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RELS 223 Church & State: US Perspective: Annotated Bibliography

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Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography includes the complete citation in addition to an annotation of the publication. The summary is intended to inform the reader of content, viewpoint, and relevance to the subject of the bibliography.

An annotation is a summary, which captures all of the information or message contained in an article, chapter, or monograph in a succinct manner. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Tips for Writing Annotations

What information should annotations contain?

  • Who is the author?
  • What is the objective or purpose for writing the article or conducting the research?
  • What method of obtaining data or conducting research did the author use?
  • What were the major findings? What can be concluded from these findings?

Do:

  • Read the document purposefully for key facts.
  • Tell what was found, why the work was done, how the work was done.
  • Place findings early in the topical sentence. Be informative, exact and concise.
  • Use short but complete sentences.
  • Talk about why this document is important for YOUR paper.

Don't:

  • Change the meaning of the original article.
  • Waste words by stating the obvious.
  • Use jargon that you do not understand.
  • Say the same thing two ways.
  • Use a choppy or run-on style.

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