Writing an annotated bibliography: Introduction
An annotated bibliography is an organised list of sources which includes bibliographic data, plus a brief note or annotation about each item. Whereas an abstract is largely descriptive, an annotation should be both descriptive, indicating the major points of the item; and critical, providing an opinion by the writer on the quality of the work.
Compiling an annotated bibliography can be helpful for your research because it provides you with the opportunity to:
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Read the sources carefully to gain a proper
understanding of the main points being presented |
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Critically analyse the arguments and supporting
evidence used by authors
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Compare and assess each source against other sources discussing the same issues |
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Reflect on the usefulness of each source in relation to your own work |
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Become familiar with the literature published in your topic or discipline. |
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