1
1996 : Volume 2, No. 1 ; Volume 2, No. 2
1995 : Volume 1, No. 1 ; Volume 1, No. 2

Translation Review is a forum for the discussion of the art, practice, and theory of literary translation.

UTD Center for Translation Studies
Buenos Aires Review
Deep Vellum
InTranslation
Three Percent Blog
Words Without Borders

The Annotated Book of Mormon › Customer reviews

Customer reviews.

The Annotated Book of Mormon

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Top positive review

Top critical review

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IMAGES

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COMMENTS

Book Reviews, Annotation, and Web Technology
The Annotated Book Review Project: This handout for students provides all the necessary details about the annotated book review project.. Student Annotated Book Review Rubric: Use this rubric to assess the book review project, including the graphics and layout, group book review, student research, navigation and links, and how well students worked together and followed guidelines.
The Perfect Guide to Annotating for Book Reviews [Guest Post]
Personalization is vital for elevating your book reviews. When annotating your book or writing book reviews, including visual components to draw attention to the key points you want to emphasize is extremely helpful. Personalized labels and stickers can direct attention to pivotal chapters or themes. The ability to personalize the journal's ...
PDF Academic Book Reviews
An academic book review provides the main ideas, and since published book reviews typically have a limited word count, the summary should remain brief. Analysis and Significance. Compare the book and its argument with the other literature on the topic. Discuss its contribution to past and current research and literature.
How I Annotate Books for Reviewing because I have the memory of a
How I Annotate Books Electronically. Despite my reading life changing that Fall day in high school, it took a long time for me to connect the book annotation habit with reviewing.Life kind of got in the way and I didn't start reading for pleasure again until late 2014… and by 2016 I was reviewing the books I read to scratch the "I miss academia" itch.
Writing a Book Review
NOTE: Since most course assignments require that you write a critical rather than descriptive book review, the following information about preparing to write and developing the structure and style of reviews focuses on this approach. I. Common Features. While book reviews vary in tone, subject, and style, they share some common features. These include:
Writing and Reviews: Annotations & Annotated Bibliographies
Annotations & Annotated Bibliographies; Book Reviews; Film Reviews; Annotations. How to Write Annotations & Annotated Bibliographies. An annotation is a brief summary of a book, article, or other publication. An abstract is also a summary, but there is a difference between the two. An abstract is simply a summary of a work, whereas the purpose ...
Literature Reviews
Thematic: Thematic reviews of literature are organized around a topic or issue, rather than the progression of time. However, progression of time may still be an important factor in a thematic review. For instance, a thematic review of material on sperm whales might examine how they are portrayed as "evil" in cultural documents.
Literature Reviews & Annotated Bibliographies
An annotated bibliography is a bibliography that gives a summary of each article or book.The purpose of annotations is to provide the reader with a summary and an evaluation of the source. Each summary should be a concise exposition of the source's central idea(s) and give the reader a general idea of the source's content.
Annotation: How to Get the Most Out of Your Books
Rereading is not a practice every reader works on, but I will say that annotation combined with rereading will help you get the most out of the books you read. Vladimir Nabokov gave a lecture once called Good Readers and Good Writers where he said: "A good reader, a major reader, an active and creative reader is a rereader.
The Annotated Bibliography
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.
PDF Comparing the Annotated Bibliography to the Literature Review
An annotated bibliography must organize sources alphabetically, but a literature review is likely to use problem/solution, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, classification/division, or process to organize sources. The following illustration provides an example of the differences in layout between an annotated bibliography and a literature review.
How are Annotated Editions of Books Made?
Klinger added: "I like to say that the books that I annotate don't need my help to be great books, but I hope to bring the reader added pleasure…I tend to choose books that have a built-in audience — readers who will be excited to have an annotated edition of a book." In a 2007 review of The Annotated Pride and Prejudice, edited by ...
How to Annotate a Book: What to Look For and How to Take Notes
1. Highlight. If you own the book, or if your library/rental service allows you to mark the text, highlighting can be a great and neat way to annotate a book. You can color code your annotations, and choose to either make additional notes in the margins, or keep a separate notebook with your notes and corresponding page number for each ...
Why & How To Annotate A Book
The main reason why you would annotate a book is to gain a better understanding of the story. By adding your thoughts and insights to the margin of the text, you're engaging with the material on a deeper level. You'll be able to make connections, identify themes, and understand complex ideas better.
Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review
Annotated Bibliographies Literature Reviews Notes; Definition: An organized list of citations/sources to books, articles, and documents.. Each citation is followed by a brief descriptive and evaluative paragraph (a.k.a. the annotation).. An organized discussion of published information like surveys scholarly articles, books and other sources (e.g. dissertations, conference proceedings) in a ...
Book Reviews
By contrast, book reviews are most often a college assignment, but they also appear in many professional works: magazines, newspapers, and academic journals. They typically range from 500-750 words, but may be longer or shorter. A book review gives readers a sneak peek at what a book is like, whether or not the reviewer enjoyed it, and details ...
Home
A literature review is not simply a summary of information you have found on a topic. Literature reviews are more in depth and provides analysis of multiple works relating to a research question. An annotated bibliography is a list of the resources, that you consulted when working on a research project. Each citation is accompanied by a brief ...
What Is an Annotated Bibliography?
Published on March 9, 2021 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 23, 2022. An annotated bibliography is a list of source references that includes a short descriptive text (an annotation) for each source. It may be assigned as part of the research process for a paper, or as an individual assignment to gather and read relevant sources on a topic.
What is the difference between a literature review and an annotated
Literature reviews are set up similarly to other academic texts, with an introduction, a main body, and a conclusion. An annotated bibliography is a list of source references that has a short description (called an annotation) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a paper.
ABR
Annotated Books Received. Annotated Books Received (ABR) provides brief annotations of recently published translations from all languages. ABR is a supplement publication of Translation Review. The Center holds the complete run of both publications, a valuable archive for scholars and students of translation. 2022 : Volume 27, No. 1-2.
Amazon.com: Customer reviews: The Annotated Book of Mormon
The Annotated Book of Mormon is a remarkable achievement that enhances our understanding and appreciation of this unique scripture. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in the Book of Mormon as a historical document, a religious text, or a literary work.
Annotations & The Annotated (136 books)
136 books based on 33 votes: The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition by Lewis Carroll, The Annotated Brothers Grimm by Jacob Grimm, The Annotated Hob...

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The Perfect Guide to Annotating for Book Reviews [Guest Post]

Forms of Annotations

Pre-annotation Steps

Annotating For Book Reviews

Create a Journal

Creative Annotating

Clear Sticky Notes

Assigning Colour-Coded Tabs

Annotating Time

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Organizing Your Social Sciences Research Assignments

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Locating Book Reviews

Some Language for Evaluating Texts

Writing and Reviews: Annotations & Annotated Bibliographies

Annotations

For more details on Annotated Bibliographies check out the resources below.

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Difference between Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review

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How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography: The Annotated Bibliography

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How are Annotated Editions of Books Made?

Grace Lapointe

Why & How To Annotate A Book

Why Annotate Your Books?

1. It enhances your comprehension

2. It personalizes your reading experience

3. It helps you to retain more information

Tips for Effective Book Annotation

1. Use a pencil

2. Understand when to start annotating

3. Highlight or underline what’s important

4. Know what to write about

5. Use symbols and abbreviations

6. Keep it organized

Examples of Annotations

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Writing a Book Review

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Annotated Bibliographies and Literature Reviews

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