Annotated Bibliography
What is an annotated bibliography?
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Bibliography: An alphabetical list of sources, such as books, articles, websites, and reports, for a research project
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Annotation: A summary and evaluation of each source and how it fits into your research project
An annotated bibliography has the following:
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A citation (in MLA or APA – or another – style)
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A paragraph that includes:
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A summary of the source’s main points
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An evaluation of the source
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An explanation of how the source fits into your research project
How do I start an annotated bibliography?
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Topic: Review your assignment and readings to start thinking about your topic
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Research: Visit the SBVC Library Databases and Research Guides page to search OneSearch or a specific database.
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Ask a librarian: Visit the Valley College Library homepage to chat with a librarian or access the Library Databases and Research Guides page.
How do I write an annotation?
Summarize: Write the source’s main point or argument in your own words.
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Read the title, abstract, headings, the introduction and conclusion, and take notes as you read, to summarize the main point or argument in your own words.
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Include the type of source (book or ebook; academic journal article; encyclopedia or other reference article; news or magazine article; report or document, etc.).
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Include the author or responsible organization.
Evaluate: Demonstrate that this is a reliable source.
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Include information about the author and source: Is the author an expert? Is this from a peer-reviewed journal? Is the publication reliable? Is there evident bias?
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Include the name of the journal, magazine, newspaper, or book where the source appears.
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If applicable, include the organization that published or funded the source.
Fit: Explain how the source fits into your research project
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Discuss topics the source covers that are related to your research project.
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Explain how the source supports your argument or counterargument.
Examples of Annotated Bibliographies
Cancro, Polly. “The Dark(Ish) Side of Digitization: Information Equity and the Digital Divide.” Serials Librarian, vol. 71, no. 1, 2016, pp. 57-
62. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/0361526X.2016.1157424.
This peer-reviewed article was published in the journal Serials Librarian; the author is a professor of library science. The article discusses digital and digitized information and how it can increase inequity to access because of the digital divide. It explores the idea of the digital divide in libraries and other institutions. The findings support my argument that libraries are instrumental in bridging the digital divide.
Landers, Craig S. The Digital Divide: Issues, Recommendations and Research. E-book, Nova Science Publishers, 2017.
This book, with chapters contributed by researchers from universities around the world, provides research on the digital divide in the United State and internationally. It has chapters that address the digital divide for college students and for students in K-12 school. In an article that examines mobile technology around the world, it extends the discussion of the impact of the digital divide on students. This book supports my discussion that mobile technology alone cannot bridge the digital divide successfully.
Cancro, P. (2016). The dark(ish) side of digitization: Information equity and the digital divide. Serials Librarian, 71(1), 57-
62. https://doi:10.1080/0361526X.2016.1157424
This peer-reviewed article was published in the journal Serials Librarian; the author is a professor of library science. The article discusses digital and digitized information and how it can increase inequity to access because of the digital divide. It explores the idea of the digital divide in libraries and other institutions. The findings support my argument that libraries are instrumental in bridging the digital divide.
Landers, Craig S. (Ed.). (2017). The digital divide: Issues, recommendations and research [eBook edition]. Nova Science Publishers.
This book, with chapters contributed by researchers from universities around the world, provides research on the digital divide in the United State and internationally. It has chapters that address the digital divide for college students and for students in K-12 school. In an article that examines mobile technology around the world, it extends the discussion of the impact of the digital divide on students. This book supports my discussion that mobile technology alone cannot bridge the digital divide successfully.