Chicago Style Annotated Bibliography: Format + Example

Chicago style annotated bibliography looks like a standard bibliography page. The main difference is that a student should create an annotation for each entry in the list accompanied by an expanded summary.

In this article we will talk about how to format your Chicago style annotated bibliography. We will also provide you with a layout and examples to help you get started. After reading the article, you will be able to format this section like a professional annotated bibliography writer. 

Chicago style annotated bibliography is designed to share your knowledge of a cited source with a reader. When you refer to a specific source of information, you are familiar with the author and his background.

We can admit there are two ways of creating an annotation: using a descriptive and an evaluative approach. Let’s see how we make it using Chicago style format.

By using a descriptive approach to your paper’s sources, you should sum up what your source is about and which significance it has. This information helps your reader understand the context you put this source in. Also, you can add some data about publication and the author.

While writing in an evaluative approach, you should bring in personal opinion regarding your source. Your feedback is subjective and should show more precisely, which place this source takes in your paper and why you refer to it. Mention general background information if needed.  

As you have more than 1 option in creating your bibliography, its length can be different. Descriptive approach supposes writing quite brief and informative background, which can be about 50-100 words in length.

Evaluative approach gives you more room for expressing personal opinion. It may cause an enhanced word count. Usually, such pieces consist of 150-200 words. If you buy dissertation from StudyCrumb, the annotated bibliography could be included in the final document.

General recommendation is using about 150 words. But the main point is to provide as much useful information regarding a cited source as possible. Remember that you need to stay concise and pick only important data or/and opinion.  

As for Chicago style annotated bibliography formatting, follow basic style’s guidelines. Each entry should be like in a standard style’s bibliography. Let’s remind how we should format it:  

Each entry should be comprised of the following elements in the corresponding order (all divided by periods):

As for your description or evaluation, follow these rules:

In conclusion, consider recruiting a thesis writer if you need any practical help with your magnum opus.

What does a Chicago style annotated bibliography look like? Here’s an example: