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Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

What's the big deal.

There are fundamental differences between an annotated bibliography and a literature review that are crucial to completing the assignment correctly. The chart below is provides an overview of the biggest differences between the two types of assignments in a side-by-side comparison. However, if you need more specific information about either assignment, visit our Annotated Bibliography and/or Literature Review pages for more detailed information on how to complete them. 

Differences between an annotated bibliography and literature review

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a literature review and an annotated bibliography.

A literature review is a survey of credible sources on a topic, often used in dissertations , theses, and research papers . Literature reviews give an overview of knowledge on a subject, helping you identify relevant theories and methods, as well as gaps in existing research. Literature reviews are set up similarly to other  academic texts , with an introduction , a main body, and a conclusion .

An  annotated bibliography is a list of  source references that has a short description (called an annotation ) for each of the sources. It is often assigned as part of the research process for a  paper .  

Frequently asked questions: Dissertation

Dissertation word counts vary widely across different fields, institutions, and levels of education:

  • An undergraduate dissertation is typically 8,000–15,000 words
  • A master’s dissertation is typically 12,000–50,000 words
  • A PhD thesis is typically book-length: 70,000–100,000 words

However, none of these are strict guidelines – your word count may be lower or higher than the numbers stated here. Always check the guidelines provided by your university to determine how long your own dissertation should be.

A dissertation prospectus or proposal describes what or who you plan to research for your dissertation. It delves into why, when, where, and how you will do your research, as well as helps you choose a type of research to pursue. You should also determine whether you plan to pursue qualitative or quantitative methods and what your research design will look like.

It should outline all of the decisions you have taken about your project, from your dissertation topic to your hypotheses and research objectives , ready to be approved by your supervisor or committee.

Note that some departments require a defense component, where you present your prospectus to your committee orally.

A thesis is typically written by students finishing up a bachelor’s or Master’s degree. Some educational institutions, particularly in the liberal arts, have mandatory theses, but they are often not mandatory to graduate from bachelor’s degrees. It is more common for a thesis to be a graduation requirement from a Master’s degree.

Even if not mandatory, you may want to consider writing a thesis if you:

  • Plan to attend graduate school soon
  • Have a particular topic you’d like to study more in-depth
  • Are considering a career in research
  • Would like a capstone experience to tie up your academic experience

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation should include the following:

  • A restatement of your research question
  • A summary of your key arguments and/or results
  • A short discussion of the implications of your research

The conclusion of your thesis or dissertation shouldn’t take up more than 5–7% of your overall word count.

For a stronger dissertation conclusion , avoid including:

  • Important evidence or analysis that wasn’t mentioned in the discussion section and results section
  • Generic concluding phrases (e.g. “In conclusion …”)
  • Weak statements that undermine your argument (e.g., “There are good points on both sides of this issue.”)

Your conclusion should leave the reader with a strong, decisive impression of your work.

While it may be tempting to present new arguments or evidence in your thesis or disseration conclusion , especially if you have a particularly striking argument you’d like to finish your analysis with, you shouldn’t. Theses and dissertations follow a more formal structure than this.

All your findings and arguments should be presented in the body of the text (more specifically in the discussion section and results section .) The conclusion is meant to summarize and reflect on the evidence and arguments you have already presented, not introduce new ones.

A theoretical framework can sometimes be integrated into a  literature review chapter , but it can also be included as its own chapter or section in your dissertation . As a rule of thumb, if your research involves dealing with a lot of complex theories, it’s a good idea to include a separate theoretical framework chapter.

A literature review and a theoretical framework are not the same thing and cannot be used interchangeably. While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your work, a literature review critically evaluates existing research relating to your topic. You’ll likely need both in your dissertation .

While a theoretical framework describes the theoretical underpinnings of your work based on existing research, a conceptual framework allows you to draw your own conclusions, mapping out the variables you may use in your study and the interplay between them.

A thesis or dissertation outline is one of the most critical first steps in your writing process. It helps you to lay out and organize your ideas and can provide you with a roadmap for deciding what kind of research you’d like to undertake.

Generally, an outline contains information on the different sections included in your thesis or dissertation , such as:

  • Your anticipated title
  • Your abstract
  • Your chapters (sometimes subdivided into further topics like literature review , research methods , avenues for future research, etc.)

When you mention different chapters within your text, it’s considered best to use Roman numerals for most citation styles. However, the most important thing here is to remain consistent whenever using numbers in your dissertation .

In most styles, the title page is used purely to provide information and doesn’t include any images. Ask your supervisor if you are allowed to include an image on the title page before doing so. If you do decide to include one, make sure to check whether you need permission from the creator of the image.

Include a note directly beneath the image acknowledging where it comes from, beginning with the word “ Note .” (italicized and followed by a period). Include a citation and copyright attribution . Don’t title, number, or label the image as a figure , since it doesn’t appear in your main text.

Definitional terms often fall into the category of common knowledge , meaning that they don’t necessarily have to be cited. This guidance can apply to your thesis or dissertation glossary as well.

However, if you’d prefer to cite your sources , you can follow guidance for citing dictionary entries in MLA or APA style for your glossary.

A glossary is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. In contrast, an index is a list of the contents of your work organized by page number.

The title page of your thesis or dissertation goes first, before all other content or lists that you may choose to include.

The title page of your thesis or dissertation should include your name, department, institution, degree program, and submission date.

Glossaries are not mandatory, but if you use a lot of technical or field-specific terms, it may improve readability to add one to your thesis or dissertation. Your educational institution may also require them, so be sure to check their specific guidelines.

A glossary or “glossary of terms” is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. Your glossary only needs to include terms that your reader may not be familiar with, and is intended to enhance their understanding of your work.

A glossary is a collection of words pertaining to a specific topic. In your thesis or dissertation, it’s a list of all terms you used that may not immediately be obvious to your reader. In contrast, dictionaries are more general collections of words.

An abbreviation is a shortened version of an existing word, such as Dr. for Doctor. In contrast, an acronym uses the first letter of each word to create a wholly new word, such as UNESCO (an acronym for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization).

As a rule of thumb, write the explanation in full the first time you use an acronym or abbreviation. You can then proceed with the shortened version. However, if the abbreviation is very common (like PC, USA, or DNA), then you can use the abbreviated version from the get-go.

Be sure to add each abbreviation in your list of abbreviations !

If you only used a few abbreviations in your thesis or dissertation , you don’t necessarily need to include a list of abbreviations .

If your abbreviations are numerous, or if you think they won’t be known to your audience, it’s never a bad idea to add one. They can also improve readability, minimizing confusion about abbreviations unfamiliar to your reader.

A list of abbreviations is a list of all the abbreviations that you used in your thesis or dissertation. It should appear at the beginning of your document, with items in alphabetical order, just after your table of contents .

Your list of tables and figures should go directly after your table of contents in your thesis or dissertation.

Lists of figures and tables are often not required, and aren’t particularly common. They specifically aren’t required for APA-Style, though you should be careful to follow their other guidelines for figures and tables .

If you have many figures and tables in your thesis or dissertation, include one may help you stay organized. Your educational institution may require them, so be sure to check their guidelines.

A list of figures and tables compiles all of the figures and tables that you used in your thesis or dissertation and displays them with the page number where they can be found.

The table of contents in a thesis or dissertation always goes between your abstract and your introduction .

You may acknowledge God in your dissertation acknowledgements , but be sure to follow academic convention by also thanking the members of academia, as well as family, colleagues, and friends who helped you.

In a thesis or dissertation, the discussion is an in-depth exploration of the results, going into detail about the meaning of your findings and citing relevant sources to put them in context.

The conclusion is more shorter and more general: it concisely answers your main research question and makes recommendations based on your overall findings.

In the discussion , you explore the meaning and relevance of your research results , explaining how they fit with existing research and theory. Discuss:

  • Your  interpretations : what do the results tell us?
  • The  implications : why do the results matter?
  • The  limitation s : what can’t the results tell us?

The results chapter or section simply and objectively reports what you found, without speculating on why you found these results. The discussion interprets the meaning of the results, puts them in context, and explains why they matter.

In qualitative research , results and discussion are sometimes combined. But in quantitative research , it’s considered important to separate the objective results from your interpretation of them.

Results are usually written in the past tense , because they are describing the outcome of completed actions.

The results chapter of a thesis or dissertation presents your research results concisely and objectively.

In quantitative research , for each question or hypothesis , state:

  • The type of analysis used
  • Relevant results in the form of descriptive and inferential statistics
  • Whether or not the alternative hypothesis was supported

In qualitative research , for each question or theme, describe:

  • Recurring patterns
  • Significant or representative individual responses
  • Relevant quotations from the data

Don’t interpret or speculate in the results chapter.

To automatically insert a table of contents in Microsoft Word, follow these steps:

  • Apply heading styles throughout the document.
  • In the references section in the ribbon, locate the Table of Contents group.
  • Click the arrow next to the Table of Contents icon and select Custom Table of Contents.
  • Select which levels of headings you would like to include in the table of contents.

Make sure to update your table of contents if you move text or change headings. To update, simply right click and select Update Field.

All level 1 and 2 headings should be included in your table of contents . That means the titles of your chapters and the main sections within them.

The contents should also include all appendices and the lists of tables and figures, if applicable, as well as your reference list .

Do not include the acknowledgements or abstract in the table of contents.

The abstract appears on its own page in the thesis or dissertation , after the title page and acknowledgements but before the table of contents .

An abstract for a thesis or dissertation is usually around 200–300 words. There’s often a strict word limit, so make sure to check your university’s requirements.

In a thesis or dissertation, the acknowledgements should usually be no longer than one page. There is no minimum length.

The acknowledgements are generally included at the very beginning of your thesis , directly after the title page and before the abstract .

Yes, it’s important to thank your supervisor(s) in the acknowledgements section of your thesis or dissertation .

Even if you feel your supervisor did not contribute greatly to the final product, you must acknowledge them, if only for a very brief thank you. If you do not include your supervisor, it may be seen as a snub.

In the acknowledgements of your thesis or dissertation, you should first thank those who helped you academically or professionally, such as your supervisor, funders, and other academics.

Then you can include personal thanks to friends, family members, or anyone else who supported you during the process.

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Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review

Prof M Lambert

  • By Prof M Lambert
  • November 12, 2020

DiscoverPhDs_Annotated_Bibliography_Literature_Review

If you’re undertaking a research project or writing a thesis in the US, be it at undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD level, you may be wondering what the difference between an annotated bibliography and a literature review is.

Both are important sections of a research paper and aim to give context to the sources cited around a particular research problem. A literature review places a stronger emphasis on the importance of the findings of a paper, whilst an annotated bibliography focuses on the quality, validity, and relevance of the source of information itself.

What is a Literature Review?

A literature review summarises the research findings of others in a specific topic (this can be from a range of publications including scholarly journal articles, textbooks, interviews, and magazines), critically appraises their work, and uses this information to develop the research project at hand. The purpose of this section is also to identify any gaps in knowledge that exist in the research topic and how your research project can help address them. The literature review also allows you to question the research carried out, for example: does one author’s argument conflict with another’s?, or are a particular author’s conclusions valid?

What is an Annotated Bibliography?

Firstly, a bibliography is the list of sources referred to in a body of work. You should be familiar with this for any essay you have written – think of the APA style references you normally include. This includes important information about the source such as the author name, document title, date of publication, and page number (if applicable). The exact information differs depending on the source type – for example, a scholarly journal article may require a DOI ( Digital Object Identifier ) to be included in the citation, whilst a website will require a URL. The bibliography has several uses, primarily it serves as a reference point for readers who wish to read further into the statements made in a body of work. It also allows readers to question statements and verify the information provided in the body of work.

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources used in your body of work, which includes a brief summary for each source. These summary annotations evaluate the sources of information with regards to their accuracy and quality and identify any potential reasons for bias. As with a standard bibliography, an annotated bibliography should present sources alphabetically in a list-style format. The source summaries are typically around 150 words, though this can vary depending on the nature of the source.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review – What are the differences?

The literature review is presented in a more conversational tone (essay format), as it looks to relate the findings of the source to the research question under review. In comparison, the annotated bibliography is much more structured and factual. It may evaluate sources that only have an indirect relevance to the current project.

Another difference is the length. As mentioned earlier, the annotation summaries are around 150 words per source. The literature review, on the other hand, is typically somewhere between 6,000 – 12,000 words. This reinforces the fact that the annotated bibliography is a concise assessment of the source, whilst the literature review is a comprehensive appraisal of the current knowledge and contributions around a particular topic. For example, the annotated bibliography may comment on a research paper which conducted a similar study and note information such as the scale of the experiments, how they were conducted, and which parameters were controlled. In the literature review this same source of information may be discussed further: what were the limitations of this type of experiment, how does the methodology compare to other studies, do the findings support your argument, and was the scale big enough to draw valid conclusions.

Students preparing a dissertation or thesis should use their annotation summaries to help develop their literary review. This can be done by using the information provided in the bibliography as a reference point to help paint the bigger picture in the literature review.

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McNair Scholars: Annotated Bibliographies vs. Literature Reviews

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What is the difference between an Annotated Bibliography and a Literature Review?

Annotated Bibliography - an annotated bibliography is a list of citations with brief notes added below each citation summarizing the content of the article cited (the annotation) included. The annotation accompanying a citation may also contain a short evaluation of the article in addition to a summary. 

Literature Review  - a systematic review of the published material, or scholarly writings, on a specific topic or research question that can be part of a scholarly work or a stand-alone product. The primary goal is analysis - and not simply summarization - of these scholarly writings. This analysis serves to provide background information on your topic and detail the connection between those writings and your research question. 

Learn More - Annotated Bibliographies

Annotated bibliographies are:

  • Brief - about 150 words or so
  • Summarize and evaluate a source
  • Are located under the citation in a bibliography or works cited list
  • Are distinct from abstracts, which are mostly a condensed description of an article
  • Are distinct from literature reviews.
  • Purdue OWL's Annotated Bibliography Page Purdue's Online Writing Lab's page on annotated bibliographies has examples of from the major citation styles and more.
  • Writing Center's MLA Annotated Bibliography Handout This handout from the Writing Center is a guide to MLA format annotated bibliographies.

Learn More - Literature Reviews

A Literature Review will help you achieve the following:

  • Provides background on research topic
  • Guides you in detailing or focusing your own research question
  • Provides a framework for research or future research - identifying major themes and concepts
  • Offers insights on unexplored ideas related to a topic, gaps in the research
  • Assists with avoiding repetition of earlier research
  • Tests assumptions; may help counter preconceived ideas and remove unconscious bias
  • Identifies points of disagreement, or potentially flawed methodology or theoretical approaches

Searching databases such as  Web of Science, Google Scholar,   and  Dissertations & Theses   is the way you are able to discover the research that has been done on any given subject.

There are many resources available to help you understand what a literature review is and how to write one. Here are a few:

  • Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students. A video overview of what a literature review is.
  • The Literature Review: A Few Tips On Conducting It Includes an overview and a set of questions to ask of each source included in the review. This guide is hosted on the University of Toronto's Writing Advice website.
  • Writing A Literature Review and Using a Synthesis Matrix This tutorial describes a method of notetaking to help you organize the content of your literature review so you can synthesize a coherent presentation of what different authors have said about different parts of your topic. This method may be useful.

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Sample literature review handouts.

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  • Literature Reviews This guide from the librarians at the University of Pittsburgh offers information and suggestions on writing your own literature review.

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A literature review is a synthesis of published information on a particular research topics. The purpose is to map out what is already known about a certain subject, outline methods previously used, prevent duplication of research, and, along these lines, reveal gaps in existing literature to justify the research project.

Unlike an annotated bibliography, a literature review is thus organized around ideas/concepts, not the individual sources themselves. Each of its paragraphs stakes out a position identifying related themes/issues, research design, and conclusions in existing literature.

An annotated bibliography  is a bibliography that gives a summary of each article or book. The purpose of annotations is to provide the reader with a summary and an evaluation of the source. Each summary should be a concise exposition of the source's central idea(s) and give the reader a general idea of the source's content.

The purpose of an annotated bibliography is to:

  • review the literature of a particular subject;
  • demonstrate the quality and depth of reading that you have done;
  • exemplify the scope of sources available—such as journals, books, websites and magazine articles;
  • highlight sources that may be of interest to other readers and researchers;
  • explore and organize sources for further research.

Further Reading:

  • Annotated Bibliographies (Purdue OWL)
  • How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography (Cornell University)

" Literature Reviews: An Overview for Graduate Students " 2009. NC State University Libraries

Review the following websites for tips on writing a literature review:

Literature Reviews. The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Write a Literature Review: Virginia Commonwealth University. 

  • Matrix for Organizing Sources

Levac, J., Toal-Sullivan, D., & O`Sullivan, T. (2012). Household Emergency Preparedness: A Literature Review.  Journal Of Community Health ,  37 (3), 725-733. doi:10.1007/s10900-011-9488-x

Geale, S. K. (2012). The ethics of disaster management.  Disaster Prevention and Management,  21 (4), 445-462. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/09653561211256152

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Annotated Bibliographies and Literature Reviews

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What is an Annotated Bibliography

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Difference Between a Literature Review and an Annotated Bibliography

Literature review.

A literature review should not be confused with an annotated bibliography. A literature review is not simply a summary of information you have found on a topic. Literature reviews are more in depth and provides analysis of multiple works relating to a research question. An annotated bibliography is a list of the resources, that you consulted when working on a research project. Each citation is accompanied by a brief written analysis of its usefulness to your research.

annotated bibliography vs literature review

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“Library Guides: Annotated Bibliographies: Overview.” Overview - Annotated Bibliographies - Library Guides at University of Washington Libraries , guides.lib.uw.edu/tacoma/annotated.

Purdue Owl Annotated Bibliographies

Purdue owl annotated bibliography information, annotated bibliography breakdown, stem cell research: an annotated bibliography.

Holland, Suzanne. The Human Embryonic Stem Cell Debate: Science, Ethics, and Public Policy . Boston: MIT P, 2001.

This is the annotation of the above source, which is formatted according to MLA 2016 (8 th ed.) guidelines for the bibliographic information listed above. If one were really writing an annotation for this source, one would offer a brief summary of what this book says about stem cell research.

After a brief summary, it would be appropriate to assess this source and offer some criticisms of it. Does it seem like a reliable and current source? Why? Is the research biased or objective? Are the facts well documented? Who is the author? Is she qualified in this subject? Is this source scholarly, popular, some of both?

The length of your annotation will depend on the assignment or on the purpose of your annotated bibliography. After summarizing and assessing, you can now reflect on this source. How does it fit into your research? Is this a helpful resource? Too scholarly? Not scholarly enough? Too general/specific? Since "stem cell research" is a very broad topic, has this source helped you to narrow your topic?

Senior, K. "Extending the Ethical Boundaries of Stem Cell Research." Trends in Molecular Medicine , vol. 7, 2001, pp. 5-6.

Not all annotations have to be the same length. For example, this source is a very short scholarly article. It may only take a sentence or two to summarize. Even if you are using a book, you should only focus on the sections that relate to your topic.

Not all annotated bibliographies assess and reflect; some merely summarize. That may not be the most helpful for you, but, if this is an assignment, you should always ask your instructor for specific guidelines.

Wallace, Kelly. "Bush Stands Pat on Stem Cell Policy." CNN . 13 Aug. 2001.

Using a variety of sources can help give you a broader picture of what is being said about your topic. You may want to investigate how scholarly sources are treating this topic differently than more popular sources. But again, if your assignment is to only use scholarly sources, then you will probably want to avoid magazines and popular web sites.

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Annotated Bibliography: Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

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How are annotated bibliographies and literature reviews related? 

Annotated bibliographies collect sources and present citations along with a summary and analysis that connects the information to your research question. In a literature review , the author synthesizes multiple sources together to present the major themes, arguments and theories around a topic. 

Therefore, an annotated bibliography can provide an opportunity to review and analyze individual sources before o rganizing them around common denominators found across sources. 

annotated bibliography vs literature review

Creating an annotated bibliography: 

  • Review your assignment to determine how your professor would like your annotated bibliography to look.
  • Search ! The "Strategic Searching" and "Locating Sources Online & At Pace" pages on this guide for assistance in locating potential sources. 
  • Create the citations for your sources. 
  • Write a paragraph for each citation summarizing, analyzing and determining the relevance of that source to your paper.                                                                       Icon by freepik

Examples: 

  • University of Wisconsin: Annotated Bibliographies Research Guide This Research Guide page walks through the step by step process of creating an annotated bibliography.
  • Rasmussen College: Annotated Bibliography Research Guide Watch the video and see an example of an annotated bibliography.

Two questions at the top: How does gender bias in the US healthcare system affect women as patients and their health outcomes? and How do social media algorithms impact the increase in extremest rhetoric in America? Ask a question that has a complex answer not answerable with a Googles search

Literature reviews serve a purpose in research by: 

  • Showing the writer's understanding of their topic area including key concepts, terminology, theories and definitions
  • Identifying what research has been done in that area
  • Finding gaps in the research or current areas of interest to help the writer tweak their own research question, if needed
  • Identifying main areas of agreement, disagreement or controversy within the topic area
  • Convincing the reader that your research question is significant, important and interesting

You are writing a MAP to the scholarly conversation on your topic.

  • Planning and Creating a Literature Review Video Tips for searching, analyzing, and organizing sources for your literature review.

For your Literature Review you will summarize, evaluate, and synthesize, existing scholarship related to your research question. This "scholarship" is found in academic, scholarly, peer-reviewed journals. These differ from magazines and articles written for the general public because scholarly journals are written for researchers and experts in the discipline area. 

Image of a scholarly article with individual parts labeled

Click the link below titled, "Anatomy of a Scholarly Journal Article" to view an  interactive journal article and review what each section means.

You may need a few peer reviewed sources for your literature review. But what does that mean?

Peer-reviewed and refereed publications  include articles that are read and approved by an editor and one or more experts in that field to confirm accuracy of information and the contribution of that information to the scholarly conversation. 

  • Anatomy of a Scholarly Journal Article Click to explore what makes up a "scholarly journal article." From the North Carolina State University Library.
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Citations & Writing Help: Annotated Bibliographies vs. Literature Reviews

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What is an Annotated Bibliography?

  • Purdue OWL Annotated Bibliography page

An annotated bibliography  is a list of resources that you have gathered on a topic that includes an annotation, or notes, following the reference.  Like a References list, annotated bibliographies gather all resources discovered in the research process in one document. Each citation in the bibliography is followed by an annotation -- a 5-7 sentence paragraph consisting of a summary, an evaluation, and a reflection on that resource. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

The Process

First, locate and record citations to books, periodicals, and documents that may contain useful information and ideas on your topic. Briefly examine and review what you've found, then choose those works that provide a variety of perspectives on your topic. 

Cite the book, article, or document using the citation style that your instructor requests that you use.

Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that (a) evaluate the authority or background of the author, (b) comment on the intended audience, (c) compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or (d) explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic.  Annotated Bibliographies  often include personal reactions and opinions and may use 1st person (I/me).

Critically Appraising the Book, Article, or Document

For guidance in critically appraising and analyzing the sources for your bibliography, see  How to Critically Analyze Information Sources . 

(adapted from  https://guides.library.cornell.edu/annotatedbibliography )

What is a Literature Review?

  • Purdue OWL Literature Review page

Literature Review

The purpose of a literature review is to provide an overview of existing academic literature on a specific topic and an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the author’s arguments. You are summarizing what research is available on a certain topic and then drawing conclusions about the topic. To make gathering your research easier, be sure to start with a narrow/specific topic and then widen your topic if necessary.

A literature review is helpful when determining what research has already been discovered through academic research and what further research still needs to be done. Are there gaps? Are there opportunities for further research? What is missing from my collection of resources? Are more resources needed?

Literature reviews  do not provide personal arguments or opinions and are written in 3rd person.

It is important to note that the conclusions described in the literature you gather may contradict each other completely or in part.  A literature review gives the researcher an overview and understanding of various strands of thought on a particular topic or issue.

(adapted from  https://rasmussen.libanswers.com/faq/43033 )

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Literature Review vs. Annotated Bibliography vs. Research Paper... What's the difference?

Literature Review

The purpose of a literature review is to provide an overview of existing academic literature on a specific topic and an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the author’s arguments. You are summarizing what research is available on a certain topic and then drawing conclusions about the topic. To make gathering your research easier, be sure to start with a narrow/specific topic and then widen your topic if necessary.

A literature review is helpful when determining what research has already been discovered through academic research and what further research still needs to be done. Are there gaps? Are there opportunities for further research? What is missing from my collection of resources? Are more resources needed?

It is important to note that the conclusions described in the literature you gather may contradict each other completely or in part.  A literature review gives the researcher an overview and understanding of research findings to date on a particular topic or issue.

Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a list of resources that you have gathered on a topic that includes an annotation following the reference.  Like a References list, annotated bibliographies gather all resources discovered in the research process in one document. Each citation in the bibliography is followed by an annotation a 5-7 sentence paragraph consisting of a summary, an evaluation, and a reflection of that resource.

An annotated bibliography is different from a literature review because it serves a different purpose. Annotated bibliographies focus on sources gathered for a specific research project. A literature review attempts to take a comprehensive approach to evaluate all of the research available on a particular question or a topic to create the foundation for a research paper. 

For more information, please visit the annotated bibliography page of our APA guide.

Research Paper

A research paper presents a single argument/idea on a topic supported by research that you have gathered. Your own thoughts and opinions will be supported by research that you have gathered on your topic. The resources used in your research paper typically support the argument that you are making.

For more information on writing a research paper, check out our Writing guide .

Generally, either an annotated bibliography or a literature review are written first and set the framework for the final product: your research paper. 

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Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: What’s the Difference?

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by  Antony W

January 26, 2024

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review

In this lesson, you will learn about annotated bibliography vs literature review.  

From purpose and structure to components and writing, this guide gives you the differences between the two and points you in the right direction.

Our goal in this lesson is simple: to help you know what goes into each type so that you don’t waste your time working on an assignment you have no idea how to handle.

Note that both annotated bibliography and literature reviews both gives a collection of relevant sources, but that’s all there is to what makes them similar.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review

annotated bibliography vs literature review

The following are the differences between an annotated bibliography and a literature review. Note that we’ve looked at the differences in terms of purpose, structure, components, and writing.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: Purpose

By definition, an annotated bibliography is an ordered list of sources with a brief explanation of each source.

Since each source is a brief and concise exposition of the original author’s central ideas, a reader should be able to get a clear objective of the content of the source.

A literature review, on the other hand, gives a reader an overview of a given topic.

The focus of the author in this case is to provide a comprehensive summary and explanation of the most significant sources in the respective subject.

In addition to giving readers an overview of the already existing academic literature on a subject or topic under investigation, a literature review gives a concise evaluation of the strengths and drawbacks of authors’ arguments.

Usually, you have to look into these existing sources, summarize your research and then draw possible conclusions about the issue in question.

In research development, a literature review is necessary because it enables a researcher to uncover existing studies and find gaps and opportunities in existing studies for further research.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: Structure

annotated bibliography vs literature review structure

Authors mention sources more than once in literature reviews by integrating them into paragraphs based on the progression of the topic under investigation.

The structure of an annotated bibliography is different in that an author lists sources alphabetically so that they’re easy to locate.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: Components

Every source item in an annotated bibliography features a formal citation style. Your instructor may ask you to use APA, MLA, or Chicago format to cite a source alongside a short paragraph that explains the credibility and the relevance of the annotation . 

The structure of a literature review is different in that it has an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Using this format, an author gives a summary of the topic in the introduction, explain the subject in the body while synthesizing the sources progressively, and then writes a conclusion that summarize the background under investigation.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: Writing  

annotated bibliography vs literature review writing

When it comes to writing an annotate bibliography, you need to have a separate paragraph describing each source that you cite.

The work examines each source separately based on its relation to the topic under investigation, and you need to make sure you organize these sources alphabetically.

You have to follow each citation with an annotation. Each annotation should be one paragraph with at least 150 words. That’s about 5 to 7 sentences long.

The single most valuable advantage of an annotated bibliography is that it gives a person the freedom to choose whether they would like to explore these sources or look elsewhere altogether.

Check out our comprehensive guide on writing an annotated bibliography to learn more about the topic in-depth.

In the case of a literature review, authors have the freedom to incorporate several sources in their writing, and they can repeat them if necessary.

By drawing together multiple sources, an author is able to determine where the works of literature agree and or disagree.

Instead of organizing sources in an alphabetical order, a literature review uses classification or division, cause or effect, comparison or contrast, and problem or solution to organize the sources. 

Unlike an annotated bibliography, a literature review doesn’t give readers the freedom to choose which sources to explore and which ones to leave out altogether.

Instead, it gives the audience a clear understanding of all the sources used. Check out our comprehensive guide to writing a literature review to learn more about this type of assignment in academic writing.

Get Help with Annotated Bibliography Writing

While collecting sources and organizing them in an alphabetical order is simple, writing the annotated can be somewhat a challenge. It’s challenging for two reasons: either you don’t have the time to complete the work yourself or you have a complex topic to work on.

However, you don’t have to let your annotated bibliography to be a headache at all. Take advantage of our annotated bibliography writing service and let us help you get the work completed in a good time.

Our writers are the best talent in the field. With years of experience in the academic writing industry, not to mention over 500 annotations written so far, we’re no doubt the right team to hire for the job. Plus, you enjoy the benefits of up to 5 revisions at no extra cost if you choose to work with us.

Get Help With Literature Review Writing 

Are you having a difficult time putting together a comprehensive literature review? Maybe you don’t have enough time to handle the assignment and you need help to get the work done? Or maybe your instructor has asked you to explore a topic you don’t like?

If your answer to any, or all, of these questions is a YES, you can count on us to help you. Our literature review writing service is the solution you need. Since we’ve customized this service to suit the need of every student, you can be sure you will get more value for your investment if you choose to work with us.

Take advantage of our 30% discount for your first order and get your literature review written in time.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

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Home » Education » Difference Between Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review

Difference Between Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review

Main difference – annotated bibliography vs literature review.

Annotated bibliography and literature review summarize and analyze the information gathered from different sources. The difference between annotated bibliography and literature review lies in the way they present information. An annotated bibliography lists the sources separately, followed by short descriptions. But, literature review analyses all the sources together, examining the relationship between them. In addition, differences can also be observed in purpose, format, and components as well.

This article examines,

1. What is an Annotated Bibliography? – Structure, Components, and Purpose 

2. What is a Literature Review? – Structure, Components, and Purpose 

Difference Between Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review - Comparison Summary

What is an Annotated Bibliography

An annotated bibliography is a bibliography (a list of resources) accompanied by annotations. Annotations are usually short descriptions and critical assessment of each word. The writer will evaluate whether the information from that particular source is relevant to the particular topic and examine the quality of the work. The annotations will contain about 100-200 words. The information about different sources are given separately in an annotated bibliography. The information is listed in alphabetical order. Moreover, each item in the list should use a formal citation style such as APA, MLA or Chicago.

Moreover, annotations may be classified into different types based on their purpose. Informative annotations summarize the source. Evaluative annotations evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the source. The following section is an example of the structure of an annotated bibliography. Here, you can see how different sources are analysed separately. Read more about Annotated Bibliography and how to write it.

What is a Literature Review

A literature review is an evaluative report of information found in the literature related to your selected area of study. It provides an overview of a particular topic or issue by summarizing and explaining the most significant sources in the field. In a literature review, the sources are integrated into paragraphs based on the relevance. Unlike in an annotated bibliography, the sources are not summarized individually. This method helps to establish relationships – similarities and difference – between the literature you have reviewed. In addition, the gaps in the knowledge are highlighted by this presentation of information as a whole. The structure of a literature review is similar to that of an essay or an article. The list of sources is given as a bibliography or reference list at the end of the text.

The following example indicates the structure of a literature review. In this example, you can observe how different sources are analysed to bring out the commonalities or differences. 

Annotated Bibliography: Sources are analyzed separately.

Literature Review: Information from different sources are analyzed together.

Listing Sources

Annotated Bibliography: The source is indicated at the beginning of each section.

Literature Review: The sources are listed at the end of the document, as a bibliography.

Annotated Bibliography: Annotated bibliography comments on the relevance and quality of the information.

Literature Review: Literature review establishes a relationship between different sources and highlights gaps in knowledge.

Annotated Bibliography : Sources are listed alphabetically.

Literature Review: Sources are integrated together according to relevance.

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Annotated Bibliography

Include the following:

  • What are the main topics and points?
  • How would you explain the article to someone else?
  • How does the article compare to your other articles?
  • Do you perceive bias or is it objective?
  • What is the goal of the article?
  • Is this resource helpful to your research?
  • How can you use the article in your paper?
  • Has the article changed the way you think about your topic?
  • Does this article provide similar ideas to the other article(s)?
  • If so, does the information agree or disagree with the other article(s)?

What is a review of literature?

An integrated analysis that:

  • What questions were addressed?
  • What are the main conclusions (What does the study argue?)
  • Where do the studies agree?
  • What are the bases for disagreement?
  • What theories/policies/evidence were looked at?
  • Sound reasoning
  • Careful assessment of evidence
  • Well-executed methodology
  • What is overall quality of the literature?
  • What questions were neglected?
  • What relevant information and alternative theories were not discussed?
  • What problems require additional research?

Organizing a Review of Literature

  • Define topic and establish reason for literature review
  • Point out general trends about topic
  • Explain criteria used in analyzing and comparing articles
  • Thematic clusters (chronologically, thematically, or methodologically)
  • Smooth, logical transition between clusters
  • Emphasizes main findings or arguments of articles in student’s own words (very limited direct quotations from articles)
  • Summarizes major themes and identifies areas of controversy
  • Innovative methodology
  • Gaps in research
  • Concludes by forming questions that need further research
  • Provides insight into relationship between that topic and larger field of study/discipline

Relational Words and Phrases That:

  • Point out relationships between articles
  • Define connections
  • Explain how they come together to represent a body of knowledge

What a Review of Literature is NOT

  • Just a summary
  • Grouping of broad, unrelated sources
  • Compilation of everything ever written on the topic
  • A literary criticism

Types of Literature Reviews

  • Course assignment (stand alone/selective)
  • Review article (stand alone/comprehensive)
  • Intro to journal (part of larger work/selective)
  • Thesis/dissertation (part of larger work/comprehensive)
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What is An Annotated Bibliography?

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (books, articles, websites, etc.) with short paragraph about each source. An annotated bibliography is sometimes a useful step before drafting a research paper, or it can stand alone as an overview of the research available on a topic.

Each source in the annotated bibliography has a citation - the information a reader needs to find the original source, in a consistent format to make that easier. These consistent formats are called citation styles.  The most common citation styles are MLA (Modern Language Association) for humanities, and APA (American Psychological Association) for social sciences.

Annotations are about 4 to 6 sentences long (roughly 150 words), and address:

  •     Main focus or purpose of the work
  •     Usefulness or relevance to your research topic 
  •     Special features of the work that were unique or helpful
  •     Background and credibility of the author
  •     Conclusions or observations reached by the author
  •     Conclusions or observations reached by you

Annotations versus Abstracts

Many scholarly articles start with an abstract, which is the author's summary of the article to help you decide whether you should read the entire article.  This abstract is not the same thing as an annotation.  The annotation needs to be in your own words, to explain the relevance of the source to your particular assignment or research question.

Literature Review Resources

Literature Review How To  (University Library) offers useful tips on how to write a literature review and provides you with information on things you should and should not do.

Literature Reviews (Purdue OWL )

Review of Literature (University of Wisconsin)

Write a Literature Review (UC Santa Cruz)

APA 7th Annotated Bibliography Examples

Journal article.

Alvarez, N. & Mearns, J. (2014). The benefits of writing and performing in the spoken word poetry community.  The Arts in Psychotherapy, 41 (3), 263-268.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2014.03.004 Prior research has shown narrative writing to help with making meaning out of trauma. This article uses grounded theory to analyze semi-structured interviews with ten spoken word poets.  Because spoken word poetry is performed live, it creates personal and community connections that enhance the emotional development and resolution offered by the practice of writing. The findings are limited by the small, nonrandom sample (all the participants were from the same community).

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Literature Review vs. Annotated Bibliography

The purpose of a literature review is to provide an overview of existing academic literature on a specific topic and an evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the author’s arguments. You are summarizing what research is available on a certain topic and then drawing conclusions about the topic.

An annotated bibliography is a list of resources that you have gathered on a topic that includes an annotation following the reference.  Like a References list, annotated bibliographies gather all resources discovered in the research process in one document. Each citation in the bibliography is followed by an annotation, a summary of that source.

An annotated bibliography is different from a literature review because it serves a different purpose. Annotated bibliographies focus on sources gathered for a specific research project. A literature review attempts to take a comprehensive approach to evaluate all of the research available on a particular question or a topic to create the foundation for a research paper. This review is often incorporated at the beginning of a research paper in its own section but it may also form the thesis for the paper.

Or as the University of North Alabama puts it " An annotated bibliography examines each source based on its relationship to the topic; a literature review draws together multiple sources to examine where they agree or disagree ."

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annotated bibliography vs literature review

Literature Review Example

annotated bibliography vs literature review

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annotated bibliography vs literature review

Description : 

An annotated bibliography is a list of citations such as books, articles, and documents (a bibliography) with a brief summary and/or evaluation (annotation) for each citation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited. Unlike other types of reviews, annotated bibliographies do not have established standards. Your bibliography will be guided primarily by its purpose and instructor guidelines (for class assignments).

What to cover in an annotation:

  • Main focus, purpose, or claim of the work
  • The usefulness of the citation to your research topic or goal
  • The reliability, trustworthiness and quality of the source
  • * Always refer to the requirements of the assignment

The Process: 

  • Creating an annotated bibliography involves a concise background explanation, succinct analysis and informed research. 
  • Search and collect relevant citations
  • Examine and review the articles
  • These articles should include a variety of viewpoints, address disagreements and controversies around a research topic
  • Cite the works using an appropriate citation style
  • Write a brief annotation for each citation

Guidance for Annotated Bibliographies : 

  • Purdue OWL: Annotated Bibliographies
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Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: Difference and Comparison

When writing an essay or a research paper, the format that has to be followed is very important. The format gives the write-up its meaning and the importance of that particular paper.

Different essays have different formats, depending upon the type of essay being written and the cause.

Key Takeaways Annotated bibliographies provide a summary and evaluation of individual sources. Literature reviews synthesize and analyze the collective body of research on a topic. Both tools help researchers understand the existing literature and inform their studies.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review

An annotated bibliography is an alphabetical list of the facts of the sources of information for the topic with a summary and analysis, while a literary review is a summary of a specific topic or an argument. The former emphasizes accuracy, while the latter depicts the author’s insights.

Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review

An Annotated Bibliography contains all the information about the different sources that have been used to write a particular essay.

This could be citations from books, articles from different authors, or any other form of written content that has contributed to the creation of that particular write-up. It also includes a brief description of these sources.

 A Literature Review, on the other hand, is a small essay or an overview of a particular topic. A literature Review is written to provide a brief idea about a particular topic before diving into the main content.

It is written while converting a project into written format and it gives a brief description of the project.

Comparison Table

What is annotated bibliography.

Annotated Bibliography is a written text that is written while making a thesis or a research paper. It is written in the form of a list containing all the sources used for conducting the research.

This list contains details about the various sources used. The details are also written briefly to provide information about each source used.

Each entry in the Annotated Bibliography is written in about 150 to 200 words to give complete information about the source. This includes the author of the particular book or information about the researchers involved in that particular article.

Publishing histories, such as the publishing house’s name, the date, place of publication, volume number of that particular work, and other such pieces f information, are also included in the entry to the annotated bibliography.

The page number of a particular article is also a key aspect of entry to the annotated bibliography. All this information is written to justify the inclusion of that particular article in the research. This gives a good idea about the domain of the research to anyone reading it.

Annotated Bibliography is written in alphabetical order, and contrary to other write-ups in the research book, it is in the form of a bulleted list.

annotated bibliography 1

What is Literature Review?

A Literature Review is a small essay written in the form of an overview of the project or research. It is included at the beginning of a project book or a research paper and it provides a brief overview of the content of the project.

It is written in the form of a brief description of the project or research, and it includes everything about the project, from the main objectives to the final scope and practical usage. 

Thus a literature review is written after completing the project and analyzing it thoroughly. The length of the entire literature review may vary, depending on the size of the project and the purpose of writing.

Depending on the purpose, the level of detail and thoroughness of explanation will vary and this will add to the length of the write-up. Thus the write-up can be from around a few pages long to the size of an entire chapter, roughly 20 pages long.

Either way, a literature review should include the entire explanation of the whole project, from the idea behind its conceptualization to the findings of the research to the practical application.

The literature review is the first writ-up that a judging body or the audience goes through. Hence a well-written literature review is very important to the impression and the overall weight of the research paper.

literature review

Main Differences Between Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review

  • Annotated Bibliography is a list providing brief information about the sources used for performing the research. A literature Review is a small overview of the topic or the research.
  • Annotated Bibliography is written in the form of a bulleted list. A literature review is written in the form of a small essay.
  • The overall length of Annotated bibliography depends upon the number of sources referred. The length of a literature review may vary from a few pages to a whole chapter.
  • An annotated bibliography is written in alphabetical order. A literature review is written after analyzing the whole research thoroughly.
  • The purpose of writing annotated bibliography is to provide justification for the sources used for the research. A literature review is written to provide an overview of the research.

Difference Between X and Y 2023 05 15T113946.550

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A bibliography is a list of sources that have been used when researching a topic. They are also called "Works Cited" or "References" depending on the style format used.

An annotation is a summary and/or an evaluation.

Therefore, an annotated bibliography is when you write a summary and/or evaluation for each source in your bibliography. This means your bibliography page with include 1) your sources with complete citation in alphabetical order and 2) a summary and/or evaluation and/or reflection along with each source.

Your annotations can include up to three items, depending on the requirements of the assignment:

  • Summary - you will summarize the main points of the source, paraphrasing the point of the source as well as the topics covered.
  • Evaluation - you will evaluate the source on its usefulness and compare/contrast it with others sources in your bibliography. You will discuss its reliability and credibility as a source, and whether it is bias or objective. You also might discuss the goal of the source.
  • Reflection - you will reflect on the overall usefulness of the source for your research. Was the source helpful to you? How can the source be used in your research paper or project? Did the source cause you to think differently about the topic?

Remember, an annotated bibliography may include all or some of these parts, so get specific instructions from your professor.

To learn more about your topic - Engaging in the creation of an annotated bibliography offers valuable benefits for researchers at all levels. Beyond mere information gathering or quote selection, it encourages deeper engagement with each source, promoting critical reading and analysis. This process fosters the development of critical thinking skills and a robust understanding of the chosen topic, ultimately leading to the formulation of a well-defined, debatable, and interesting thesis statement - a cornerstone of any successful research project.

To help other researchers:  Furthermore, annotated bibliographies can extend their impact beyond the individual researcher. When published, they serve as valuable resources for other researchers in the field, providing a comprehensive overview of the chosen topic, facilitating further exploration and understanding.

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Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review

  • Euphresia Kwamboka
  • March 17, 2022
  • Essay Guides and Topics

Here's What We'll Cover

It can be quite confusing differentiating an annotated bibliography from a literature review . Both of them are important components of any research paper or thesis, they are comprehensive collections of important sources of information used for the write-up. However, they differ from each other based on structure, content, purpose, and length. This article discusses annotated bibliography vs literature review and the common mistakes students make when writing each of them. If you still struggle, or could not find the answers you need in after reading our guide, feel free to contact our reliable research paper tutors.

What Is A Literature Review?

A Literature review is a detailed search and survey on the existing knowledge matter on a certain topic during research or thesis writing. It involves finding out what is already known about a subject matter and systematically presenting this knowledge so that your audience can easily identify with this knowledge. It helps to identify the existing gaps in that topic and how your work will help fill out the gap. 

A literature review comprises four primary objectives:

  • Explores the published knowledge in your chosen study area. 
  • Analyzes all the information obtained and identifies the theories, points of view, and associated limitations. It also unearths the existing gaps the research will help address. 
  • It delivers the summary in a useful manner.

What Is an Annotated Bibliography?

A bibliography is a list that displays all the sources of information you used for your academic writing, be it a research paper or a thesis. Usually done in a stipulated style, including MLA, APA, or Chicago. 

An annotated bibliography is simply a short paragraph that describes a particular citation. It comprises 2 parts: the citation, followed by the annotation. The citation is the source of information cited in any of the styles above. However, the annotation is a short description of the source. It is usually done in a short paragraph of 100 to 300 words. The description may include why you chose that source, strengths or weaknesses, the source’s conclusion, amongst other things. 

Annotated Bibliography is important in research writing because it helps you have a standby list of your cited sources and a short description. You can quickly refer to anyone when the need arises without a thorough search.

Additionally, it provides readers with a readily available list of all the sources and a summary of the contents of those sources.

Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review-What Are The Differences?

Even though there are some similarities between the annotated bibliography and the literature review, there are sharp differences. In this section, I’ll take you through the differences between the two. 

An annotated bibliography is a list of all the references you used for your research writing and a summary of the content. It usually consists of the citation written in a particular style and an annotation, a concise paragraph of about 100 to 300 words.

On the other hand, a literature review is a systematic description of the existing knowledge and published works on a particular research topic of interest. It also includes the limitations of the existing works, the gaps, and what your research work will contribute in that regard.

They also differ based on the purpose they serve on a research paper  

The purposes of Annotated Bibliography include:

  • By critically evaluating the literature, It helps you learn more about the research topic. 
  • Summarizes the major issues and arguments in the research topic. 
  • Helps you find the differences in interpretations of the theories on that topic and the various critiques
  • Aids the development of your critical reading and analytical skills by causing a deeper engagement with all the different sources. 

The purposes of the Literature Review include:

  • Gives you the basic knowledge needed for the research topic. 
  • Helps to forestall duplication by giving credit to the researchers.
  • Identifies gaps, open questions, and conflicts in previous research work. 
  • It helps you identify connections between your research work and those of others.
  • It helps to bring out the need for your research

The length of an annotated bibliography varies depending on the number of cited sources. However, each annotation is between 100 to 300 words long. While a literature review length depends on the scale of the research. This can span between a few pages to as many as 20 pages.

 An annotated bibliography consists of a list of all the sources with the corresponding annotations separated from one another and organized alphabetically. Sources are only cited only once while a literature review is in the form of an expository essay topically describing the different sources. Sources can be used more than once.

Writing Process

The writing process of an annotated bibliography involves the following steps:.

  • Literature search involves locating and recording all the sources which could be books, documents, periodicals, and even websites that contain useful information and ideas on your topic.
  • Review and examine – involves reviewing and examining all of the sources of information and then selecting those sources that give you a wide variety of perspectives on the research topic.
  • Cite – involves citing all the sources of information using an appropriate formal style. 
  • Annotation – involves writing a short annotation that summarizes the major concept and scope of the source

The writing process of a literature review comprises the following steps:

  • Problem formulation
  • Literature search – involves searching for suitable sources of information such as articles, books, or websites.
  • Data evaluation – involves evaluating the sources of information to be used. 
  • Analysis and interpretation – involves identifying the gaps and outlining the structure and finally, writing the literature review.

An annotated bibliography and literature review also differ based on context. The annotated bibliography contains a list of references called a citation. The references are cited using a formal style: APA, MLA, or Chicago. It also contains short paragraphs called annotations that summarize the references 

Contrarily, the literature review contains an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Firstly, the introduction usually contains the research question, the importance, and some background information about the research. The body usually contains your summation, commentaries, and evaluations about the sources. The conclusion summarizes all the major concepts in your literature review and also points out the gaps your research intends to fill 

Common Mistakes Students Make In Annotated Bibliography

Essay structure.

One big mistake students make is arranging the citations wrongly which gives rise to a poor essay structure. The citations should be arranged in a particular order. That can either be alphabetically or chronologically. Therefore,if done this way, it makes your work easier and clearer to read and comprehend.

However, many students completely ignore this rule or forget it. Consequently, everything looks scattered and disorganized, which prevents proper focusing.

Take, for instance, you see three citations arranged in alphabetical order. You then assume that you will easily get other people’s work by the ABC method. However, the ensuing citations are then listed according to their date of publication. That makes it impossible to find what you are looking for. Therefore, you should beware of the possible problems that may arise and select an appropriate order.

Incorrect Citation And Referencing

When you carry out academic research, utilize dependable and verifiable data. These can be in the form of surveys, statistics, interviews, and others. You should cite your data correctly.

You should also cite all your sources of information. However, several students don’t know how to cite accurately. Consequently, your readers cannot make complete sense of your citations. Citing your sources incorrectly can cause a lot of complications, including losing all the marks.

The reason why this happens is that students don’t follow the instructions as regards the citation style. There are several styles of referencing, including APA, MLA, Chicago, Vancouver, Harvard, and others. All of them are unique and different from each other even though they may appear to be similar e.g. when referencing a memo . You should take time to learn them and also practice referencing different works. The more you practice, the better you become.

Derisory Content

This mistake is usually due to inadequate research by the students. They are too lazy to carry out in-depth and meticulous research. That leads to a paucity of content which can cause you marks.

Poor Organization

Commonly, instructors ask students are to rewrite their bibliographies because the references are poorly organized. There are many ways of organizing your references. You can organize based on the author, title, date of publication, and subject. So, should organize based on the instructions of your supervisor.

Sometimes, students make the mistake of writing annotations that are too long. Also, most educational institutions don’t allow annotations to exceed a paragraph, and marks are deducted if they make this mistake.

Common Mistakes In Literature Review Writing

Too descriptive.

Your literature review should not just be a mere summary of the works of other researchers but should also contain lapses in their methodology. You should criticize the work constructively, pointing out why you don’t completely agree with their conclusions. It could be that the sample size is insufficient or that measurements are unclear. You should find the gaps not covered by their work and address them.

Lack Of Quality Sources

When writing a literature review, you should make use of not less than ten scholarly sources for every 1,000 words. Your sources must be peer-reviewed sources published recently, usually in the last three years. Additionally, magazines, textbooks, newspapers, and blogs are inappropriate for use as references for literature reviews.

A By-article Structure 

You may be tempted to discuss an article per paragraph on many occasions. You should avoid this as most supervisors will mark you down for this. The correct thing to do is to compare and contrast at least three article findings in every paragraph.

No Link To The Research Question 

Sometimes, the literature review has no connection whatsoever with the research question. That shows a poor research process. Therefore, you should make good use of scholarly sources and analyze them critically. Also, discuss how the findings correlate with your research topic.

Un-grounded Statements

When you’re criticizing the research findings of other researchers, you should watch yourself so that you don’t become judgemental. You should back all your statements with references so that your audience will know that what you’re saying is not a personal opinion.

Is an annotated bibliography the same as a literarture review ?

No, they are not the same. A bibliography is simply the list of all the sources of information utilized for research work. It should include the name of the author, the title of the work, the publisher, the date of publication, and the page number if the source has multiple volumes). A type of bibliography is annotated. 

On the contrary, a Literature Review can be best described as an expository essay, consisting of an introduction, body, and conclusion that provides an overview of the previous research done about a particular topic.

Can you turn an annotated bibliography into a literature review?

Yes, you can convert an annotated bibliography into literature

1. Add a short second paragraph below every annotation. 

2. Then re-organize all the annotations so that they flow with each other and tell a story. That could be chronological(the story begins from the most recent one to the one that’s earliest, or from the earliest one to the one that’s most recent or you can group the stories in terms of how they relate with the sub-theme. Put another way, arrange all the annotations so that they are reasonable and make sense. 

3. Remove the citations that precede each annotation paragraph and the lines that separate them. Put all the references on the reference page and arrange them alphabetically. 

4. Then edit all the paragraphs to flow coherently and make sense, just like a literature review should. 

5. Include an abstract and add the cover page.

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  1. Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

    Learn the differences between an annotated bibliography and a literature review, two types of assignments that require you to summarize and evaluate sources on a topic. See a side-by-side comparison of the two types of assignments in terms of definition, purpose, structure, and writing process. Find out how to cite your sources correctly and avoid common mistakes.

  2. What is the difference between a literature review and an annotated

    Learn the difference between a literature review and an annotated bibliography, two types of academic writing that are often used in dissertations, theses, and research papers. Find out how to structure, write, and cite your literature review or annotated bibliography with Scribbr's tips and guides.

  3. PDF Comparing the Annotated Bibliography to the Literature Review

    An annotated bibliography must organize sources alphabetically, but a literature review is likely to use problem/solution, cause/effect, comparison/contrast, classification/division, or process to organize sources. The following illustration provides an example of the differences in layout between an annotated bibliography and a literature review.

  4. Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review

    Learn the differences between an annotated bibliography and a literature review, two important sections of a research paper. Annotated bibliography evaluates the sources of information with regard to their accuracy and quality, while literature review summarises the research findings of others in a specific topic. See examples, purposes, and tips for writing them.

  5. Annotated Bibliographies vs. Literature Reviews

    Annotated Bibliography - an annotated bibliography is a list of citations with brief notes added below each citation summarizing the content of the article cited (the annotation) included. The annotation accompanying a citation may also contain a short evaluation of the article in addition to a summary. Literature Review - a systematic review of the published material, or scholarly writings ...

  6. Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

    An annotated bibliography is different from a literature review because it serves a different purpose. Annotated bibliographies focus on sources gathered for a specific research project. A literature review attempts to take a comprehensive approach to evaluate all of the research available on a particular question or a topic to create the ...

  7. Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

    Annotated Bibliography Literature Review; Purpose: To serve as a list of sources for background on a more general topic. Informs the reader of the researcher's knowledge of the relevant research already conducted on the topic under discussion, and places the author's current study in context of previous studies.

  8. Literature Reviews & Annotated Bibliographies

    The purpose of an annotated bibliography is to: review the literature of a particular subject; demonstrate the quality and depth of reading that you have done; exemplify the scope of sources available—such as journals, books, websites and magazine articles; highlight sources that may be of interest to other readers and researchers;

  9. Home

    Literature Review. A literature review should not be confused with an annotated bibliography. A literature review is not simply a summary of information you have found on a topic. Literature reviews are more in depth and provides analysis of multiple works relating to a research question. An annotated bibliography is a list of the resources, that you consulted when working on a research project.

  10. Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

    Annotated Bibliography: Literature Review: Purpose: Ordered list of sources. Brief explanation and evaluation of sources. Focuses on content of each source. Organized discussion or topic. Focuses on thesis or research question. Significant use of sources in field. Structure:

  11. What are Annotated Bibliographies & Literature Reviews ...

    How are annotated bibliographies and literature reviews related? Annotated bibliographies collect sources and present citations along with a summary and analysis that connects the information to your research question. In a literature review, the author synthesizes multiple sources together to present the major themes, arguments and theories around a topic.

  12. Annotated Bibliographies vs. Literature Reviews

    An annotated bibliography is a list of resources that you have gathered on a topic that includes an annotation, or notes, following the reference.Like a References list, annotated bibliographies gather all resources discovered in the research process in one document. Each citation in the bibliography is followed by an annotation -- a 5-7 sentence paragraph consisting of a summary, an ...

  13. Literature Review vs. Annotated Bibliography vs. Research Paper... What

    Each citation in the bibliography is followed by an annotation a 5-7 sentence paragraph consisting of a summary, an evaluation, and a reflection of that resource. An annotated bibliography is different from a literature review because it serves a different purpose. Annotated bibliographies focus on sources gathered for a specific research project.

  14. Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: What's the Difference?

    Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: Purpose By definition, an annotated bibliography is an ordered list of sources with a brief explanation of each source. Since each source is a brief and concise exposition of the original author's central ideas, a reader should be able to get a clear objective of the content of the source.

  15. Literature Review vs. Annotated Bibliography: What's the Difference?

    Below each citation, include a brief, 2-3 sentence synopsis. A literature review is not just an annotated bibliography converted from a list into paragraphs, nor is It only a synopsis of related research. It is not simply a series of "reviews" of the strengths and the weaknesses of previous research. And yet it might contain all of these ...

  16. Difference Between Annotated Bibliography and Literature Review

    The difference between annotated bibliography and literature review lies in the way they present information. An annotated bibliography lists the sources separately, followed by short descriptions. But, literature review analyses all the sources together, examining the relationship between them. In addition, differences can also be observed in ...

  17. Annotated Bibliography/Review of Literature

    Introduction. Define topic and establish reason for literature review. Point out general trends about topic. Explain criteria used in analyzing and comparing articles. Body of Review. Groups articles in. Thematic clusters (chronologically, thematically, or methodologically) Subtopics.

  18. Annotated Bibliography & Literature Review

    An annotated bibliography is sometimes a useful step before drafting a research paper, or it can stand alone as an overview of the research available on a topic. Each source in the annotated bibliography has a citation - the information a reader needs to find the original source, in a consistent format to make that easier.

  19. Psychology: Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review

    An annotated bibliography is different from a literature review because it serves a different purpose. Annotated bibliographies focus on sources gathered for a specific research project. A literature review attempts to take a comprehensive approach to evaluate all of the research available on a particular question or a topic to create the ...

  20. Annotated Bibliography vs. Literature Review: Are they different?

    Confused about the difference between the two? EssayJack CEO Dr. Lindy explains the difference in this short video. To learn how to write an Annotated Biblio...

  21. Annotated Bibliography

    An annotated bibliography is a list of citations such as books, articles, and documents (a bibliography) with a brief summary and/or evaluation (annotation) for each citation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

  22. Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review: Difference and Comparison

    Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review. An annotated bibliography is an alphabetical list of the facts of the sources of information for the topic with a summary and analysis, while a literary review is a summary of a specific topic or an argument. The former emphasizes accuracy, while the latter depicts the author's insights.

  23. Annotated Bibliography

    A bibliography is a list of sources that have been used when researching a topic. They are also called "Works Cited" or "References" depending on the style format used. An annotation is a summary and/or an evaluation. Therefore, an annotated bibliography is when you write a summary and/or evaluation for each source in your bibliography.

  24. Annotated Bibliography vs Literature Review

    Learn the differences between an annotated bibliography and a literature review, two important components of any research paper or thesis. Find out how to structure, write, and cite them correctly with examples and tips. Avoid common mistakes students make when writing them.