A bibliography is a list of works (books, articles, government documents, etc.) on a particular topic. An annotated bibliography includes a paragraph following each citation that summarizes the work. This tutorial will outline how to complete an annotated bibliography:
Tips for Writing Annotated Bibliographies
Keep the following tips in mind when constructing Annotated Bibliographies:
Descriptive annotations may: summarize the main purpose or idea of the work, contents of the work, the author's conclusion and intended audience, the author's research methods, or special features of the work such as illustrations, maps, tables, and so on.
You are expected to express your own thoughts and analysis regarding the topic or in response to the discussion question/prompt. Your posting(s) should incorporate information from credible sources to support your statements. In-text citations as well as references must be met in all posts when required by the course or the instructor.
Be sure to check the discussion rubric to ensure you are meeting expectations.
It may seem like citing your sources is tedious, but it's important and there are many reasons to do it. Attributing and documenting your sources:
Helps you avoid plagiarizing.
Allows the reader to find your research sources. Think of citations as footprints leading the reader through some of the steps you took to reach your conclusions.
Provides evidence for your arguments and adds credibility to your work by demonstrating that you have sought out and considered a variety of viewpoints on a given topic.
Is standard practice for scholars and students engaged in written academic conversations. By citing your sources, you demonstrate that you are responding to this person, agreeing with that person, adding something to what so-and-so said and so forth.
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