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FCPS -How To Guide: NoodleTools Citing & Research: Include Annotations

A general guide to NoodleTools for Frederick County Public Schools, MD.

What is an annotated bibliography?

Watch this tutorial (3:12) created by the Carnegie Vincent Library at Lincoln Memorial University to better understand the basics of annotated bibliographies.

"Annotated Bibliographies: An Illustrated Guide." YouTube, uploaded by Lincoln
     Memorial University, 18 Apr. 2012, youtu.be/-LpgXJvQnEc. Accessed 16 July
     2019.

I'm Supposed to Include Annotations with My Sources. What Does That Mean?

All citation forms in NoodleTools end with an Annotation field, shown below, so that you can create descriptive or evaluative comments for each citation. 

When the Annotation field is filled in, the text is automatically added at end of the citation on your Sources page.

 

A bibliography that contains a summary and/or assessment of each source is generically called an annotated bibliography. Annotations can range from a short phrase or sentence description to a paragraph which analyzes and critically compares it it to other sources in the list.  


A descriptive annotation summarizes the content (e.g., the main idea, content, and plot) and explains its value to your research. When relevant to your research, concisely include the following information:

  • What is the scope of this source? Is it an overview, a manual, a critical analysis of one point of view, an in-depth explanation of a phenomenon?
  • How is the time and place of this publication relevant? Is it a primary source (e.g., written by an observer of events, a report of the author’s original research)?
  • Why are the author's credentials or expertise related to my research topic? What is the author’s reputation among other experts?
  • What is the purpose of this source? Is the author's intention to persuade, to inform, to analyze, to inform, or to argue for a point-of-view?
  • What is the writing genre and format? Is it an essay, a Web page, a peer-reviewed journal article, a reference work, a blog entry, a video clip? Are there distinctive design features that enhance the communication?
  • What knowledge level is expected of the reader? Has it been written for a general reader, a scientist, a high school student, an instructor? Is the writing style and information appropriate to that audience?
  • How did it help you understand your topic? How did you use it? Did its bibliography lead you to new sources?

A critical annotation includes a description (see above), then evaluates the quality of your source related to others and the value of its information to your research.

  • What is missing or questionable?
  • Is there evidence of bias or distortion?
  • Are there errors or weaknesses?
  • How does this source fit with or compare to other sources used?

If you add annotations, you may wish to add the word "Annotated" to your source list title. To change the title, go to Print/Export > Formatting Options, click any of the three "Annotated" title options at item 4 in the following screenshot (highlighted in red) to change the list title.

 

 

See also: 

Creating a Descriptive Annotated Bibliography

Creating a Critical Annotated Bibliography for History

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