CCDE 110N - Heiner

Think of an annotation as a note about a source. A source can be a book, an article from a journal or magazine, reference source, or primary source, etc. Annotations are not very long usually about 150-200 words. Annotations include summaries, evaluations, and reflections. Some annotated bibliography assignments might require all three of those or just one. Always follow the guidelines your instructor has given you for the assignment. 

Here are some tips to help you summarize a source:

• First skim the source.
  • Read it again.
  • Be prepared to possibly read it several times.
• Think about how the parts of the source are organized.
• Identify main ideas. 
• Write the main ideas in your own words.
• Check the summary you've created versus the original source. 

Reduce – Focus on the most important ideas and leave out anything extra.

Reject – Skip the small details and examples—a summary should include only the main points.

Reword – Say it in your own words instead of copying the original text.

Reproduce – Make sure your summary is true to the original source and doesn’t change the meaning.

Repackage – Present your summary in the format your assignment or instructor asks for (paragraph, bullet points, etc.).