Library Resources: Citations/Annotations

There are several ways to cite sources. The citation style usually depends on the academic discipline. Consult with your instructor to determine what is required in your specific assignment.

• APA (American Psychological Association) format is used in Social Sciences such as Education, Sociology, Political Science and Psychology. The APA Style Guide for Common Reference Examples is a useful tool for citing sources.
• MLA (Modern Language Association) format is traditionally used in the Humanities such as Language Arts, Philosophy and Religious studies.
• Chicago/Turabian format is generally used in Economics, History, and the Fine Arts.

Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL): The Purdue OWL is an excellent resource for in-text citations and end-of-paper references. The Purdue OWL is linked above for specific citation formats.

Citation management tools keep track of your research and generate citations. However, always double check their work. Citation generator tools often make mistakes that should be corrected prior to submission.

• NoodleTools supports MLA, APA, & Chicago citation formats. It allows you to create bibliographies, note cards, outlines, and syncs with Google Docs. You must access NoodleTools via the link on this page. Click 'Register.' Select 'an account linked to my library or school's subscription.' Select "I am a student or library patron.' Select 'expected year of graduation' from the drop-down menu. Create a personal ID and password. Click 'Register.' When prompted, enter the library's username and password from the Database Password List.

Annotations should include a summary, a critical evaluation, and a reflection on its applicability to your research. Consult the Purdue OWL for examples of annotated bibliographies in APA, MLA and Chicago formats.

An annotated bibliography is composed of the full citation for a source followed by notes and commentary about that source. Annotations are meant to be critical in addition to being descriptive.

Annotations are generally between five to seven sentences in length and appear directly under the citation.  The entire annotation is indented 0.5 inch from the left margin and lines up with the hanging indent of the citation.

Use the question prompts below as a guide when writing annotations:

• 2 to 4 sentences to summarize the main idea(s) of the source.

     - What are the main arguments?

     - What is the point of this book/article/documentary/podcast/nonprofit source?

     - What topics are covered?

• 1 or 2 sentences to assess and evaluate the source.

     - Is this information reliable and current?

     - Does the author have the educational credentials and experience in the field to write on this topic?

     - Is the source objective or biased?

• 1 or 2 sentences to reflect on the source.

     - Was this source helpful to you?

     - How can you use this source for your research project?

     - Has it changed how you think about your topic?