How to Write an MLA Style Annotated Bibliography
Annotated bibliographies are used to reference your research for papers, articles and presentations in English and other liberal arts classes and in research. Providing accurate references is paramount in displaying your professionalism while demonstrating that your ideas and theories are well researched. The MLA-style annotated bibliography is a simple way to reference your sources, and provide a brief summary of each source.
Things You'll Need
- List of sources referenced in your work with required information for each source for an MLA-style annotated bibliography
Instructions
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Starting at the conclusion of your work, tab down to the next blank page, or open a separate document to create your annotated bibliography. Title the page Annotated Bibliography.
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List your first source by selecting the author whose last name comes first in alphabetical order. The entry for a single author should read: Doe, John. If he has a middle initial, the entry should read: Doe, John R. If the work has more than one author, list them as noted on the publication. Write the first author's name as noted above. If there are two authors, the first author's name should be followed by a comma and the second author's name should read: and Jane M. Smith. If there are three or more authors, the style is: Doe, John R., Harold Jones, and Jane M. Smith.
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List the title of the work you are citing. For a print book, underline the title. The title should read: To the Moon and Back. For a scholarly journal, list the title of the work with quotation marks, and the name of the journal underlined. The style is: "The Study of Mice in Apartments," Apartment Housing Journal.
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Note if your source is from a print book or scholarly journal. The Owl at Purdue University says that for a print book, you should list the publication by noting the city of publication followed by a colon, the publisher of the book, and the year of publication. The publication should read as: New York City: Publishing House, 2010.
The Owl says that for a scholarly journal, you should note the volume number and issue number of the journal, the publishing year, and the pages cited. The entry should read as: 64 no. 5 (2010): 1-15.
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Press the "Enter" or "Return" key on your keyboard to bring your cursor to the next line. Press the "Tab" key to indent the line. Write your annotation by giving an overview of the source, and listing the key points or findings in that piece. You may also note any identifying or unique aspects of the work that are significant to your own work. All lines in your annotation of the source should be indented the same way.
Repeat these steps for each individual source you are citing in your annotated bibliography.
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Tips & Warnings
The Modern Language Association notes that MLA style is used primarily in scholarly and research settings for fields dealing with humanities, such as English or film. If you are unsure of what style guide you should be following, consult your professor or supervisor for clarification.
While most MLA papers are written in a double-space format, your paragraph for each of your annotations should be single spaced, unless you are instructed otherwise.
Improperly citing references or not giving credit to the original author for their work is plagiarism. While your school or publisher will determine the punishment for plagiarizing work, there are often serious consequences, which can involve expulsion from school or being relieved of your job.
