Library:How to Write an Annotated Bibliography/Academic Integrity

Academic Integrity

Writing your annotations will require that you summarize each article's main arguments. In doing so you may find yourself quoting the author's words. Academic integrity requires that you cite direct quotations from the author's text. Failing to credit an author for his or her work or ideas is an example of plagiarism.

Note: normally you must also provide your reader with a citation every time you paraphrase or summarize someone else's work or ideas. As noted above, "failing to credit an author for his or her work or ideas is an example of plagiarism" even if presented in your own words.

However, an entry in an annotated bibliography by definition includes a summary of the original author's work. The reader already understands that your recap represents another person's "work or ideas." In this situation further citations are not necessary, though if you are writing an evaluative annotation your assessment of the author's work is expected to be your own original work.

For more information about types of plagiarism, avoiding plagiarism, and what you do and do not need to document check out the website for the Academic Integrity Resource Centre.

Where Can I Find out how to Cite Properly?

Annotated bibliographies use the same sorts of citation styles that standard bibliographies and lists of works cited do. Your instructor will likely specify the style you are to use - but if not - you will have to choose one and use it consistently throughout your bibliography.

• Pay particular attention to the your citation style's rules for:
  • how to reference multiple authors
  • line spacing
  • capitalizing (or not) book & article titles
  • indent placement
  • page margins

• Check out the Library's Guide to Citing here to learn more about using APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian and other styles.

More Academic Integrity Resources

• For an excellent guide to paraphrasing see: Paraphrase: Write it in your own words, from Purdue's Online Writing Lab (OWL).
• For more information about academic integrity and avoiding plagiarism see UBC Library's Academic Integrity Resource Centre