How to Write an Annotated Bibliography Mr. Sparks Broomfield Heights Middle School

What is it? An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (books, journals, websites, periodicals, etc.) one has used for researching a topic that includes a summary and evaluation of each of the sources.

Purpose The purpose of the annotation is to inform the reader of the relevance, accuracy, and quality of the sources cited.

Excellent Preparation When you write annotations for each source, you are forced to evaluate each source carefully. You begin to read more critically, rather than just collecting information.

Format of the citation MLA style Include a medium designation such as print or web.

Format of the annotation Single space Left aligned Use the third person* – do not use “I..” Use formal and present tense language Accurate Language “This article discusses…” “In this article the author supports…” “This book gives a detailed view on…” “This article describes…” Inaccurate Language “I will argue that…” “The article helps me…” “The book I am using…”

The “Annotation” Formula By answering the following questions in paragraph form, your annotation will be adequate. One or two sentences that describes the author's purpose 2. A brief “capsule” summary of its content. 3. A sentence at the end of the summary that explains “why this source seems valuable and how you might use it”

Final Product Norris, Michele. "The Mix: Songs Inspired By The Civil Rights Movement." NPR. NPR, 9 July 2013. Web. 22 Jan. 2014. In this article, the author catalogs and explains how an assortment of songs that were recorded from 1963 to 1974 were simultaneously influenced by the Civil Rights Movement and influenced members of the movement. Norris attempts to isolate which songs and/or artists proved to be the most influential in petitioning for equal rights, ultimately settling on Aretha Franklin as the predominant voice of the time. This research fits within this project in that it details the connection between music and the spread of the Civil Rights Movement ideology.

EASY BIB