What is an annotated bibliography?
An annotated bibliography is a list of citations with descriptions, or annotations, about each source.
Why use an annotated bibliography?
The point of an annotated bibliography is to help you define your topic and to ensure that you have appropriate academic sources. It also allows for feedback from your teacher and clarifies your thinking process, so that when you sit down to write the paper you have a strong foundation of thought and information.
What should the annotation include?
Here is a three part guideline with questions to help you write your annotation:
Part A: Summary-- One or two sentences that explains and describes the work, plus a summary of key information
What kind of source is it?
Book? Scholarly article? General news article? Website? Editorial/Opinion? Overview? Interview?
Who is the audience?
What is the main idea?
What topics are included?
Part B: Assess-- A sentence or two that considers the value of the work
Does it offer a good introduction to the topic, or is does it explore one aspect of the topic in detail?
Is it biased (one-sided)?
Is the information reliable? How can you tell?
Is the source relevant to your research?
Part C: Reflection-- A sentence or two that expresses an opinion on the usefulness of the work for your paper
How is the source useful?
Is it at an appropriate level for you as a student?
Is the source relevant to your research?
What is your overall reaction?
For more information, see the example below or visit the Purdue OWL's annotated bibliography page.
Example of bibliography entry with annotation:
Thomas, Peggy. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Detroit:
Lucent Books, 2008.
This book presents an overview of PTSD, beginning with society’s earliest comprehension of problems faced by those returning from war. It explains the development of PTSD as a diagnosis by American psychiatrists, explores the experiences of those suffering from PTSD, and explains the history of treatment up through the time of publication. Thomas writes clearly, explaining each topic in a way that is easy to understand. The About the Author note indicates that the author is a prolific writer rather than a subject-area expert, but I judge the text to be reliable because the book is extensively footnoted, with the footnotes indicating the author consulted a variety of appropriate sources. Not every chapter is relevant to my project, but the majority of them are. The book is not as scientific as other sources I have consulted. Instead, it provides a clear overview of PTSD. This book is a good place to start my research because the understanding I gain from the overview will help me to comprehend the other, more difficult, sources I have found.
How to add an annotation in NT directions: NT Annotation How To
Or, watch this short video:
Bibliography
Berlin Wall Foundation. "Fall of the Berlin Wall ." Berlin Wall Memorial. Last modified 2019. Accessed December 17, 2019. https://www.berliner-mauer-gedenkstaette.de/en/fall-of-the-berlin-wall-291.html.
This web page provides access to secondary source information and primary source photographs on the Berlin Wall Memorial's official site sponsored by the Berlin Wall Foundation with content managed by Professor Dr. Axel Klausmeier. The foundation states that their purpose is to document and provide information about the wall, the mass migration, and East-West conflict. The summary of events leading to the fall is outlined accurately and succinctly.
Hay, Jeff T., ed. The Fall of the Berlin Wall. Detroit, Mich.: Greenhaven Press, 2010.
This book is a secondary source published by Greenhaven Press. It includes historical background information along with primary source material from multiple perspectives to place the wall in a broader historical context. Particularly relevant, is the viewpoint written on the ten year anniversary of its fall by history professor Doris Bergen. A chronology and sources for further reading are provided.
Loshitzky, Yosefa. "Constructing and Deconstructing the Wall." CLIO 26, no. 3 (Spring 1997): 275+. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A19984489/WHIC?u=wa&sid=WHIC&xid=61d5f2c0.
This peer reviewed, scholarly journal article is a secondary source published by Indiana University and was found in Gale in Context World History database. The article discusses the symbolism and historical significance that the Berlin Wall has played over the course of its history. It specifically addresses the role of media coverage at both the time of construction and deconstruction. It provides valuable support and insights into the wall as a monument.