How to Write an Annotation of a Peer-reviewed Article

Annotation of a Peer-reviewed Article

Annotation of a peer-reviewed article refers to brief summaries or evaluations of the main points, arguments, and findings of a peer-reviewed journal article. Annotations are often used to help readers quickly identify the relevance and usefulness of an article for their research purposes. They serve to provide a critical perspective on the content of the article.

Elements Included

An annotation of a peer-reviewed article typically includes the following elements:

  1. Citation information: The full citation of the article, including the author(s), title, journal name, publication date, and page numbers.
  2. Brief summary: A summary of the article’s main purpose, research questions, methodology, and key findings. This should be concise and focus on the most important points of the article.
  3. Evaluation: An assessment of the strengths and weaknesses of the article, and the significance of the findings. This can include an analysis of the research methods used, the quality of the data, and the relevance of the findings to the research field.
  4. Relevance: A statement on how the article is relevant to the reader’s research interests, and how it may contribute to the reader’s understanding of the research topic.
  5. Limitations: A discussion of any limitations or potential biases in the article’s research design, methodology, or data analysis.

Annotation of a Peer-reviewed Article for Dissertation Coursework

Annotations can be used for different purposes, such as to keep a record of useful articles for future reference, to inform literature reviews, or to help readers assess the quality and relevance of a large number of articles. The level of detail and critical analysis included in an annotation may vary depending on the purpose and audience for which it is intended.

For doctoral level candidates, you may use the following criteria for doing annotations of peer-reviewed articles.

  • Why was the study conducted?
  • What was the population studied?
  • What did the researcher(s) conclude?
  • What other information about this study do you believe is unique or important to recall?
  • Are there specific statements made by the author you wish to retain?
  • Annotations are descriptive and critical assessments of peer reviewed articles. They summarize the key concepts and evaluate the article for its strengths and weaknesses.