Here are some examples of annotated bibliography entries, formatted according to MLA style guidelines, for a research paper on a particular work of art, the drawing The Dream by Michelangelo.
The first entry is for a book that you found in print (i.e., you looked at the physical book, not an ebook version online). The annotation explains what the book is about, why it appears to be a reliable source, and how it is relevant to the research topic.
Murray, Linda. The High Renaissance and Mannerism: Italy, the North and Spain, 1500-1600.
New York, NY: Thames & Hudson, 1977.
This book presents a history of art during the High Renaissance. Two chapters on
Michelangelo place him in the social and historical context of his time, and compare
his work with his contemporaries. This book was published by a reputable publisher
and written by the author of several books on Renaissance art. It appears to be a
balanced and objective work. Although it does not mention the specific work by
Michelangelo that I am writing about, this book will provide useful information
about the artist, his times and his techniques.
The next entry is for an essay that you found online. The annotation explains what the essay is about (summarize), why it appears to be a reliable source (evaluate), and how it is relevant to the research topic (connect).
Laurenza, Domenico. “Art and Anatomy in Renaissance Italy: Images From a Scientific
Revolution.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art, www.metmuseum.org/art/
metpublications/Art_and_Anatomy_in_Renaissance_Italy_Images_from_a_Scientific_
Revolution. Accessed 3 Nov. 2015.
This essay presents a history of human anatomy in Italian Renaissance art, shown
primarily through drawings, prints and engravings. Many works by Michelangelo
are discussed. The author connects the advances in the artistic representation of
the human body with advances in medical and scientific understanding of the human
body. This essay was published by the Metropolitan Museum and written by a science
historian who spent several years conducting research at the Museum. The full text,
including images, is freely available online. Although it does not mention the
specific work by Michelangelo that I am writing about, this essay will provide
useful information about the techniques used by Michelangelo and other Renaissance
artists to depict the human body, as in the drawing The Dream.
The next entry is for a book that you found online (an ebook). The annotation explains what the book is about (summarize), why it appears to be a reliable source (evaluate), and how it is relevant to the research topic (connect).
The Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Renaissance in Italy and Spain. Ebook, The
Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1988.
This book covers works of Italian and Spanish Renaissance art in the Metropolitan
Museum’s collections. Frederick Hartt, an art history professor at the University
of Virginia, provides an introduction that discusses Italian and Spanish Renaissance
art in general. The rest of the book contains a catalogue of works in the Museum’s
collections; although brief, each catalogue entry contains valuable information about
the specific work and artist. This book was published by the Metropolitan Museum and
written by Museum staff members as well as Hartt. It appears to be a balanced and
objective work. The full text, including images, is freely available online. Although
it does not mention the specific work by Michelangelo that I am writing about, this
book will provide useful information about the artist, his times and his techniques,
and it does include other drawings by Michelangelo.
The next entry is for a web page. The annotation explains what the web page is about (summarize), why it appears to be a reliable source (evaluate), and how it is relevant to the research topic (connect).
“Michelangelo’s Dream.” The Courtauld Gallery. The Courtauld Institute of Art. 2015.
courtauld.ac.uk/gallery/exhibitions/michelangelos-dream. Accessed 3 Nov. 2015.
This is the web page about an exhibition held in 2010 that showcased The Dream
along with other drawings and also poems by Michelangelo. Although no specific
author is credited with writing this page, it is the official page for the
exhibit and the Courtauld Gallery is responsible for its creation. It appears
to be a balanced and objective work. It provides detailed information about
The Dream, Michelangelo’s drawing techniques, and the historical context of
the time.
The final entry is for a journal article that you found online through ProQuest Central, the online collection of magazine and journal articles that the DI Library subscribes to. The annotation explains what the article is about (summarize), why it appears to be a reliable source (evaluate), and how it is relevant to the research topic (connect).
Ruvoldt, Maria. "Michelangelo's Dream." The Art Bulletin, vol. 85, no. 1, 2003,
pp. 86-113. ProQuest, https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/michelangelos-
dream/docview/222946365/se-2?accountid=134905. Accessed 3 Nov. 2015.
This article is about the meaning of The Dream. The author asserts that the
traditional interpretation of the drawing, as an allegory of virtue and vice,
is too simple. She argues that the drawing has many layers of meaning that
reference dreams, love, divine inspiration, artistic inspiration, and creativity.
This article was published in a peer-reviewed, academic journal and includes a
list of sources cited. The author holds a Ph.D. from Columbia University. It
provides detailed information about The Dream, as well as unique perspective on
the meaning of the drawing.