An annotated bibliography is a list of citations to books, articles, and documents. Each citation is followed by a brief (usually about 150 words) descriptive and evaluative paragraph, the annotation. The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.
One example of a good annotated bibliography is a list of sources on the topic of the impact of social media on youth. The first citation is a book titled "The Social Media Effect: How Social Media Affects Society, Youth, and Individuals." The annotation for this source would highlight the book's main arguments and findings, as well as its relevance to the topic at hand. It might also mention the author's credentials and the book's publication details, such as the publisher and year of publication.
The second citation could be a journal article titled "The Role of Social Media in Adolescent Socialization." The annotation for this source would summarize the article's key points and discuss how it contributes to the understanding of the topic. It might also evaluate the article's research methods and data, as well as the author's qualifications.
A third citation might be a report from a think tank or policy organization titled "Social Media and Youth: Opportunities and Challenges." The annotation for this source would summarize the report's main findings and recommendations, as well as its relevance to the topic. It might also discuss the credibility and expertise of the organization that produced the report.
Overall, a good annotated bibliography is a valuable tool for researchers and students, as it provides a summary and evaluation of the most important and relevant sources on a given topic. It helps readers to quickly identify and assess the quality and relevance of the sources, and to determine which ones are worth further reading and consideration.
