This document provides guidance on creating an annotated bibliography. It defines an annotated bibliography and explains that it contains bibliographic citations followed by brief paragraphs summarizing and evaluating each source. The purpose is to develop critical reading skills, help formulate a thesis, and identify multiple perspectives. It demonstrates how to write citations in APA style and includes an example. Tips are provided on what to include in annotations like a summary, strengths/weaknesses, and relevance. An activity involves evaluating sources using the CRAAP checklist to assess currency, relevance, accuracy, authority, and purpose. Additional resources for help with bibliographies and critical reading are also listed.

1. Annotated bibliography
INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT
Irena Trebic, Librarian

2. Outline
 Components of an annotated bibliography
 Citing resources using APA style
 Brainstorming activity
 CRAAP Checklist
 Article evaluation and discussion activity
 Mini quiz
 Workshop evaluation

3. Learning Outcomes
 Identify the format and components of an annotated bibliography
 Understand the purpose of an annotated bibliography
 Differentiate between scholarly and popular resources
 Identify bibliographic information such as journal title, volume, doi, etc in
a scholarly journal
 Critically evaluate resources using the CRAAP Checklist

4. Annotated bibliography
• a list of sources (journal articles, books, Web
sites, etc.) that you have consulted in order
to research a topic
• also called a list of "References“, in APA
citation style
Bibliography:
• a bibliography where each source has
descriptive and/or evaluative comments (i.e.
annotations)
• has 2 components:
• Citations
• Annotations
Annotated
Bibliography:

5. Purpose
Allows you to
develop your
critical reading
skills
Helps you
formulate your
thesis or
research
question
Helps you
identify
multiple
perspectives
Demonstrates
credibility and
relevance of
your sources

6. Format
Two step process:
Step 1: Use APA Format
Citation for each source
Step 2: Add an annotation
under each citation (usually
one paragraph consisting of
100 – 200 words)

7. APA Citations
Include bibliographic information such as:
• Author(s)
• Title of book
• Title of article
• Journal name
• Name of database
• Volume
• Issue
• Place of publication
• Publisher
• Date of publication

8. Example of APA style citation
Journal article citation:
Author last name, initials. (Year published). Article
title. Journal Name, Volume (Issue), pp-
pp(pages). doi
Example:
Ackoff, R.L. (2003). The opportunity quest
separates real leaders from managers.
Strategy & Leadership, 31(5), 39-40.

9. Example of APA style citation
Book citation:
Author last name, initials. (Year published). Book
title. City, State: Publisher.
Example:
James, H. (1937). The ambassadors. New
York, NY: Scribner.

10. Additional Resources
 Annotated Bibliography in APA format – YouTube video
 Quick Guide to APA Style 6th Edition – USF Library video
 APA Formatting and Style Guide – The OWL at Purdue University
 KnightCite – citation machine that can create APA citations
 RefWorks – online software that can create APA citations and
bibliographies

11. What to include in an annotation
Depending on your assignment guidelines, you may have to:
• Write a brief summary of the source
• Identify any strengths or weaknesses of the source
• Explain why the source is relevant
• Identify the source’s relationships to other studies in the field
• Assess the overall reliability of the source by looking at:
• The author's conclusions and how he/she arrived at them
• The references consulted
• Communicate your personal conclusions about the source

12. Tips
Use the third person
when writing:
• Do NOT use I, me, my
Use the literary present tense
• Examples:
• “This article discusses…”
• “The author supports…”

13. Activity: Brainstorming & Discussion
In pairs…
Take 5
minutes to
discuss the
following:
What criteria
do you look at
when
evaluating an
article?

14. The CRAAP Checklist
• When was the information published or posted?
• Has the information been revised or updated?
• Is the information current or out-of-date for your topic?
Currency
• Does the information answer your questions?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Is it at an appropriate level for your needs?
Relevance
• Is the information supported by evidence? Is there a bibliography?
• Has the information been reviewed by other experts?
• Can you verify any of the information in another source?
Accuracy
• Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
• What are the author's credentials or qualifications to write on the topic?
• Is there contact information? Look for author’s title and career history.
Authority
• What was the author’s reason for publishing this information?
• Is the information fact/opinion/propaganda?
• Can you identify any kind of bias (religious/political/etc.)?
Purpose
Adapted from http://www.juniata.edu/services/library/instruction/handouts/craap_worksheet.pdf

15. Group Activity
Identification of bibliographic information and article evaluation
• Work in small groups to fill out the Activity worksheet for the article
below
• Is it a scholarly article or not? How can you tell?
• Use the CRAAP checklist to evaluate the article
Murphy, P. E., & Schlegelmilch, B.B. (2013). Corporate social responsibility and corporate
social irresponsibility: Introduction to a special topic section. Journal of Business
Research, 66(10), 1807-1813. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2013.02.001

16. Additional resources and help
 Critical reading study guide – University of Leicester
 Schedule an appointment with a librarian
 Attend a library workshop
https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/MCWWKH5
- Quiz and workshop evaluation

17. References
How to prepare an annotated bibliography. (2015, March 4). In Concordia University
Libraries. Retrieved from
http://library.concordia.ca/help/howto/annotatedbibliog.php
O’Neil, R. (2013, January 29). Annotated bibliography: Summarizing and evaluating your
sources. In Slideshare. Retrieved from
http://www.slideshare.net/PHSEagleLibrary/annotated-bibliography-16242547
The CRAAP Test Worksheet. (n.d.). In Juniata College Beeghly Library. Retrieved from
http://www.juniata.edu/services/library/instruction/handouts/craap_worksheet.pdf