An annotated bibliography is a list of resources formatted in a specific citation style, followed by your notes, or annotations, which include:

• your summary of the source,
• your assessment of the source, and
• the ways you might use the source.

Talk with your professor or review your assignment for additional instructions.

Writing the annotation in your own words is key to the success of your bibliography, and using it as a step towards a larger project. Drafting an annotated bibliography is an opportunity to meaningfully engage with a work, record why you selected the source, and helps avoid accidental plagiarism, i.e. accidentally having phrases by the source's author(s) appear in your final project. 

The bullet points below walk you through points to consider. You annotations will likely not address every bullet point, and the length of the annotation will determine the level of detail. Some researchers find synthesis grids helpful in mapping out their annotations. 

Summarize

• What is this source about?
• What are the main points or arguments?
• What topics are covered? 
• What methods or approach did the researchers use? 
• What are the main findings or conclusions? How does this source contribute to the field? 

Assess

• What are the strengths and weaknesses of the source?
• How is this source unique when compared to other sources on the same topic. Is it a useful source?
• Is the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective?
• What/who does the source include, or leave out? Are the source's arguments persuasive, informative, controversial?

Reflect

• How might you envision using this source in your research project?
• How central is this source to your research?
• How does it help you shape your argument or change how you think about your topic?

Adapted from: 
Annotated Bibliographies, Purdue OWL
Wentz. How to Design, Write, and Present a Successful Dissertation Proposal. Sage Research Methods.