An annotated bibliography provides specific information about each source you have used.
Think of your paper as part of a conversation with people interested in the same things as you; the annotated bibliography allows you to tell readers what to check out, what might be worth checking out in some situations, and what might not be worth spending the time on.
The standard format of an annotated bibliography is a citation followed by its annotation. The arrangement is generally alphabetical order by author's last name. Long annotated bibliographies are often subdivided into sections with subheadings.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Writing Center. (n.d.). Annotated bibliographies. https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/annotated-bibliographies/
McMaster University Libraries. (2020, April 30). How library stuff works: How to write an annotated bibliography [Video]. https://youtu.be/38tAdtTP2MU
There are several types of annotations. Check with your instructor if you are unsure of the assignment requirements.
They sum up the content of the source, as a book report might.
They give an overview of the arguments and evidence addressed in the work, and note the resulting conclusion.
They do not judge the work they are discussing.
When appropriate, they describe the author’s methodology or approach to material. For instance, you might mention if the source is an ethnography or if the author employs a particular kind of theory.
There are two kinds of summarizing annotations, informative and indicative.
Informative annotations sometimes read like straight summaries of the source material, but they often spend a little more time summarizing relevant information about the author or the work itself.
Indicative annotation is the second type of summary annotation, but it does not attempt to include actual information from the argument itself. Instead, it gives general information about what kinds of questions or issues are addressed by the work. This sometimes includes the use of chapter titles.
An annotated bibliography may combine elements of all the types. In fact, most of them fall into this category: a little summarizing and describing, a little evaluation.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Writing Center. (n.d.). Annotated bibliographies. https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/annotated-bibliographies/
London, H. (1982, Spring). Five myths of the television age. Television Quarterly, 10(1), 1-89.
Herbert London, the Dean of Journalism at New York University and author of several books and articles, explains how television contradicts five commonly believed ideas. He uses specific examples of events seen on television, such as the assassination of John Kennedy, to illustrate his points. His examples have been selected to contradict such truisms as: "seeing is believing"; "a picture is worth a thousand words"; and "satisfaction is its own reward." London uses logical arguments to support his ideas which are his personal opinion. He doesn't refer to any previous works on the topic. London's style and vocabulary would make the article of interest to any reader.
London, H. (1982, Spring). Five myths of the television age. Television Quarterly, 10(1), 1-89.
Herbert London, the Dean of Journalism at New York University and author of several books and articles, explains how television contradicts five commonly believed ideas. He uses specific examples of events seen on television, such as the assassination of John Kennedy, to illustrate his points. His examples have been selected to contradict such truisms as: "seeing is believing"; "a picture is worth a thousand words"; and "satisfaction is its own reward." London uses logical arguments to support his ideas which are his personal opinion. He doesn't refer to any previous works on the topic; however, for a different point of view, one should refer to Joseph Patterson's, "Television is Truth" (The Journal of Television 45 (6) November/December 1995: 120-135). London's style and vocabulary would make the article of interest to any reader. The article clearly illustrates London's points, but does not explore their implications, leaving the reader with many unanswered questions.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The Writing Center. (n.d.). Annotated bibliographies. https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/annotated-bibliographies/