Social Work: Research Process

Research Process

Annotated Bibliography

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a listing of citations, along with a brief summary and critical overview of each source. Annotated bibliographies require critical research and evaluation skills.

The most challenging task may be locating the credentials of more obscure authors. Consult biographical reference databases or search for the author’s profile, resume, or CV (curriculum vitae).

Check with your professor to see which of the following elements you should include in your annotations:

Author's credentials
Primary, secondary, tertiary source?
Credibility of the publisher or site
Scope and purpose of the work: Is it an overview, persuasive, editorial?
Timeliness
Comparison of the work with others dealing with the same topic or others in your Works Cited list
Intended audience
Brief summary of contents
Evaluation of research: Is the work logical, clear, well-researched? Were the sources the author(s) used credible? Impressive?
Evaluation of author bias or lens
Relative value of the work to the research question or thesis

Example of an evaluative annotation:

Katz, Jon. "The Rights of Kids in the Digital Age." Wired July 1996: 120+. Print.

Katz, contributing editor of Wired and the author of Geeks, presents a compelling argument for safeguarding the rights of children online. The article is aimed at a general, but computer-savvy, audience. Katz offers a far more liberal perspective than recent pieces in such major news journals as Newsweek, which warned the public of the dangers children face in electronic environments. Katz advocates the idea of preparing the "responsible child" and outlines the rights of such a child. He claims that our new "digital nation" requires a social contract similar to the one proposed by philosopher John Locke and adopted by the founders of our own country to protect the rights of all citizens. This comprehensive, distinctive, liberal view added needed balance to my project.

Note: Queensland University of Technology offers excellent rationale and guidelines for Writing an Annotated Bibliography

The OWL @ Purdue has examples of annotated bibliographies.

(source: Google Docs)