An Annotated Bibliography is a helpful way to organize and evaluate your sources when preparing a larger research project. Let’s break down the term, Annotated Bibliography. An annotation is a note or description, and a bibliography is a list of source citation entries. An annotated bibliography, then, is a list of descriptions for each source citation entry.
To begin an annotated bibliography, write an Introduction. This opening paragraph should discuss your research process (where/how you found sources) and indicate the scope of your project (which might include descriptions of the purpose of the study, the population size and characteristics, geographical location, the theories that the study will focus on, etc.).
Next, write a full Citation entry for each source. The format will vary depending on the citation style (MLA, APA, etc.), but remember to alphabetize entries based on the author’s last name or, if there is no author listed, the first word of the source title.
Finally, write an Annotation below each citation entry. The annotation is usually one-two paragraphs. Begin by identifying the source's topic and briefly summarize the main argument. Then evaluate the source. Questions to address in your evaluation include:
How relevant is this source to your topic?
Is the source credible?
Is the source biased?
Is the source timely?
How will you use this source when writing a research paper?
When writing annotations, no quotations from the source are needed. Instead, focus on emphasizing your voice as the researcher and paraphrase what the source says when necessary. Explain your opinions of the source and assess its usefulness.
Liptak, Adam. “Justice Breyer Says Expanding the Supreme Court Could Undermine Its Authority.” The New York Times, The New York Times Company, 7 Apr. 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/07/us/supreme-court-biden.html. Accessed 7 Apr. 2021.
In this article, Liptak discusses Justice Stephen G. Breyer’s belief that the size of the Supreme Court should not be increased. Breyer argues that adding members to the court would make the institution too political. He contends that the size of the court should not be determined by whether a conservative or liberal president is in office. Accordingly, Breyer warns against the threat of political polarization arguing that ascribing political affiliations to justices weakens the legal authority of the court and turns it into a biased, partisan body.
This source is relevant to my topic of political court packing because it conveys a current Supreme Court justice’s beliefs. The article is credible because the author, Liptak, is a former lawyer who has covered legal affairs for The New York Times for 20 years. The source is unbiased because Liptak describes Breyer’s views and does not comment or offer his own opinions on the subject. The information is timely because it is from a recent speech Breyer gave. I plan to use this source when writing my research paper to provide a current justice’s perspective and support my own argument against increasing the size of the court.
Source: Editage Insights website
Guide created by: C. Jones 4/7/2021
Revised by: J. Brown 1/17/2024
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