A bibliography is a list of sources. An annotated bibliography is one where each item in the bibliography contains one or more of the following.
- A summary of what the item is about. What is the point of the source? What are the main arguments? What topics are covered?
- An evaluation of the item. It is a useful source? Is the information reliable? What are the author's credentials? Is the article biased or objective? What is the purpose of this source?
- A reflection of how the item fits in with your research. Was the source helpful to you? How does it help shape your argument? Has it changed your opinion of the topic?
An annotated bibliography can contain some of the above elements, all of them, or even other elements. If you are preparing an annotated bibliography for a class your instructor should provide you with specific guidelines.
Format
Annotations for each source are written in paragraph form. The length can vary depending on their purpose. They should be placed immediately below the citation they refer to. In APA, MLA and Chicago styles they should also be indented.
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