Introduction - How to Write an Annotated Bibliography
A bibliography is a complete list of the sources that you have used in your research paper and is added at the end of the document. The list contains key details of each source used. While annotated bibliography is different from a typical list of bibliography. An annotated bibliography is also written in the form of a list of the citations of the sources, however, the citation is followed by a brief and analytical summary of the source. It is usually a 150 to 250-word long description of the specific components of the source.
Components for annotation
An annotated bibliography is a process of summarization, evaluation, assessment of the components of the source. Generally, an annotated bibliography is written for journal articles, research studies, and articles in a periodical. The procedure of annotation is aimed at the inclusion of three basic components:
- Summary of the source
- Critically evaluation of the information
- Reflection upon the significance of the source in your research
You can also follow your teacher's provided guidelines for the assignment. However, as a beginner, hire an expert essay writer online to get assistance for the challenging task. You can also follow the steps of this ultimate guide for writing an annotated bibliography.
Step 1 - Conduct research for sources
To complete your assignment, you might start random research for finding sources for annotation, on the internet. However, there are thousands of different sources available on the internet. Therefore, you would have to be careful while conducting the research. The following tips can help you.
- Use authentic and relevant sources
Instead of random research, turn to Google scholar for finding peer-reviewed sources that are relevant to the topic you are assigned. Use keywords that your topic contains. Use Boolean operators such as AND, OR, and NOT, with inverted commas to find those sources that contain the exact keywords that your topic has. This tip will help you in finding the most relevant sources according to your topic. Alongside Google scholar, you can also use other online libraries and journals to find authentic sources.
Locating valid, authentic, and relevant sources is the crucial step for writing an annotated bibliography. Therefore, consult a certified online essay writing service, to help you in completing your assignment. Follow your teacher's instructions regarding the number of sources, for which you will have to write an annotated bibliography. To save your energy, download five extra sources, in case you might drop a few sources based on irrelevancy, after reading these.
Step 2 - Read the sources carefully
Once you have selected and downloaded the sources, start reading the abstracts of these sources. The informed library research will help you in saving your time and energy since the abstracts are brief descriptive summaries of the sources. You can also drop the irrelevant sources after reading the titles and abstracts.
After carefully choosing all the sources, start reading the sources and highlight the important elements of the sources. These elements include the main argument of the author, research questions, research methodology, and findings, and the implications of the study on the research area. Try to understand and summarize these components in your own words as you will have to describe these components in the later stage of writing.
Step 3 - Write a citation for the sources
There are several types of citation styles followed by the academicians, including APA, MLA, Chicago, and others. All these styles have different rules for citation of the source, therefore, you will have to follow your teacher's instructions regarding the choice of the citation style. You must strictly follow the rules regarding the format of the citation style. You can use an auto-generator for citation of the sources or ask a professional to write essay for me, as you being a beginner, might find it a challenging task.
Step 4 - Follow the format
The annotated bibliography is written in the form of a paragraph, following the citation of the source. The paragraph starts with a left indent and follows a proper format. The format is as follows:
- Provide a summary
You already have read the source, examined it carefully, and highlighted the main points. Now jot down all these points to provide almost a two-line summary of the whole document.
- Locate the research questions and main argument
You will need to locate the questions discussed in the research study and provide a description of the author's main claim or argument. However, to save the limited space, elaborate the information in your own words.
- Discuss the research methodology
The author must have provided information on the methodology used in the source. You will have to mention the methodology in the least possible words.
- Discuss the research findings
You will need to elaborate on the final results, achieved through the research study.
- Discuss the research implications
You will need to discuss the implications of the research study on the specific study area. You can also elaborate on the positive contribution to the existing literature, the study has made through its findings.
- Discuss the relevance to your research
You will also need to provide your insight about the significance of the study to your research and in what ways the particular study is relevant to your research area or topic.
Step 5 - Revise the assignment
A final revision is an important step in writing your annotated bibliography. Revise the paper several times to avoid any errors. Pay closer to the aim of your paper, which is to provide information about the annotated sources to other readers and inform them of the quality and content of these sources.
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