Annotated Works Cited—MLA Style

An additional way to construct a Works Cited page is to summarize the contents of a reference article you cite within the citation on your Works Cited page. This type of citation is called an Annotated Works Cited or Annotated Bibliography. This process requires that you be able to summarize a reference article or reference from a book in a few concise sentences, usually between three and six sentences. The annotation should start on the next line after the final period of the regular citation and be written in complete sentences. Skip an extra space between citations so that it is visually obvious where the next citation begins.

Works Cited

Booker, Keith M. A Practical Introduction to Literary Theory and Criticism. White Plains,

New York: Longman Publishers, 1996.

This textbook summarizes and explains in clear language ten contemporary theories regarding the reading of literature. This volume includes explanations of New, Psychoanalytical, Reader-Response,Deconstructive, Marxist, Feminist, Bakhtinian, Foucauldian, New Historicist, and Multicultural Literary Criticism. The book also includes examples of essays written that apply each of these critical approaches to the same work.

Gardner, Michael. “Gov. Davis Had Time to Spare.” San Diego Union Tribune:

SignonSanDiego.com. 18 October 2001. 20 October 2001 news/politics/20011018-9999_1n18bills.html>.

This article is a news article that explains the situation behind Governor Gray Davis’s last minute, marathon work session to sign almost one hundred bills before a legislative deadline. According to the article, Davis didn’t realize that the deadline was another 24 hours away. According to sources, Davis had plenty of time to consider each bill with care.

Quittner, Joshua. “The Thrill of Drudge Work.” Time16 June 1997: 67.

This article satirizes the nature of our daily lives and the chores we have become accustomed to doing. Chores such as taking out the trash and cleaning the bathroom are becoming moments that we can use to escape the rat race and pressures of our jobs and responsibilities, even if it is only for a few minutes. The author shows psychological research that supports his claim, though his conclusions seem a bit illogical.

Thompson, Smith. The Folktale.New York: Dryden, 1946.

This book is a comprehensive survey of the most popular folk tales in America. The book includes the history of these tales and their uses in literary works. It begins with folk tales from the 17th century and includes contemporary folk tales and Native American stories.

Wolf, Stacy. “Re/Presenting Gender, Re/Presenting Violence: Feminism, Form and the Plays of

Maria Irene Fornes.” Theater Studies. 37 (1992) : 17-31.

This article focuses on the idea that the presentation of male violence towards women in the media may not exactly cause more violence, but it does legitimize it as an accepted part of our society. The author mentions Strindberg’s article “Forward to Miss Julie” and several plays that depict male violence.