An annotated bibliography is a reference list where every source earns a short paragraph. In nursing, that paragraph usually summarizes the study, judges its quality, and explains how it serves your topic. Here is a clear structure and a fictional annotation to model.
Each entry has two jobs. First it tells the reader what the source says. Then it shows that you evaluated the source rather than copying its abstract. Instructors set this assignment to check that you can search a database, choose credible studies, and read them critically. It is often the first stage of a literature review or a PICOT paper, so choose sources you can actually use later.
Some courses want only a descriptive summary, while others want the full critical version described here. Check the rubric, because a long annotation on a descriptive assignment costs time you do not need to spend.
Type the reference with a hanging indent, then start the annotation on a new line beneath it and indent the whole annotation. Journal articles list the author, year, article title in sentence case, journal name in italics, volume in italics, issue, page range, and DOI as a full link. The example below is fictional, so never copy its details; take your own from the article itself and see the journal article citation guide.
| Part | Fictional example |
|---|---|
| Citation | Nguyen, T. H., & Okafor, C. A. (2022). Scheduled rounding and call light use on adult medical units: A quasi-experimental study. Journal of Example Nursing Research, 18(3), 210–225. https://doi.org/10.xxxx/xxxxx |
| Summary | The authors compared call light use on two units, one that began hourly rounding and one that kept usual care, over twelve weeks. Call light use fell on the intervention unit, and nurses there described more predictable workloads. |
| Appraisal | The design lacks randomization and the units differ in patient mix, so the difference may not come from rounding alone. The setting is clearly described, but only one hospital took part and the follow-up was short. |
| Relevance | This study supports my PICOT intervention and gives a realistic outcome measure, though the limits above mean I will pair it with a stronger review. |
Appraisal is where most marks are won or lost. Start by naming the design: systematic review, randomized trial, cohort study, descriptive or qualitative study, or expert opinion. Rough hierarchies of evidence place well-conducted reviews and trials near the top, but a hierarchy is only a starting point; a weak trial can be less useful than a careful cohort study. Then ask design-specific questions about selection, measurement, loss to follow-up, and whether the conclusions match the data. Free checklists from JBI cover many designs and give you consistent wording. Say what you found, not just "this is a strong study."
Our nursing writers can help you find suitable sources, appraise them, and format the finished list.
Do not just say a source is "useful." Tie it to a specific part of your question: the population, the intervention, an outcome, or a gap you will address. If a source is only partly relevant, say so; it shows judgment. Where it helps, connect entries to each other, noting for example that one study supports and another contradicts the same finding.
The most common error is paraphrasing an abstract so closely that it counts as copying; write from your notes, not the abstract on screen. Others include summarizing without any appraisal, praising every study equally, and forgetting that an annotated bibliography still needs correct in-text style in the annotations if you mention other works. Follow your institution's academic-integrity policy and program requirements, and if you use a database such as the National Library of Medicine resources, cite the journal article rather than the database.
Tip. Keep a simple spreadsheet with one row per article and a column for each of the four parts. Copying rows into the final list takes minutes.
Many courses ask for 100 to 200 words, but yours may differ. Use the rubric as the final word.
Avoid it. Appraisal requires the methods and results sections, not only the abstract.
Often yes, if the assignment allows non-journal sources. See the clinical practice guideline citation guide for how to reference them.
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