Overview
An annotated bibliography is a bibliography that consists of a summary and evaluation of each listed source. This annotated bibliography should include at least six sources, which, when pulled together, gives the reader a sense of the scholarship on your topic.
Sources
Your sources should represent a range of literature: scholarly books, journal articles, exhibition catalogues, artist’s monographs, interviews, etc. These can be focused on the specific artworks and/or exhibitions addressed, the artist(s), time period, theme, and/or subject matter of the artworks
Organization
Your annotated bibliography should open with a paragraph that presents your revised research questions and then provides an overview of the literature on your selected topic; is it vast or limited? What types of sources did you encounter? What are the primary languages? Was the literature mostly published at a certain time, or have there been different moments when the topic has received attention?
Next, you are to list a bibliographic entry for each of your six sources (alphabetized by the author’s last name). Each source must be annotated. The annotations should address the following information: the author’s main argument(s), the topics covered, its relevance to your topic, its relationship to your other sources, and any critiques you may have. Each annotation should be one to two paragraphs (roughly 150 words). They must be written in your own words.
You do not need a concluding paragraph.
Format
You must format your annotated bibliography following The Chicago Manual of Style Notes and Bibliography style.
Sample Annotated Bibliographies
Cornell University Library, The Annotated BibliographyLinks to an external site.
Purdue Online Writing Lab, Annotated Bibliography SamplesLinks to an external site.