Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review Basics Jessica Barron Writing Tutor Writing Center Walden University

Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review Basics

Jessica BarronWriting Tutor

Writing CenterWalden University

Session Overview

What are annotated bibliographies and literature reviews?

• Overview of purpose• Expectations for format and organization• Strategies to fulfilling expectations

Session Vocabulary

You might also hear or see

Annotated bibor

Annotationor

Lit review

All of these terms are synonymous with annotated bibliographies or literature reviews.

Annotated Bibliographies

What does the term mean?According to Merriam-Webster’s Online Dictionary (2011),

Annotate: “to make or furnish critical or explanatory notes or comment”

Bibliography: “the history, identification, or description of writings or publications”

How do these definitions combine?


The purpose of an annotation bibliography is

• To learn about a particular topic• To demonstrate the value of a particular

source• To inform fellow or future researchers

about a topic or a source


The format of an annotated bibliography can change depending on the assignment, but the typical format is a list of reference entries followed by annotations.– Alphabetized by author– No headings– Brief

Be sure to ask your instructor about any alternative expectations for your specific assignment.



Within each annotation, there are typically three elements:– Summary– Critique/analysis– Application

These elements can often be formatted as three paragraphs.


SummaryYou will want to answer some or all the following

questions:• What is the topic of the source?• What actions did the author perform within the study and

why?• What were the methods of the author?• What was the theoretical basis for the study?• What were the conclusions of the study?


How to approach a summary:

• Similar to an abstract of a source– In the past tense

“The authors found…”

• Not the abstract of an article– Should be written in your own words


Example Summary:

Gathman, A. C., & Nessan, C. L. (1997). Fowler’s stages of faith development in an honors science-and-religion seminar. Zygon, 32(3), 407–414.

Retrieved from http://www .zygonjournal.org/

The authors described the construction and rationale of an honors course in science and religion that was pedagogically based on Lawson’s learning cycle model. In Lawson’s model, the student writes a short paper on a subject before a presentation of the material and then writes a longer paper reevaluating and supporting his or her views. Using content analysis, the authors compared the answers in the first and second essays, evaluating them based on Fowler’s stages of development. Examples of student writing are presented with the authors’ analysis of the faith stage exhibited by the students, which demonstrated development in stages 2 through 5.


Critique/AnalysisYou will want to answer some or all the following

questions:• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the article?

– Methodology, language choices, organization, level of detail

• What, if any, information is missing? • Is the article scholarly or generalizable? Why or why not?


How to approach a critique/analysis:

• Focus on strengths of the article or study– What would make your reader want to read this

source?

• Do not feel the need to be nice– Your reader will want to know if there are any

deficiencies or areas for improvement


Example Critique/Analysis:

The authors made no mention of how to support spiritual development in the course. They were interested in the interface between religion and science, teaching material on ways of knowing, creation myths, evolutionary theory, and ethics. They exposed students to Fowler’s ideas, but did not relate the faith development theory to student work in the classroom. There appears to have been no effort to modify the course content based on the predominant stage of development, and it is probably a credit to their teaching that they were able to conduct such a course with such diversity in student faith development. However, since Fowler’s work is based largely within a Western Christian setting, some attention to differences in faith among class members would have been a useful addition to the study. There was no correlation between grades and level of faith development.


ApplicationYou will want to answer some or all the following

questions:• Does this article fill a gap in literature?• How would you be able to apply this method to your area

of focus?• Is the article universal?


How to approach the application:

• Consider how you would justify the use of the source for your paper– How is this source different than others in the same

field or on the same topic?– How does this source inform your future research?


Example Application:

Fowler’s work would seem to lend itself to research of this sort, but this model is the only example found in recent literature. This study demonstrates the best use of the model, which is assessment. While the theory claimed high predictive ability, the change process chronicled is so slow and idiosyncratic that it would be difficult to design and implement research that had as its goal measurement of movement in faith development continuum.

These three elements create an annotation.


There are some unique characteristics of which to be aware regarding annotations:

• No citations crediting the source or outside sources– The presence of the reference entry make citation redundant

• No direct quotes– Your reader will want to hear your interpretation of the material

• No referrals to the first person– Be objective and removed in your description of the source

• No reference list– All sources have already been included in the reference list format

Again, be sure to contact your instructor for his/her expectations for your particular assignment.

Annotations and Lit Reviews

How does an annotation relate to a literature review?

An annotated bibliography is often a precursor to a literature review, as it allows an author to collect sources and determine their value to a particular topic or area of research.

In a literature review, the author uses the sources to create a foundation for his/her research.

Literature Reviews

The purpose of a literature review is• To provide researchers with an overview on

a topic or field• To allow a writer to demonstrate his/her

knowledge on the current state of a topic• To support a writer’s future research

Literature Reviews

What is not a literature review?

• A collection of source summaries or abstracts• A copy/paste of annotations• A discussion of your opinions on a topic

Instead, your job as the writer is to synthesize the literature to create that foundation for your research or argument.

Literature Reviews

What is synthesis?

• Identifying patterns among the sources• Critically discussing strengths/weaknesses of the

sources or in the field• Comparing and contrasting the authors’ findings• Interpreting what is known in your field and what

is missing

Literature Reviews

Unlike an annotated bibliography, there is no required format for a literature review.

Common requirements:• An introduction and conclusion paragraph

– Helps transition the reader into the topic

• No use direct material• Organization by theme rather than author

Literature Reviews

By author:

• Limits a paragraph to one source

• Does not allow for direct comparison

• Tends to come across as a series of “book reports”

By theme:

• Allows for a unique organization

• Can have the authors “talk to each other”

• Demonstrates the writer’s analysis of the literature

Organization

Literature Reviews

When organized by theme, writers can also use headings and comparative terms within the text.

• Headings– Cue your reader to organization and changing topics– Note subtopics of themes

• Comparative terms– Demonstrate where authors agree or disagree – Highlight your interpretation of the authors’ findings

Literature Reviews

Example Synthesis

As Stragalas (2010) argued, sharing specific details about the change will help to eliminate any difficulties. Steele-Johnson et al. (2010) echoed these sentiments when they reported that revealing all of the details about a change process can help those involved better understand and support the change. Steele-Johnson et al. also asserted that a high level of transparency during the change can help those involved prepare for and welcome the change. Similarly, Nahata et al. (2010) showed that transparency through excessive communication can allow for a wider range of acceptance of the change.

Literature Reviews Tools

Literature reviews require a lot of research and note taking. Thankfully, there are some tools to help you keep track of your material:

• Literature review matrices• Zotero


Literature Review MatricesMatrices are documents that allow you to compile

details about your sources and begin to note similarities among the authors.

Example comparisons:• Theoretical framework• Methodology• Conclusions• Implications or need for future research


Example Matrix

Example matrices on Writing Center website: http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/50.htm


Zotero Reference ManagerWhile a matrix can help you make connections between your sources, the software Zotero can help you store and organize your references.

Library website and Zotero information: http://libraryguides.waldenu.edu/zotero

Recap

• Annotated Bibliographies– Summary, analysis, and application– No direct quotes, citations, or use of first person

• Literature Reviews– Synthesis not summary– Themes not authors

Questions

Thanks for joining us this evening!

• Use the Question box to ask for clarification• For more information on scholarly voice

and academic communication, see http://writingcenter.waldenu.edu/312.htm

Resources

• Walden Library: http://library.waldenu.edu/

• Residencies: http://residencies.waldenu.edu/

• Center for Research Support: http://researchcenter.waldenu.edu/

Contact Information:

Email the Writing Center anytime at

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Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review Basics Jessica Barron Writing Tutor Writing Center Walden University