What is an Annotated Bibliography?
A bibliography, as you know, is a list of sources that you’ve used when researching your topic (vs. works cited, which will include only the sources cited in the essay). An annotated bibliography includes a brief summary and evaluation of the usefulness of each source.
Annotations are written in paragraph form. Each annotation should include the following information:
1. Medium (book, movie, article, etc.)
2. Purpose of the source (what did the creator of the source want you to take away?)
3. Summary of the key features or arguments in the source
4. Information on the author/creator and related credentials. Is it in a peer-reviewed journal? Is it an interview on YouTube? (Both of these are valuable, but in different ways.)
5. Failures or shortcomings of the source. Did it overlook something major?
6. The value of this source to your essay. How does it help you?
For this assignment, you will create an annotated bibliography. You must include two credible sources. These annotations will be in MLA or APA format - there is more information on citation styles, including a link to the Libraries' guide on the next tab.
If you are looking for information on annotated bibliographies, these resources provide an overview and examples: