Directions for an Annotated Bibliography
First, write your MLA Heading:
Your Name
Your Teacher's Name
Class and Period (example: English I 3rd period)
Date in MLA Format (example: 23 January 2014)
SKIP A LINE HERE
Write the focus question and title next, example:
What is Life Like in Space? An Annotated Bibliography (this always comes at the end of your question)
Write the MLA Ciatation for the source book, magazine, website, or newspaper, example:
Smith, John. "Space Shuttles." Science Weekly. 17 March 2013. Print.
SKIP A LINE HERE
Write your Annotation paragraphs next:
Paragraph 1: Answer these questions in complete sentences that restate the questions in paragraph form: What are the main arguments? What is the point of this book or article? What topics are covered? If someone asked what this article/book is about, what would you say? The length of your annotations will determine how detailed your summary is.
Paragraph 2: Answer these questions in complete sentences that restate the questions in paragraph form: Is it a useful source? How does it compare with other sources in your bibliography? Is the information reliable? Is this source biased or objective? What is the goal of this source?
Paragraph 3: Answer these questions in complete sentences that restate the questions in paragraph form: Once you've summarized and assessed a source, you need to ask how it fits into your research. Was this source helpful to you? How does it help you shape your argument? How can you use this source in your research project? Has it changed how you think about your topic?