FYSP 085: Rebellion, Revolution, Rock-n-Roll

An annotated bibliography is a list of sources (such as books, articles, and other materials) you’ve found for your research. Each entry includes two parts:

1. The citation, which gives full publication details of the source.

2. The annotation, a brief paragraph (typically around 150 words) that explains what the source is about and its relevance to your project.

Think of your sources as being in conversation with each other and how they will be useful to you. Your sources will give you certain background information, exemplify different approaches or arguments, or demonstrate different methods or approaches. Each source will make a contribution or serve a purpose. If not, think about why you're including it.

What is the purpose of an annotated bibliography?

You should write an annotated bibliography for several reasons. It will help you to:

1. Help you think about the sources you've selected and how they fit into the broader context of your topic and connect to your ideas.
2. Ensure you understand your topic and approach before you begin writing.
3. Help you to distinguish between your views, opinions, and biases on a topic and what scholarly research says.
4. Let you see what research you already have and decide if you need to look for more sources.

What should my annotations include?

1. Provide the complete citation so your reader can find the source.
2. First, refer to the specific requirements provided by your professor. Generally, you should consider these questions in your brief annotation:
   1. What is the main argument or thesis?
   2. What kind of evidence or approach does the author use?
   3. Is it theoretical, historical, or analytical? Is it primarily background information? What are its strengths or limitations?
   4. What is its relevance to your topic or question? How will it support or challenge your own analysis?

Don't copy the author's abstract or summary. Paraphrase and focus on what is relevant to your project and approach.

• The Purdue OWL website provides a good description of annotated bibliographies. 

• The site also includes example annotations. Your own annotation will be shaped by the sources you're using, but the example can be helpful for structure and tone.