Citations
Start each entry with a citation in "bibliographic format" according to the "style" identified by your instructor or field of study. At MGHS, students most often use the MLA Style of citation. The Citing Sources page (always located in the Researchers Toolkit) provides more information about citing sources.
Annotations
An annotation follows each citation in an annotated bibliography. Annotations are 2-3 sentence critical summaries of content and critique of literary merit or credibility and usefulness of information provided.
For example...
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Cowell, L. L. H. (2007). The 21st century and the importance of libraries among high school students. Monona Sociological Review, 51, 541-554. |
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The author, a teacher and library media specialist at Hartford Union High School, uses data from a longitudinal survey of students and standardized scores to test the current view that libraries are crucial in the development of independent and successful learners for the 21st century. This study is in direct contrast to traditional 20th century model of school libraries and was important in proving the validity of the research showing that students who learn to use the library score higher on academic achievement tests. |
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NOTE: Single or double space according to instructor preferences.
In the real world...
Annotated bibliographies aren't just for school work. The annotated resource list helps to establish your credibility as an author. It is also great way to identify WHY you have chosen to include a link on a web page, or to recommended further reading in a brochure:
Puckett, K. (2001). Batgirl: A Knight Alone. New York: DC Comics.
While others attribute Batgirl's powers to the anonimity of her superhero disguise, it may just be her real-world identity (Gotham city librarian) that truly makes the difference. In this graphic novel, readers can witness the ingenuity that occurs when someone makes a habit of asking, "Where can I find that?"
Summary
The first part of your annotation should include a BREIF summary of the work.
Source Evaluation
Establish the author's credibility, the currency of the information, and it's relevance to your topic, ultimately noting if the resource is useful in understanding the topic.