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Loyola University Chicago Libraries

Annotated Bibliographies

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of sources usually found at the end of a piece of scholarly writing. These sources could be books, articles, films, or even podcasts that were consulted or cited in the writing of the piece.

When a bibliography is "annotated," the author includes information about each consulted resource. Annotations can look different depending on what writing style the field uses, or other specific requirements for the assignment.

Using this Guide

This guide is here to help you gather a basic understanding of what your finished annotated bibliography may look like. However, the content of annotated bibliographies can vary greatly, and your instructor reserves the right to overrule these guidelines.

  • On the "Styles of Annotated Bibliographies" page, you will find a breakdown and examples of what the Modern Language Association (MLA), the American Psychological Association (APA), and Chicago citation manuals say on annotated bibliographies.
  • On "Published Annotated Bibliographies," you will see an example of how these texts can help you begin your research by listing sources related to your field or topic.
  • Use "What to Include in your Annotations," as a loose suggestion for what content to include in your annotated bibliography.