Skip to Main Content

East Greenwich High School Library: Multi Modal Text Set - Annotated Bibliography

Library services and resources provided to the East Greenwich High School community

Annotated Bibliography Tutorial - MLA Citation Format

This video illustrates the steps for creating an annotated bibliography in MLA format.

Overview of an Annotated Bibliography

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

A bibliography is a list of sources (books, database articles, Web sites, periodicals, etc.) one has used for researching a topic.  An annotation is a short summary and/or critical evaluation of a source. An annotated bibliography looks like a Works Cited page but includes an annotation after each source cited. Annotated bibliographies can be part of a larger research project, or can be a stand-alone report in itself. 
*Annotation requirements vary by teacher so always confirm assignment expectations before writing.

1. Summarize:  3-4 sentences summarizing the main ideas and purpose of the source. See this resource on paraphrasing sources.  

  • What are the main points covered?

  • If someone were to ask you what this selection is about, what would you say?

You could use these sentence starters if you get stuck:

  • This article is about...
  • Some topics the author discusses include...

 

2. How you will use this information:  3-4 sentences explaining how you will use this information in your research and your analysis of its value.

  • Will this source help you to determine your research plan?
  • Does this source help answer your question?
  • Will this source help in the construction of your Multimodal Text Set?
  • Does this source fill in some informational gaps to help you understand a relevant theory?
  • Is this source reliable and believable?

 Remember: Annotations are original descriptions you create AFTER reading the document. ​​​​​​​

Guidelines to follow when typing your Annotated Bibliography:
*NoodleTools will format your annotated bibliography correctly and automatically for you.

  • 1" margins
  • 12 pt. font
  • Double-spaced
  • The second line on each citation indented 0.5", annotations are indented 0.5" (this is called a hanging indent)
  • Sources listed in alphabetical order

MLA9 Annotated Bibliography Example

This slide shows how to set up the running header and headings on your annotated bibliography.
*Remember that the date is formatted day month year.

Annotated Bibliography Example

MLA Citation Format

How to Cite an Online Article with an Author

Sample Format: Author's Last Name, Author's First Name. "Title of the Source." Title of the Container, Publication date, Website Address OR DOI. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.

Example: Vanderkam, Laura. "Why You Need a Bedtime." Harvard Business Review, 14 Oct. 2022, hbr.org/2022/10/why-you-need-a-bedtime. Accessed 4 Dec. 2024.

*DOI is a digital object identifier and should be used instead of a website address if one is provided.

How to Cite an Online Article Without An Author Provided

Sample Format Without an Author or Publication Date: "Title of the Source." Title of the Website, Website Address OR DOI. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.

Example Without an Author or Publication Date: "ACLU History." ACLU, www.aclu.org/about/aclu-history. Accessed 21 Mar. 2025.

Citing a Video Clip in MLA

Thanks to Jen Steffy, EGHS English Faculty, for the use of these guides.

Creating an Annotated Bibliography with NoodleTools

Step 1: Create a New Project for your Annotated Bibliography using NoodleTools

This video tutorial will show you the steps of logging in to your school NoodleTools account to create a new Project.

Export to Google Docs

Step 2: Create a Citation and Annotation for a Research Source using NoodleTools

This video tutorial will show you the steps of creating a citation from a database article and starting the annotation process.

Step 3: Print/Export Your Annotated Bibliography from NoodleTools

This video tutorial will show you how to print/export your annotated bibliography from NoodleTools, add the required heading components, and save to your Google Drive. 

This slide shows how to set up the running header and headings on your annotated bibliography.
*Remember that the date is formatted day month year.

Annotated Bibliography Example

These two slides show how to create line breaks so that your citation and annotation are separated on your annotated bibliography.

This video tutorial will show you how to export a citation from a database into NoodleTools.

Need Research or Citation Assistance?

Need help?  Please stop by the library to schedule an appointment with Mrs. Steever.  Learning from home?  Email me to schedule a virtual appointment.  Please be prepared with your list of questions or specific resources needed prior to your meeting.