Annotated Bibliography

Guide

An Annotated Bibliography is a professional way to survey available literature on a given topic or period. It is a common assignment at the college level. Annotated Bibliographies are a research tool for those looking to find better resources.

Rationale: Surveying available literature is an excellent way to perform enrichment research. One can give further inquiry into topics of interest, and this time and thought helps to solidify and build upon existing knowledge learned from class.

Instructions: Use the internet to identify books and read reviews. The easiest way to do this is through www.amazon.com or www.barnesandnoble.com, which have accessible reviews and rating scales. Use these reviews and descriptions by the publisher to write an annotation for five books by different authors. Write an MLA style citation alphabetically in relation to other entries. In three paragraphs, answer the following questions:

1. What is the author’s perspective or argument? What makes this book unique from others on the same topic? What is the book trying to say?
2. What would you learn about if you read this book? What topics does this book cover?
3. Who is the author? What makes the author qualified to write this book? What kind of reputation does the author have? Does the author have any other books? What awards has the book or author won, if any?

Annotated Bibliography Rubric

possible points	expectations	points earned
2	The perspective or argument is clearly stated
2	The information covered is detailed thoroughly
2	The author’s qualifications are detailed
3	The books are selected for quality
4	Books are related to the unit
3	Paragraphs are clear and purposeful
2	Uses effective grammar
2	Citations are appropriately formatted
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Annotated Bibliography Example