PSY 161: Fundamentals of Psychology: Annotated Bibliography

Sources for topics:

Make a list of what interests you!

Skim your textbook:  Table of Contents and Index.

Browse through a psychology magazine or journal:

     Psychology Today

See the APA website:

     APA Psychology Topics

See topic ideas using additional resources:

     PsycINFO Topic Guides

     APA PsycNet    

Annotated Bibliography:

• An annotated bibliography is an alphabetical list of citations to books, articles, and documents on a related topic.
• Each citation is followed by a brief description and usually includes an evaluative paragraph, the annotation.
• The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Process: 

Write a concise annotation that summarizes the central theme and scope of the book or article. Include one or more sentences that:

• evaluate the authority or background of the author,
• comment on the intended audience,
• compare or contrast this work with another you have cited, or
• explain how this work illuminates your bibliography topic

Also see "Questions to Consider" in the right column.

*Reproduced with permission from:  Research & Learning Services - Olin Library, Cornell University Library - Ithaca, NY, USA

Select a topic:  The annotated bibliography should show understanding and thoughtful reflection on a topic that speaks to the mission and objectives of the course.

Locate references that are academically credible (peer reviewed):  

References may report empirical data (primary sources) or examine theoretical issues (secondary sources).   

Use APA citation style.        

Check with your instructor regarding the following criteria:

•      Number of sources
•      Number of primary vs. secondary sources
•      Date range of sources
•      Minimum page length for articles
•      Length of annotation     

Sample APA Annotation

Evans, D. (Ed.). (2016). Language and identity: Discourse in the world. Bloomsbury Academic. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781474242035

In this book, Evans explored the interrelationships between language and identity, focusing on how the expression of languages may have influenced discourse. He also discussed the links between language and social structure. In the second part of the book, Evans analyzed a plethora of real-world examples of this collision of language and identity. He discussed Quebec's shift from ethnic to civic national identity, Indigenous communities in the Amazon, and nineteenth-century Irish emigrant language expressions. The author also recognized many other views on language and identity, all of which are referenced in the book's index. Language and Identity targeted the idea of embracing new languages and new cultures to encourage cultural allegiances and combat marginalization. This book, especially chapters two and three, is an excellent resource for explaining the significance of language in one's identity. 

The annotation above both analyzes the book and reflects on its potential uses. The first paragraph summarizes the main arguments and lists some examples the author used. There is also a sentence discussing the book’s mention of counterarguments, which aims to emphasize the author’s credibility. The last sentence reflects on the potential uses of the work. This particular annotation summarized and briefly evaluated the book within one paragraph.

Adapted from the sample annotation provided by OWL Purdue University. 

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• Who is the audience for the resource?
• What is the purpose of the resource?
• What is the tone of the information presented?
• Scope--what/who does it include?  What/who does it leave out?
• Relevance of the information, study, findings
• Is the argument persuasive, informative, controversial?
• Are the researchers authoritative, qualified to be doing the project? 
• Is the journal peer-reviewed (scholarly)?
• Is the information published by a reputable company?
• Was the methodology explained clearly? Does it fit the study?
• Were the results plausible?  Were the short-comings of the study discussed?