Annotated Bibliography Essentials: Introduction and Conclusion

When students think about an annotated bibliography, they most often imagine how they need to format their resources and what information they need to include in the three paragraphs for each resource. Although the formatting of each resource is important in an annotated bibliography, it is just as important to think of the bigger picture. Rather than just including your resources in an annotated bibliography, it is important that you also include an introduction and a conclusion for the assignment, as well.

The introduction of an annotated bibliography will provide some context for the collection of resources you are including in the document. For instance, the introduction will cover the general theme or topic that your resources explore, including any background information or theoretical explanations that might be important for understanding the compilation of resources in the annotated bibliography. The introduction is also where you include any information on gaps in the literature you hope to address using the resources that are in the annotated bibliography. Once the introduction is complete, the bulk of the annotated bibliography—the resources themselves—will follow immediately after.

After you have properly written about and formatted your resources, you will need to include a conclusion to the document. The conclusion is where you will be able to reflect on the material covered by your resources and where you can touch on the gaps that became apparent. Taking stock of the possible gaps in the literature will help you determine where your research will go in the future. Likewise, you can also touch on the commonalities you took note of as you read through all of your research material. Were there common themes that continued to pop up as you read? Were there disparities between the resources that you think would be useful to think about?

Similarly to other types of APA-style assignments, proper formatting is important with an annotated bibliography. However, it is also important to think about the document as a whole, including the introduction and conclusion. The introduction and conclusion will help put your research into perspective for readers and will go a long way towards making your research compelling for those reading.

For an example of an annotated bibliography, take a look at our sample document here.

If you're curious to learn more, stay tuned for all of the posts in this five-part series on Annotated Bibliography Essentials!

The Walden University Writing Center creates content to help students with a range of topics related to scholarly writing, APA style, and the writing process. We host webinars, and offer paper reviews, live chat, and a podcast. You can check out all of our resources by visiting our Walden University Writing Center home page.

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