Tips on Writing Annotations

Annotation defined: a brief summary of a book, article, or other publication. It's purpose is to describe the work in such a way that the reader can decide whether or not to read the work itself.

 

General Guidelines:

Step 1: Say something about the author, i.e. qualifications for writing on the subject.

Step 2: Explain the scope and main purpose of the text. This is usually done in one to three short sentences. (This is not a summary of the total content of the work.)

Step 3: Note the relationship to other works in the field, if any. Or you may want to compare one work in your bibliography with the others that you include and how they are different from each other.

Step 4: Include the major bias or standpoint of the author in relation to the work.

Step 5: Indicate the audience and the level of reading difficulty if it is important. This is not always present in an annotation but is important if the work is targeted to a specific audience.

Step 6: At this point the annotation can end with a summary comment.

 

Example of an annotation

UNITED STATES AND SOVIET UNION RELATIONS
KEEPING AN EYE ON THE SOVIET UNION
This is a speech delivered by Robert Dole, who was then Republican Senator from Kansas.

Dole points out that political power and reform in the Soviet Union in 1991 is shifting and alleges that Gorbachev is leading the effort with too much speed. This is the dawn of the break up of the Soviet Union. In keeping with Republican posture he asserts "American policies ought to aim at advancing American interests." Dole describes a number of immediate Soviet-related questions: 1) The Baltics; 2) Armenia; 3) the border regions of Azerbaijan and in Yerevan itself. He contends that the U.S. does not want to see an abrupt collapse of the Soviet State. The Soviets were cooperative with the U.S. in the Gulf War. They need to follow the U.S. model of freedom, human rights and reliance on the marketplace to make economic decisions. Dole is advocating these philosophies in order to advance American interests and make the Soviet Union less of a threat to the U.S. Power in the Soviet Republic is becoming increasingly dispersed and Dole is promoting strategies for the U.S. to take best advantage of this situation.He is addressing the Senate and lobbying for two legislative bills he has authored having to do with the economic interests of the U.S. in dealing with the Soviet Republic and the shift in its leadership.