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Annotated Bibliography Tips
Directions from your Assignment
An annotated bibliography is a list of sources or citations with a short description (annotation) about each item listed.
The sources (journal article, book, etc.) should be listed in full citation format, and then a 50-150 word description of the source should be given.
The description should include:
- the type of source (1° research article, review article, book chapter, whole book, textbook, 3° article, etc.),
- a short summary of the findings of the authors,
- and your evaluation of the source.
Help from the Library
- Many of the databases will identify the type of source (journal article, book chapter, etc)
- The library databases will also provide a citation for the source in your favorite style, just be sure to double-check!
- Reviewing the abstract of a source will help you create a short summary.
- However, you are the only one who can evaluate the source!
Citations and Annotated Bibliographies
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APA Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue OWL)Extensive explanations and examples for how to cite using the APA style, commonly used in the social sciences.
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APA Quick Citation GuidePenn State guide for APA references with examples.
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Citation Style Guides and Management Tools From Long Island University Post Campus LibraryCovers all the major citation styles and color codes citation parts to help with learning each style
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MLA Formatting and Style Guide (Purdue OWL)Extensive explanations and examples for how to cite using the MLA style, commonly used in the humanities.
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MLA Quick Citation GuidePenn State guide for MLA references with examples.
Academic Honesty
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Penn State Academic Integrity ResourcesDiscusses academic integrity and provides resources for students.
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Penn State Altoona Writing CommonsTo help you write and cite.
How to Avoid Plagiarism (3 min. 58 sec. video)