Annotated Bibliography Outline

Writing an annotated bibliography is different from other types of writing   In fact, while it may be a graded assignment, an annotated bibliography is rarely the final product.  Instead, it is a research tool, which a student can use to quickly determine which references they examined will be helpful in putting together their project.  This research tool compiles your research into a single source, listing the citations for the sources that you examined, along with personalized notes that tell you about the search.  

A well written annotated bibliography is actually structured much like an outline.  By using an outline as a template, the writer can easily grab the information that he or she needs to write a complete and fully structured annotated bibliography.  Questions to keep in mind while analyzing various sources for an annotated bibliography include: whether the source is biased, whether the contents are accurate, and whether the source will be useful.  If you discover quotes or citations that will be helpful in writing your paper, you can include them in the bibliography

We are including five sources in our annotated bibliography, but an annotated bibliography can have many more sources. 

I. Title 

A. Author’s Full Name

B. Year of Publication

C. Publisher

D. City of Publication

E. Additional Publishing information

F. Bias

G. Accuracy

H. Usefulness

1. Quote 1

2. Quote 2 

II. Title 

A. Author’s Full Name

B. Year of Publication

C. Publisher

D. City of Publication

E. Additional Publishing information

F. Bias

G. Accuracy

H. Usefulness

1. Quote 1

2. Quote 2 

III. Title

A. Author’s Full Name

B. Year of Publication

C. Publisher

D. City of Publication

E. Additional Publishing information

F. Bias

G. Accuracy

H. Usefulness

1. Quote 1

2. Quote 2 

IV. Title

A. Author’s Full Name

B. Year of Publication

C. Publisher

D. City of Publication

E. Additional Publishing information

F. Bias

G. Accuracy

H. Usefulness

1. Quote 1

2. Quote 2 

V. Title

A. Author’s Full Name

B. Year of Publication

C. Publisher

D. City of Publication

E. Additional Publishing information

F. Bias

G. Accuracy

H. Usefulness

1. Quote 1

2. Quote 2 

Example Annotated Bibliography Outline

This annotated bibliography will reflect research into colonoscopies as screening devices for colorectal cancer  

I. Colorectal Cancer Screening Tests

A. Centers for Disease Control 

B. February 4, 2019 (last reviewed)

C. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

D. USA.gov

E. https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/screening/tests.htm

F. Bias- Official U.S. health organization clearing site

G. Information aligns with other information found

H. Usefulness

1. During a colonoscopy, “the doctor can find and remove most cancers.”

2. Different guidelines depending on patient’s personal and family history

II. American Cancer Society Guideline for Colorectal Cancer Screening

A. The American Cancer Society Medical and Editorial Content Team

B. May 30, 2018 (Last revised)

C. American Cancer Society

D. https://www.cancer.org/cancer/colon-rectal-cancer/detection-diagnosis- staging/acs-recommendations.html

E. Bias- none detected

F. Accuracy- seems accurate; written by doctors and oncology nurses

G. Usefulness

1. Provides different guidelines for people with a family history

2. Describes different test options

III. Tests to Detect Colorectal Cancer and Polyps

A. National Cancer Institute

B. July 7, 2016 (Reviewed)

C. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

D. https://www.cancer.gov/types/colorectal/screening-fact-sheet

E. Bias- non detected

F. Accuracy

G. Explanations of how polyps may grow into cancers

IV. Meet Cologuard

A. Exact Sciences Corporation

B. 2017

C. Exact Sciences Corporation

D. https://www.cologuardtest.com/meet-cologuard

E. Bias- Potentially biased; prepared by makers of alternative screening  procedure

F. Accuracy- Mentioned in other screening documents

G. Describes alternative screening method that might help those who cannot  or will not get colonoscopies, but does not allow doctor to remove polyps during screening. 

V. Increasing Disparities in the Age-Related Incidences of Colon and Rectal Cancers in the United States, 1975-2010.

A. Bailey CE et. al.

B. January 2015

C. JAMA

D. 150(1): 17-22.

E. doi: 10.1001/jamasurg.2014.1756

F. Bias- written by oncologists at two major cancer research hospitals

G. Accuracy- cohort study following actual patients

H. Usefulness- increase in colorectal cancer among young adults- should this suggest a change in screening guidelines?