An annotated bibliography is a list of articles, books, websites, and other resources used in research, which also includes an annotation for each resource. An annotation is a paragraph that summarizes and evaluates an individual resource.
An annotated bibliography helps a researcher learn about the background of a topic or research problem, including what literature has already been published. By completing an annotated bibliography, researchers can develop their own point of view on a topic and begin to understand how their research may add to an existing body of scholarly work.
Typically, an entry in an annotated bibliography will include a citation followed by an annotation. Several of these citation/annotation entries are arranged in alphabetical order according to author in the annotated bibliography. See sample annotation formats in MLA, APA, and Chicago styles at the Purdue Owl.
