What is an annotated bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is an alphabetically organized list of citations to books, articles, websites, etc. Each citation is followed by an annotation which is a descriptive and evaluative paragraph that informs the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited. Watch the video below for a detailed explanation.
What does an annotated bibliography look like?
Image from: Clark College Library
How do I write a citation of my source?
Most of the LRC databases already create the citation for you! The citation can be found at the end of the article. You can select the citation style from a drop down menu and export your citation to Google Docs, Easybib, and Noodletools.
If you are using a book, magazine, or a website, however, you will have to create a citation. Be sure to check with your teacher to find out the specific citation style (i.e. APA, Chicago, MLA,) that you will need to follow for your class as each style has its own set of rules.
Here are some websites that will help you create citations:
If you are using a book, magazine, or a website, however, you will have to create a citation. Be sure to check with your teacher to find out the specific citation style (i.e. APA, Chicago, MLA,) that you will need to follow for your class as each style has its own set of rules.
Here are some websites that will help you create citations:
- APA Citations: Create APA citations instantly by using this citation machine from Purdue University.
- Chicago Citations: Create Chicago citations instantly by using this citation machine from Purdue University.
- LRC Citation page
- MLA Citations: Follow the templates provided in this guide created by the California State University Northridge Oviatt Library to help you create your citations.
What do I write in my annotation?
A great annotation answers these questions in a paragraph:
- What is the resource about or its purpose? (Summary; this should only be 1 -2 sentences)
- What are the strengths of this source? What are its weaknesses? (ex: structure of the source)
- Who is the author and what authority does the author have on the topic?
- Who is the intended audience for this resource?
- How does this resource support your claim (thesis) or your research question? If it doesn’t, then why not?
- How does this resource compare to your other sources?
- Is there anything highly helpful or useful included in this paper? (ex: a good bibliography, a detailed glossary, etc.)
- Was this source and its conclusions convincing to you or not?